NGO Education Survey

Department: Masters of Public Administration

Courses:

NLS 600: The Non-Profit Sector and Civil Society

Course provides students with historical and philosophical foundations of the nonprofit sector in American society and around the globe, the roles and relationships among structural sectors of society (nonprofit, government, and business), and the competencies and functions of nonprofit sector leadership and management. Students identify and study current and emerging issues and trends impacting society and the response for the nonprofit sector, while exploring the range of career and volunteer opportunities.

NLS 602: Financial Management for Nonprofits

A review of the impacts of basic economics and market dynamics on the nonprofit sector frames an overview of financial management, resource development processes, and practices. The course presents students with quality practices and tools used in budgeting, accounting, reporting, and fundraising.

NLS 630: Nonprofit Organizations and Community Development: Comprehensive Strategies for Impact

Course prepares students for action in the complex and ever-changing context in which mission-driven nonprofit organizations operate. This course provides students with current and emerging action strategies and practices to strengthen or improve less-advantaged communities, empower their residents, and interact with a broad spectrum of public, for profit, and nonprofit agencies. Students examine and apply quality practices in comprehensive community development, coalition and movement building, integrated strategies, collective and collaborative action, and strategic planning and assessment approaches.

NLS 675: Social Entrepreneurship

Course is about utilizing entrepreneurial skills to craft innovative responses to social problems. Entrepreneurs are particularly good at recognizing opportunities, exploring innovative approaches, mobilizing resources, managing risks, and building viable enterprises. Social entrepreneurship applies to both profit and non-profit organizations that have programs designed to create social value.

NLS 685: Seminar on Leadership Development

"Course is a high-level exploration of leadership principles and practices, in support of the development of personal confidence and capacity to be more effective leaders and managers. Students will develop competencies for quality applications in the context of family, community, and career, including personal principles and values, ethical standards and practices, interpersonal and group dynamics, cultural competence, and vision and strategy development, among others. "

POL 660: Research Methods

Examines the process of research in public affairs, with an emphasis on quantitative methods and techniques.

POL 670: Foundations of Public Administration

A graduate-level introduction to the study of public administration, covering substantive topics in the field as well as the political dimensions of public service and the ethical issues faced by government practitioners. Emphasis is placed on the development of the discipline as a field of inquiry.

POL 671: Public Policy Analysis

Problems and methods in perception of public problems, determination of goals, generation and evaluation of alternative policy practices and programs, and explanation of policy choices. Emphasis on political and analytical methods of examining policy making and policy outcomes. Includes a survey of literature dealing with theories of the policy process.

POL 673: Public Budgeting and Finance

An intensive, graduate-level overview of public agency and governmental budgeting and finance at the federal, state, and local government levels. This course examines budgeting as a tool of governmental economic and public policy. Specifically, the course considers the evolution and purposes of budgeting with special attention given to recent efforts to improve government resource allocation.

POL 674: Public Organizations

This course introduces management of public and nonprofit organizations by reviewing the history and evolution of organization theory and the application of these theories to 21st century public and nonprofit organizations. Topics such as organizational culture, conflict, stress, communication, leadership, groups, power and politics, and ethics will be examined in an attempt to explain and predict employee behavior in the context of public organizations.

POL 681: Public Sector Human Resource Management

An intensive, graduate-level overview of public sector human resource and human capital management in the federal, state, and local governments, including such topics as types of personnel systems; recruitment and selection; compensation and benefits; training and development; performance management; legal compliance; diversity; and labor-management relations. Students address the literature in one of these areas.

POL 688: Capstone in Public Administration I

A course integrating the theories and methods of public administration in a major research project related to a substantive management or policy problem in the public sector. Students must propose a research design for an original project after completing a major review of public administration literature. Normally, this course shall be taken in the last semester of graduate work within the M.P.A. program. Required for all MPA students.

POL 689: Capstone in Public Administration II

A course integrating the theories and methods of public administration in a major research project related to a substantive management or policy problem in the public sector. Students must complete an original research project that was proposed in POL 688. Normally this course shall be taken in the last semester of graduate work in the M.P.A. program. Required for all MPA students. Prerequisite: POL 688 and instructor permission.

Department: Nonprofit Leadership Studies

Courses:

ADM630 - Methods of Research

A study of procedures used to locate sources of information, organize and interpret collected data, and apply results of published research. Various research methods are studied and used.

COM633 - Communication Ethics

An advanced study to the ethical challenges and responsibilities of being a competent communicator in a diverse and changing world. Students will learn to apply ethical theory and reasoning to a variety of communication processes and contexts.

COM639 - Seminar in Conflict Resolution

Designed to illustrate the central role of communication in resolving conflict within various organizational entities. The course will focus on conflict resolution skills required in such environments as management and labor, public administration, families and education. A particular area of concentration will be selected each semester.

COM640 - Seminar in Intercultural Communication

Analysis of theories and research in intercultural communication. Application of theories and research to contemporary intercultural issues in organizations.

NLS600 - The Nonprofit Sector and Civil Society

Course provides students with historical and philosophical foundations of the nonprofit sector in American society and around the globe, the roles and relationships among structural sectors of society (nonprofit, government, and business), and the competencies and functions of nonprofit sector leadership and management. Students identify and study current and emerging issues and trends impacting society and the response for the nonprofit sector, while exploring the range of career and volunteer opportunities.

NLS600 - The Nonprofit Sector and Civil Society

Course provides students with historical and philosophical foundations of the nonprofit sector in American society and around the globe, the roles and relationships among structural sectors of society (nonprofit, government, and business), and the competencies and functions of nonprofit sector leadership and management. Students identify and study current and emerging issues and trends impacting society and the response for the nonprofit sector, while exploring the range of career and volunteer opportunities.

NLS601 - Seminar on Nonprofit Organizations

An advanced exploration of nonprofit organizations. Program development, leadership, personnel/volunteer management, communication, decision making, and problem solving are explored and includes a service learning project approach. Part of the Service Learning Scholars program.

NLS602 - Financial Resource Management and Development

A review of the impacts of basic economics and market dynamics on the nonprofit sector, frame an overview of financial management, and resource development processes and practices. The course presents students with quality practices and tools used in budgeting, accounting, reporting, and fund raising. Part of the Service Learning Scholars program.

NLS630 - Nonprofit Organizations and Community Development: Comprehensive Strategies for Impact

Course prepares students for action in the complex and ever-changing context in which mission-driven nonprofit organizations operate. This course provides students with current and emerging action strategies and practices to strengthen or improve less-advantaged communities, empower their residents, and interact with a broad spectrum of public, for profit, and nonprofit agencies. Students examine and apply quality practices in comprehensive community development, coalition and movement building, integrated strategies, collective and collaborative action, and strategic planning and assessment approaches.

NLS665 - Policy, Legal Issues, and Advocacy for Social Change in Nonprofit Organizations

An exploration of the legal issues impacting the nonprofit sector, the roles of policy in ensuring compliance and effective practice, and the application of advocacy strategies. Students will build understanding through the examination of the basic legal needs nonprofits have in common, requirements of the tax exemption, the legal aspect of fund development, human resources law for nonprofits, and political activities, among others.

NLS675 - Social Entrepreneurship

Course is about utilizing entrepreneurial skills to craft innovative responses to social problems. Entrepreneurs are particularly good at recognizing opportunities, exploring innovative approaches, mobilizing resources, managing risks, and building viable enterprises. Social entrepreneurship applies to both profit and non-profit organizations that have programs designed to create social value. Part of the Service Learning Program.

NLS680 - Special Problems in Nonprofit Organizations

Involves developing a project or independent study to address issues and needs within local nonprofits. Students will be responsible for planning, implementing, and their outcome evaluations for the project or independent study. May be repeated for a maximum of nine credit hours.

NLS685 - Seminar on Leadership Development

Course is a high-level exploration of leadership principles and practices, in support of the development of personal confidence and capacity to be more effective leaders and managers. Students will develop competencies for quality applications in the context of family, community, and career, including personal principles and values, ethical standards and practices, interpersonal and group dynamics, cultural competence, and vision and strategy development, among others.