Learning to Make the Difference: Guide to Nonprofit

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Learning to Make the Difference: Guide to Nonprofit From the Nonprofit Quarterly and the NPQ Newswire Learning to Make the Difference: A Guide to Nonprofit Education David O. Renz October 12, 2012 (first published in Summer 2004) Editors’ Note: We are very glad to introduce this special supplement on higher education opportunities in the area of nonprofit studies. In addition to this buyers’ guide-type article is a set of guidelines to help you judge curricula and a listing of programs. Many thanks to David Renz of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership for his help in putting this package together. Over the past two decades, opportunities for nonprofit education have increased dramatically along with the expansion of the sector. While workshops and seminars have long been available in a variety of settings, higher learning possibilities are now popping up throughout hundreds of institutions and organizations, offering educational programming for a field that has to date been largely ignored by the academic world. How useful are these programs? Will they serve the sector well? There is a continuing debate on the impact and implications of professionalizing this “voluntary” sector, but there is no question that most of us hunger for good, practical learning experiences that will help us be more successful in our work, wherever in the sector that happens to be. With the boom of nonprofit management studies, learning options are becoming more plentiful. Prospective students are finding it easier to match specific educational programs to their individual needs, as well as to the needs of their organizations. Now, both seasoned nonprofit professionals and people just beginning to prepare for service in the nonprofit sector are discovering that the difficult aspect of choosing an educational program has shifted from having too few choices to having so many that sifting through it all can prove confusing. The Range of Educational Options It is essential that students match the scope and nature of the program with their needs and interests. Generally speaking, the options are going to fall into one of six categories: • Noncredit events, workshops, and seminars • Noncredit certificate programs • Degree credit certificate programs • Undergraduate degree programs • Graduate degree programs with concentrations in nonprofit studies • Graduate degree programs in nonprofit studies Noncredit Events, Workshops, and Seminars. Noncredit events and programs are likely to be of most interest to those who want to be more successful in their work but who find it problematic or unnecessary to spend either the time or money it takes to earn a degree or certificate. When a working professional takes an interest in a small but important piece of the nonprofit puzzle, he or she often gains 1 From the Nonprofit Quarterly and the NPQ Newswire useful knowledge or skill via such workshops without the long-term commitment required for other programs. Often, cutting-edge nonprofit teachings also appear first in these venues because they thrive on speed and newness. There are literally thousands of choices for these learners, and they vary widely in length, quality, and cost. A new addition in the seminar category is the learning circle where a group of nonprofit leaders join together in an ongoing dialogue to explore a particular issue. These may include a course of self- designed study with group-selected readings and lectures. Noncredit Certificate Programs. This is a group of noncredit seminars or workshops that have been organized around a particular focus (e.g., fundraising, nonprofit management). Certificate programs have become a very popular way for educators to package programs and, as with individual noncredit programs, they vary widely in the amount of work they require and the value they offer. Unlike degrees, certificates have no standard meaning in the education world. Any organization can put together a collection of workshops and declare the package a certificate program. This is not to say that these programs have no value—there are some excellent certificate programs that are worth the money. But this is one of those “buyer beware” areas because there are no standards for what constitutes a quality certificate program and there are many opportunities for abuse by less than- ethical providers. Degree-Credit Certificate Programs. Certificates with formal education credits exist in a wide variety of nonprofit subjects. Many of these certificate programs combine the rigor of college-level study with components that will work toward a degree of some kind. Some programs are linked to a specific undergraduate or master’s degree; others have no link to a particular degree but offer the option to be used for credit as part of a program. For example, some institutions offer a fundraising certificate program comprised of a set of courses that also can be used toward a master’s degree. Be aware that these credits will, of course, be accepted only for certain degree programs and this is not always made clear. When you join a certificate program with the idea that these credits will be used later as part of a degree, be sure to determine whether the specific credits can be used in the program(s) you have your eye on. Not all courses will count toward all degrees in any institution. In fact, certificates from one institution rarely count toward degrees in another. If the long-term goal is to use certificate credit in a degree program, be sure to consult with the institution’s advising office. Some institutions offer undergraduates the opportunity through certificate programs to learn about and even experience the nonprofit world. The programs are meant to pique students’ interest in “civil society” work and hence may focus on how to make good choices and/or how to be an effective volunteer. Some institutions, like Tufts, are undertaking a university-wide effort to introduce students to their roles in civil society through specialized courses and initiatives in multiple parts of the curriculum. One increasingly well-known nationwide certificate program is that of American Humanics (AH), a national nonprofit organization that works with selected colleges and universities to offer a certificate in nonprofit studies. Undergraduate Degree Programs. A few unique colleges and universities offer undergraduates the opportunity to learn about the nonprofit world as a part of a complete undergraduate degree program (e.g., a bachelor’s degree). Often, where these exist, they will have a special focus such as nonprofit 2 From the Nonprofit Quarterly and the NPQ Newswire leadership or philanthropic studies. These programs currently are quite unusual and it is wise to carefully assess their quality before enrolling. Graduate Degree Programs with a Concentration in Nonprofit Studies. It has become increasingly common to find programs of nonprofit study at the graduate level. These typically are master’s degree programs and usually focus on nonprofit management and leadership. Many of these are designed especially to meet the needs of mid-career adults who wish to pursue part-time study; others focus on the needs of early career and full-time students. Nearly half of nonprofit-oriented master’s programs in the U.S. are presented as concentrations within Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree programs, and a relatively smaller number are concentrations within Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs. In addition, some Master of Social Work (MSW) programs and a few liberal arts programs offer nonprofit concentrations. The rest run the gamut in major areas of study. If this option appeals to you, it is wise to find a program with an orientation that holds interest for you. For example, if you see your future in community development and see yourself working in a nonprofit setting, you may find that nonprofit degree programs that are linked to community-building will be more pertinent to you than a general nonprofit management program, since their mix of courses and their field study opportunities will be more directly linked to these kinds of organizations. There are many options available across a large variety of institutions. For those with an interest in doctoral study, the first nonprofit-specific Ph.D. program was recently created when Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy received approval to begin its doctoral program in philanthropic studies. However, it should be noted that hundreds of doctoral students in universities across the nation are engaged in research and study associated with some aspect of nonprofit organizations or philanthropy. These students are doing their work from a variety of different disciplinary bases with a range that embraces the spectrum of social and behavioral sciences. Graduate Degree Programs in Nonprofit Studies. There are a small number of institutions that offer degrees focused specifically on the nonprofit arena (e.g., master of nonprofit organizations, Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies). The curricula of these programs are focused entirely on preparation for work in the nonprofit arena, and they offer the opportunity for greater concentration. The best of these programs offer a strong mix of course work and field experience to prepare students for the unique requirements of a particular field of practice. All of the options we have described are offered by universities and colleges, and in many parts of the U.S. the noncredit programs also will be offered by a variety of other community-based organizations and agencies. While this article focuses
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