Nonprofit Studies Courses
See the list below to view courses offered through these programs of study. Specific course offerings, including selected topics course titles and descriptions, can be viewed for fall, spring and summer terms.
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NPS 417U Understanding the Nonprofit Sector
Credit Hours: 3
DescriptionFocuses on the origins, size, scope and composition of the nonprofit sector; operational issues encountered in the management of nonprofits; and the development of strategic solutions to manage and move the sector forward. Topics include theory, public policy, advocacy, management, collaboration, culture, strategy and innovation.
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NPS 471U Understanding the Nonprofit Sector
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): CBL-Guest Speaker (CBGS), CBL-Study Trips (CBST)
DescriptionFocuses on the origins, size, scope and composition of the nonprofit sector; operational issues encountered in the management of nonprofits; and the development of strategic solutions to manage and move the sector forward. Topics include theory, public policy, advocacy, management, collaboration, culture, strategy and innovation. -
NPS 501U Understanding the Nonprofit Sector
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): CBL-Guest Speaker (CBGS), CBL-Study Trips (CBST)
DescriptionFocuses on the origins, size, scope and composition of the nonprofit sector; operational issues encountered in the management of nonprofits; and the development of strategic solutions to manage and move the sector forward. Topics include theory, public policy, advocacy, management, collaboration, culture, strategy and innovation.
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NPS 520U Financial Management and Budget Development
Credit Hours: 3
DescriptionFocuses on assessing financial performance, establishing policies for fiscal accountability, financial management, including budgeting, resource development, outcomes measurement, assessment, technology, and capital project analysis.
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NPS 522U International Non-Governmental Organizations
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): NPS Content Spec Cluster (CSC)
DescriptionIntroduction to international NGOs and their operation as actors across political and social contexts. Examines the history and evolution of iNGOs and explores their complex dynamics of governance, accountability, and transparency. Examines local to global connections and the impact of globalization on development, wealth inequality, poverty, and exploitation. Explores the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to understand the international policy initiatives that steer iNGO work.
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NPS 530U Law, Ethics and Governance
Credit Hours: 3
DescriptionExamines legal and ethical issues as they apply to nonprofit organizations.
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NPS 540U Resource Development and Promotion
Credit Hours: 3
DescriptionProvides a comprehensive examination of all major components of marketing strategy and their integration to build awareness of the nonprofit services and support for fundraising. Examines the policies, concepts and methods of marketing communication and fundraising including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, comprehensive campaigns, stewardship and strategy.
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NPS 550U Strategic Human Resource Management
Credit Hours: 3
DescriptionA comprehensive overview of how to strategically align an organization with a defined mission; focusing on partnerships with the board, staff, collaborative partners, and volunteers. Includes organizational assessments, leadership assessment, and HR management strategies for future sustainability and growth.
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NPS 562U Assessment and Program Evaluation
Credit Hours: 3
DescriptionProvides an introduction and overview to the tools necessary to assess and evaluate programs in the nonprofit sector.
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NPS 566U Public Policy and Advocacy
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): NPS Content Spec Cluster (CSC)
DescriptionExplores public policy and the policy making process as it relates to the nonprofit sector, including from a comparative perspective. Includes an examination of advocacy and lobbying.
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NPS 567U Sustainability and Nonprofit Organizations
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): NPS Content Spec Cluster (CSC)
DescriptionExploration of three fundamental questions: What is your role as an employee of a nonprofit organization in addressing systemic and planetary changes? How will you and your organization play a part in creating a more just and sustainable world? What type of leader do you need to be to achieve those aims? Applies theories of sustainability to real-world problems, investigates leadership responses to those problems, and explores the effectiveness of organization-based programs and other modes of intervention. Designed as a seminar involving lectures, guest speakers, class discussion, student presentations, reflection, and experiential learning opportunities.
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NPS 570U Program Design and Proposal Writing
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): NPS Sys Design & Inq Cluster (SDIC)
DescriptionExploration and use of the tools of systematic inquiry to analyze social problems, design effective interventions, and develop successful funding proposals. Emphasizes skill development through applied projects. Links program design and evaluation to proposal writing as critical aspects of nonprofit management and development processes. Examines stakeholder engagement, leadership, decision making, strategic planning, and theories of change as key elements of effective programs and proposals.
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NPS 571U Social Entrepreneurship
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): NPS Sys Design & Inq Cluster (SDIC)
DescriptionInterdisciplinary exploration of the field of social entrepreneurship and the structures used by social entrepreneurs to affect change.
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NPS 572U Innovations in Organizational Norms and Practice
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): NPS Sys Design & Inq Cluster (SDIC)
DescriptionExploration of the questions: How can we as nonprofit leaders put into place practices within nonprofits that reflect values of equity, representation, and democracy? How can such practices strengthen nonprofit effectiveness? What are their challenges and risks? What are the pressures and constraints against doing so? Emphasizes skill development through applied projects, written analysis, and oral presentation. Links organizational norms to practices relating to decision-making, pay structures, board structures and representation, and equity and inclusion.
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NPS 577U Grant and Proposal Writing
Credit Hours: 3
DescriptionSeeking funding from government and private foundations is highly competitive and requires both skill and art. This course will provide the background necessary to develop competitive funding proposals by exposing students to the basic skills, principles, and techniques of grant and proposal writing along with an overview of the funding process.
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NPS 581U Community Engagement in the Nonprofit Sector
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): NPS Content Spec Cluster (CSC)
DescriptionCenters engagement with communities as a fundamental building block for nonprofits as they work to address complicated and multi-dimensional social problems in sustainable, comprehensive ways. Emphasizes skill development in the process of designing community engagement efforts to achieve common goals. Explores the elements, use and effectiveness of coalitions, collaborations, and partnerships. Connects the process of community engagement to leadership skills and to the improvement of policies, programs, and practices of nonprofit organizations and other institutions.
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NPS 590U Integrative Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills General Education Requirement(s): CBL-Collaborative Projects (CBCP)
DescriptionThis course is designed to involve students in intensive research or a community-based learning project to help them better understand critical issues facing nonprofits. Its purpose is to integrate the skills and knowledge learned from the other courses offered in the core curriculum.
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NPS 598U Selected Topics
Credit Hours: 1-6
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NPS 599U Independent Study
Credit Hours: 1-3