Nonprofit Management: Public, Professional & Social Sectors MS
Major: Nonprofit Management: Public, Professional & Social Sectors
Degree Awarded: Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 52.0201
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-2031
About the Program
The MS in Nonprofit Management: Public, Professional & Social Sectors is designed to prepare students to successfully handle the responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities facing today’s nonprofit sector. Skills in strategic planning, governance, communication, fund development and stewardship, marketing, and innovation learned in the classroom and put into practice with partnering nonprofit entities will provide students with the essential tools to effectively carry out and lead the nonprofits’ mission.
Drexel is steeped in the tradition of experiential learning and as a result, even though this is a full online program, there are three required experiential learning opportunities in which students work with nonprofits: Nonprofit Workshop I and II, as well as the Regional Volunteer Experience. Students have the option to work with a nonprofit for their two-course capstone sequence as well.
This degree equips you with the following demonstrable skills:
- Communication: Enhance oral, written, and presentation skills to easily and effectively collaborate with and lead others in the workplace. Students will also learn how to communicate with outside constituents, board members, and community leaders while honoring the organization’s mission.
- Campaign Management: Build the strategic planning, management, communication, and financial skills needed to effectively run annual funds and capital campaigns
- Donor Cultivation: Using communication, leadership, and nonprofit sector trends, as well as specific mission information, students will learn how to cultivate interested individuals into donors, elevate small donors into capital-level donors, and maintain those relationships over time.
- Ethics: Develop a strong moral and ethical framework to manage mission-driven, largely volunteer-based institutions
- Self-Assessment: Gain the ability to examine one’s role, responsibility, and effectiveness within an organization. By acknowledging strengths and weaknesses, students can capitalize on strengths while also targeting specific areas for growth.
Program Delivery
The MS in Nonprofit Management: Public, Professional & Social Sectors is a part-time graduate degree program that is offered entirely online. Drexel University operates on a quarter schedule (four 10-week terms per academic year). Students will take two courses per quarter.
Additional Information
Please visit our webpage for more information about the program, admissions requirements, and application details.
Admission Requirements
- Completed online application
- Bachelor's degree from and accredited institution
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (graduate degree GPAs will also be considered)
- Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions attended (including trade schools)
- Two letters of recommendation (three preferred)
- Personal statement (minimum 500 words) describing your interest in the program. Specifically, please discuss the following:
- Why are you interested in the nonprofit sector?
- How do you envision the program helping you to facilitate your future career goals?
- How you will contribute to the program and to your peers?
- Resume
- OPTIONAL: Students may elect to submit any of the following:
- GRE/GMAT scores
- Example of a work project that demonstrates a specific skill or expertise
- International students must submit a TOEFL score of 550 or higher. Please visit the International Student Requirements webpage.
- Interviews are not required, but may be requested.
Degree Requirements
| ACCT 608 | Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting | 3.0 |
| NPM 501 | Foundations in Fundraising and Ethics | 3.0 |
| NPM 520 | Writing for Nonprofits | 3.0 |
| NPM 550 | Stewardship & Donor Cultivation | 3.0 |
| NPM 600 | Nonprofit Workshop I | 3.0 |
| NPM 602 | Nonprofit Workshop II | 3.0 |
| NPM 603 | Regional Volunteer Experience | 3.0 |
| NPM 645 | Strategic Planning for Nonprofits | 3.0 |
| NPM 670 | Managing Effective Capital Campaigns | 3.0 |
| NPM 700 | Capstone I | 1.5 |
| NPM 701 | Capstone II | 4.5 |
| Electives | 12.0 | |
| Students should choose 4 elective courses from the list below: | ||
| Creative Enterprise and Innovation | ||
| International Cultural Policy | ||
| Community Cultural Planning | ||
| Strategic Social Media Communication | ||
| Foundations of Public Relations | ||
| Event Planning | ||
| Grant Writing | ||
| Nonprofit Communication | ||
| Focus Groups | ||
| Fostering Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Leading Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Total Credits | 45.0 | |
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| NPM 501 | 3.0 | NPM 520 | 3.0 | ACCT 608 | 3.0 | NPM 600 | 3.0 |
| Elective | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 | NPM 550 | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| NPM 603 | 3.0 | NPM 602 | 3.0 | NPM 670 | 3.0 | NPM 701 | 4.5 |
| NPM 645 | 3.0 | Elective | 3.0 | NPM 700 | 1.5 | ||
| 6 | 6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | ||||
| Total Credits 45 | |||||||
Program Level Outcomes
- Communication - demonstrate the use of effective oral, written, and presentation skills to easily and effectively relate to, collaborate with, as well as communication with outside constituents, board members, and community leaders while always honoring the mission.
- Campaign Management - demonstrate knowledge of strategic planning, management, communication, and financial skills to effectively run annual funds and capital campaigns.
- Donor Cultivation - demonstrate how to use communication, leadership, and nonprofit sector trends, as well as specific mission information to cultivate interested individuals into donors, elevate small donors into capital level donors, and maintain those relationships over time.
- Ethics - demonstrate the ability to employ a strong moral and ethical framework to manage mission-driven, largely volunteer-based institutions.
- Self-Assessment - demonstrate the ability to examine one's role, responsibility, and effectiveness within an organization. By acknowledging strengths and weaknesses, one can capitalize on one's strengths while also targeting specific areas for growth.