Non Profit Management Degree | Online and Distance Learning

Non Profit Management Degree Programs

Non profit management degree programs provide you with training for a career with a difference. This page tells you what the programs are and where you can find them.

Not for profit management is a field that is not too dissimilar to traditional business management. The main contrast is that it has as its primary focus the goal of building skills and networks that help a not for profit organisation thrive and prosper and reach out to as many underprivileged people as theoretically possible. Today you can choose to sit for a non profit management degree online that would allow you to take up a position in which the humanitarian goals are more important than financial rewards.

Where can you study non profit management degree programs?

The following select schools offer non profit management degrees. More can be found using the search boxes in the right hand column.

Walden University
- M.S. in Psychology - Organizational Psychology and Nonprofit Management
- M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership
- Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Nonprofit Management and Leadership
- Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration (P.P.A) - International Non Governmental Organizations
- Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration (P.P.A) - Nonprofit Management and Leadership

Capella University
- BPA - General Public Administration
- MPA - General Public Administration
- MS - Management of Nonprofit Agencies
- DPA - General Public Administration
- PhD - Management of Nonprofit Agencies

University of the Rockies
- MA in Psychology - Non-Profit Management
- Doctor of Psychology - Non-Profit Management

New England College
- M.S. in Management/Nonprofit Leadership Concentration

Argosy University Online
- Master's of Science in Management - Nonprofit Management

Kaplan University Online
- Bachelor of Science in Business/Government-Nonprofit Accountancy

Regis University
- Master of Nonprofit Management (MNM)

For schools in Canada

Click here for a page that links to campus universities and campus colleges in Canada. It also provides some advice on choosing a suitable campus.

Click here and then enter your Canadian postal code to search for Canadian college or university campuses.

Why study a non profit management degree?

Over the last decade there has been a mushrooming of NGOs and similar organizations as more people are becoming aware of the disparity in the world and even within our own countries. A non profit enterprise faces unique challenges in finding methods to bring in operating finances, maintaining goodwill, and using suitable evaluation tools to ensure success and highlight areas for improvement.

As the name suggests, a non profit organization would take any funds or money received and use it to drive forward its mission and promote its activities and services. There are no dividends or payouts to shareholders or investors. Success is typically measured by the number of people who have been helped, educated, or motivated. Non profit management degree programs are designed for those who would like to play a major role in running a non profit organization.

What do you study in a non profit management degree?

You can study this field at all levels, from a nonprofit management certificate to a doctorate. Besides varying according to the level at which you study it, the subjects that make up a non profit management degree will also vary depending upon the educational institution.

Typical topics at undergraduate level would include business management, accounting, finance, charity, communication, leadership, public relations, staff and volunteer training, and human resource development.

A masters (such as the MS - Management of Nonprofit Agencies at Capella University) will include such topics as: strategic planning, entrepreneurship, ethnic and cultural awareness, financial management, and human resources and volunteer management.

A doctorate (such as the PhD - Management of Nonprofit Agencies at Capella University) will include some of the topics at masters level, for example program management, board management, ethics, diversity, advocacy, fundraising, and resource management. Typically it will also allow you to research your own nonprofit research interests to be presented as a thesis or dissertation. A PhD will often include one or more periods of residence for involvement in seminars.

Most programs would also place a great emphasis on developing interpersonal skills, intuition, and compassion. If you have an interest in working in a specific field, for example for a health based NGO, the program you study needs to specialize in this area.

What can you expect to earn after completing online non profit management?

As of 2009, and according to official data, the pay scale for qualified management graduates working in a not for profit organization is extremely varied, this is a reflection of the type of establishments were vacancies are made available. The lowest income would be on a par with the national minimum wage whereas it is also possible to command a salary of $70,000 per year if employed in a senior position in a well known NGO. The figure would depend on the organization in question, the position that is acquired, level of experience, and final qualification.

This is a field in which there are ample opportunities for trained and caring individuals to develop a lifelong career. Though the positions may not be the most financially rewarding, they do offer a type of satisfaction that is missing from the corporate world today.