School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs
CSSH Graduate Programs General Regulations
The Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, and Social Change is a response to recent developments in social change theory, practice, and funding that are placing new demands and expectations on social change actors in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, including nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, policymakers, and corporate social responsibility managers. These developments include the emergence of hybrid, cross-sector business models and new intermediary mechanisms for channeling the flow of capital into social change; new expectations and standards for performance measurement, transparency, and accountability; more sophisticated use of data and technology to support decision making, evaluation, and continual improvement; decreased public funding for traditional nonprofit activities; and the emergence of social media as a vehicle for mobilizing people and resources. The certificate enables social change professionals in all sectors to respond to these changes more effectively and will distinguish itself from other nonprofit certificate programs by focusing on the relationship between social program implementation and funding.
The certificate is a professionally oriented, application-based program for students seeking leadership positions in nonprofit organizations or in a public agency that deals extensively with nonprofits. The curriculum is designed to address the distinctive features and practices of the nonprofit sector and emphasizes management techniques helpful to nonprofit leaders.
Academic Standing/Progress
Students in the program are monitored for academic progress. Those students whose GPA falls below a 3.000 are notified by and meet with the director of academic programs. They are counseled that if their GPA does not rise to a 3.000 or higher, they run the risk of not graduating and are advised on strategies for improvement.
Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.
Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PPUA 6551 | Nonprofit Organizations and Social Change | 4 |
| PPUA 6552 | The Nonprofit Sector in Civil Society and Public Affairs | 4 |
Elective
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 4 semester hours from the following. Courses outside this list may be taken as electives with approval of the graduate program director. | 4 | |
| Research Toolkit for Python for Policy | ||
| Research Toolkit for Effective Communications for Policy Impact | ||
| Research Toolkit for Urban and Regional Policy: Project Management | ||
| Research Toolkit for Urban and Regional Policy: Grant Writing | ||
| Managing People in Public and Nonprofit Sectors | ||
| Techniques of Program Evaluation | ||
| Administrative Ethics and Public Management | ||
Program Credit/GPA Requirements
12 total semester hours required
Minimum 3.000 GPA required