Certificate

Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit and Nongovernmental Organization Management

- Available Fall 2005

Course Requirements

The combination of required courses and electives will allow students either to engage in a broad survey of the field or to concentrate in one of several special streams of study. Potential areas of concentration within the curriculum include context, organizational capacity, advanced financial management, accountability and social/organizational learning. All students must complete twelve-hours of graduate coursework including one 3-hour required foundation course and nine hours of electives from an approved list. In addition, masters and doctoral students are encouraged to complete a practicum, major paper, thesis, dissertation or a scholarly paper (suitable for journal publication) on an approved topic related to nonprofit organization management or third sector institutions.

Required Foundation: (3 hours) selected from:

  • UAP 5454: Nonprofit Organization & Management, or
  • UAP 5534: Nonprofit Organization Leadership & Governance
  • UAP 5164: Collaborative Governance & Civil Society
  • UAP 5364: NGOs in International Development

Approved Electives: (9 hours) selected from the following offerings:

  • UAP 5454: Nonprofit Organization & Management
  • UAP 5364: NGOs in International Development
  • UAP 5534: Nonprofit Organization Leadership & Governance
  • UAP 5164: Collaborative Governance & Civil Society
  • UAP 5474: Program Evaluation (or PAPA 6224*)
  • UAP 5444: Strategic Planning and Management
  • UAP 5514: Public Budgeting & Management (or PAPA 6314*)
  • UAP 5544: Public & Nonprofit Financial Management
  • UAP 5594: Nonprofit Law and Ethics
  • UAP 5674: Financial Health of Public and Nonprofit Organizations
  • UAP 5694: Asset Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations
  • PAPA 6324: Public Personnel Processes*
  • PAPA 6114: Complex Public Organizations
  • PAPA 6124: Behavior & Change in Public Organizations
  • GIA 5154: Global Accountabilities
  • GIA 5274: Comparative Social Movements
  • GIA 5014: Democratic Governance in the Economy
  • GIA 5004: Power and Policy in the US
  • GIA/UAP/PSCI 5574: Arts, Culture and Civil Society

Special Electives (maximum: 3 of 9 elective hours) requiring Program approval:

  • UAP 5564: Information Technology, Society, & Public Policy
  • SPIA 5454: Advanced Topics in Information Technology & Public Policy
  • SPIA 5554: Culture, Politics & Society in Network Environments
  • UAP/PAPA/GIA 5984: Special Study
  • UAP/PAPA/GIA 5974: Independatn Study

* For PAPA courses with both a public administration and a nonprofit management stream in the same course, students should participate in the nonprofit management stream sections, lectures, readings and assignments.

Admission & Award Requirements

Admission and award requirements for the Nonprofit and Nongovernmental Organization Management certificate program are equivalent to the requirements for the Graduate School and the participating SPIA programs.

Admission

For persons not already enrolled in a Virginia Tech masters or doctoral program:

  • Bachelors Degree
  • Graduate School application
    1. Use the paper application (not the electronic application)
    2. Choose Non-Degree option
    3. Under Curriculum and abbreviation write in "Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit and NGO Management"
  • Application Fee (see Graduate School for amount)
  • Transcripts - undergraduate and other graduate degrees, if applicable.
  • Demonstrated acquisition of verbal and quantitative skills through either:
    1. Three years of progressive work experience, or
    2. GRE - minimum 1100 combined Verbal & Quantitative
  • Reference letters - three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Letter describing your substantive interests and possible area of specialization
  • International Students - also include TOEFL examination scores (minimum 590).

For masters and doctoral students:

  • be accepted as a graduate student in an established academic department
  • have at least one faculty member from the School with experience in NPOs/NGOs on your graduate committee
  • have your application signed by your major professor
  • provide evidence of how you will integrate this certificate program into your overall plan of study

Certificate Award

In order to earn the graduate certificate in Nonprofit and Nongovernmental Organization Management, students must complete all certificate courses with a grade of "C-" or better, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 across the certificate courses.