WSU establishes new Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management

In response to growing demand in high-quality nonprofit management training, as well as new and emerging challenges affecting the nonprofit sector in Metropolitan Detroit and Southeast Michigan and the communities that it serves, Wayne State University has launched a new Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management. The program will offer courses starting in fall 2020 and is housed in WSU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management is a 12-credit program designed to combine academic rigor with practical relevance. It will offer courses by the core faculty of the nationally accredited top-quality Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) program housed in the WSU political science department, as well as part-time faculty with expertise in nonprofit management.

Certificate courses will be taught mostly online. The regular and flexible program offerings will enable the completion of the program in as little as one academic year, thus enabling the immediate transfer of knowledge into the field.

The program welcomes applications from those holding at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education who have experience of working in the nonprofit sector, resource development field, and philanthropic organizations, or seeking any of such careers. Admissions are also open to applicants pursuing graduate degrees at WSU or other institutions.

The certificate program presents a great opportunity for professionals who are seeking to develop an alternative career or tailor their existing qualifications to the needs of the nonprofit sector.

"Nonprofit organizations are crucial actors in public service delivery networks, and many of them operate in urban areas, where the demand for their services is especially high," says Associate Professor, Kyu Nahm Jun, the director of Wayne State's M.P.A. program. "Many nonprofit professionals have diverse backgrounds in fields such as social work, education, historical preservation, or the arts, and often learn nonprofit management skills 'on the job.'

Whether you're already working in the sector or pursuing your career, our new Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management will enhance nonprofit professionals' skill and overall capacity of the sector by providing access to high quality and academically rigorous training."

Associate Professor of Political Science, Alisa Moldavanova, who conducts research on nonprofit sustainability and will serve as the Graduate Certificate Coordinator, notes that "The need for well-trained nonprofit professionals is especially urgent at the time of economic recession as there is an increased demand for nonprofit-run social assistance programs. Nonprofit management skills are also in high demand when public organizations are unable to cope with their own drastic social situations, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Many have had to rely on the philanthropic community and the nonprofit sector to provide critical services. Our Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management is especially timely and reflects the urgent needs of the metro Detroit community."

For more information, please contact npm@wayne.edu or request additional information.