Master of Public Administration Field of Specialization in Nonprofit Management

The Division of Public Administration has established a field of specialization in Nonprofit Studies within the Master of Public Administration Degree program.

In addition to the core MPA courses, students choosing the nonprofit field of concentration will take a series of courses in nonprofit management, leadership, governance, and philanthropy. The Institute and the Public Administration Division offer 20 courses in the nonprofit area, affording you the opportunity to focus on leadership, fundraising, financial management or volunteer administration. Your nonprofit graduate advisor will provide individual guidance and counsel concerning these and other courses offered in nonprofit studies tailored to your needs and interests as a practicing professional.

The Nonprofit Field of Specialization requires a minimum of five nonprofit graduate level courses. Additional nonprofit courses may be taken within the Skill Development Course category within the MPA degree program. You can enhance your field of specialization by taking up to three additional skill development courses in nonprofit management. Please consult the MPA degree requirements listings in order to design your Nonprofit Concentration. If you have any questions, please contact the Institute for Nonprofit Management faculty or staff for further information (503) 725-8221 or the Public Administration Office (503) 725-3920.

Required Core Courses for the Nonprofit Field of Specialization:

PA520 Introduction to Nonprofit Management
PA521 History and Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
PA522 Governance of Nonprofit Organizations
      (formerly "Managing Nonprofit Boards of Directors ")
PA524 Financial Management in Nonprofit Organizations
      (taken in lieu of PA585 for nonprofit field of specialization)

Skill Development Courses in Nonprofit Management

PA510 Advanced Fundraising: Major and Planned Gifts
PA510 Effective Marketing and Corporate Sponsorship for Nonprofits and the Public Sector
PA525 Grantwriting for Nonprofit Organizations
PA526 Fundamentals of Fundraising
PA536 Strategic Planning for Nonprofits
PA555 Program Evaluation for Nonprofits
PA592 Volunteerism and Volunteer Management
PA543 Creating Collaborative Communities
PA549 Cross-cultural Communications
PA598 Values-Based Management I
      (effective human resource management in the nonprofit sector)
PA510 Advocacy and Political Participation by Nonprofit Organizations
PA510 Computer Applications for NPOs
PA510 Conference & Event Management

Other Elective Nonprofit Offerings (Some of these may also serve as skill-development courses: see advisor)

PA510 Advanced Financial Management
PA510 Advanced Financial Strategies: Dealing with Contributed and Earned Income
PA510 Arts Administration
PA510 Contemporary Issues in Fundraising
PA510 Nonprofit Accounting
PA528 Organizational Leadership and Decision Making in Nonprofit Organizations
PA529 Oaxaca Field Study (of Nonprofit/Nongovernmental Organizations in Mexico)

Certificates in Nonprofit Management

The Institute also offers a range of non-credit certificates in Nonprofit Management taught by faculty who also teach in the MPA and INPM programs.

For more information on these nonprofit programs, please email INPM@pdx.edu
or call (503) 725-8221.