Nonprofit Leadership Training that Drives Results
The Evans School’s Nonprofit Management certificate (NPMGT) gives you the tools and framework needed to meet the increasing challenges facing the nonprofit sector today. The transcriptable certificate has been earned by UW graduate students from across the University’s colleges and schools and provides the opportunity to develop management and leadership skills to be successful in nonprofit, philanthropic, and social sector organizations.
Requirements
The program provides students with fundamental knowledge of the nonprofit sector through one core course and four elective courses (17-21):
- PUBPOL 550 Managing Nonprofit and Philanthropic Organizations (AUT, 4 credits) addresses management and policy challenges in nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, emphasizing the environment within which nonprofit work is performed, distinctive characteristics of nonprofits, legal requirements, cultural values, and leadership.
- Four elective courses (totaling 12-16 credits) in management, leadership, or policy analysis that broaden the basic knowledge base for nonprofit management. At least two electives must be taken within the Evans School.
- A portfolio and paper developed by each student and due at program completion reflects upon the key learning experiences of the certificate.
Completion of the Nonprofit Management certificate will be acknowledged on the student’s official UW transcript.
Students are encouraged to review the UW Graduate School policies on certificate programs.
Eligibility and Admissions
Current UW graduate students who have completed at least one quarter with a minimum 3.0 GPA are eligible to apply. Please note that students who are in fee-based graduate programs are eligible but have different tuition costs associated with state-supported certificates. If you are not sure if you are in a fee-based program, please contact your academic advisor or the Office of Student Affairs at evansgrad@uw.edu.
For most master’s degree students, the certificate coursework is taken across one academic year alongside coursework in their degree granting department; coursework may also be completed over multiple years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Students should confer with the Office of Student Affairs at evansgrad@uw.edu.
Yes, but fee-based students should take note that fee-based programs will use a different process to apply, register, and pay for their courses than students in state-supported programs. Fee-based students should review Continuum College policies about student status in “dual-majors.” Things to consider for fee-based students include different tuition costs for state-supported certificate courses and different registration processes.
If you do not know if you are in a fee-based program, reach out to your academic advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to determine their student status prior to applying for a tuition-based certificate.
Currently, admission to the certificate operates on a rolling admission basis. Once your application is received, it is reviewed by our committee and the decision is sent within two to three weeks.
While we have a preference for you to take PUBPOL courses to fulfill your elective requirements, we understand this is not always practical. If you identify graduate level courses from other departments or schools that have appropriate learning in areas of methods of nonprofit management, then please bring an exception request to our attention. In your email message justify how the graduate-level course meets the spirit of the certificate and your professional goals.
Typical electives include:
- PUBPOL 555 New Models for Mission-Based Business (AUT)
- PUBPOL 531 Development Management and Governance (AUT)
- PUBPOL 503 Executive Leadership (AUT)
- PUBPOL 521 Managing Public Grants and Contracts (WIN)
- PUBPOL 545 Advocacy for Social Change (WIN)
- PUBPOL 509 Managing People in Public and Nonprofit Agencies (WIN)
- PUBPOL 548 Public Policy & Program Implementation (SPR)
- PUBPOL 552 Philanthropy and Society (SPR)
- PUBPOL 553 Nonprofit Financial Management (SPR)