Advanced Certificate in Nonprofit Management

This graduate certificate program is open to qualified students with a baccalaureate degree, although others with significant professional or volunteer experience may apply after consulting with the program director. Qualified individuals in the community may also enroll in selected courses without participating in the full certificate program. With permission, students may enroll in Nonprofit Management courses before they are officially admitted to the certificate program.

US Citizenship or Eligible Noncitizen

International students interested in the certificate programs must hold a visa that permits part-time study (including F-2 and J-2 visas).  Students holding  F-1 visas are not eligible for these programs.  Students holding a B-2 visa may be eligible if the coursework is recreational or avocational in nature.

Completed Application Form

The online application is available on our Apply page. Applications are ready for review when all fields on the application form are completed and the required documents have been received.

Official Transcripts From All Previous College Work

Transcripts are required from each institution that you have attended and taken courses, received your bachelor’s degree, taken post-graduate courses, or where a higher-level degree was conferred.  Official transcripts must be sent directly from the school’s registrar to University College.  Electronic transcripts should be forwarded to ucollege@wustl.edu.  For transcript questions, please get in touch with our Admission Coordinator/CRM Specialist, Patricia Agnew, paagnew@wustl.edu.

Non-United States course work transcript verification
If the transcript you submit for consideration is from a college or university outside the United States, a course by course transcript evaluation is also required. Evaluations will be accepted from World Education Services (WES), Spantran or another member institution of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). For Spantran evaluations, you must use this form. 

Personal Essay

Tell us about yourself in a brief essay (about 250 words). Why are you applying to University College? What are your goals, both academic and professional? Is there additional information we should know about you when considering your application?

Three Letters of Recommendation

A college instructor or professional associate should complete letters of recommendation. If an instructor cannot be contacted, applicants may submit a waiver request to provide three professional recommendations. Letters can be submitted through the online application or mailed by the recommender.

Personal Interview

A personal interview with University College staff is recommended, and an interview may be requested by the Program Coordinator or Director of Admissions. 

Writing Sample

Describe a significant challenge to the nonprofit sector over the next three years, and explain how you will respond to this challenge as a nonprofit professional.

Nonprofit Management courses can be applied to the MA in Nonprofit Management degree program, and some can be applied to the MA in Human Resources Management program, offered through University College.

REQUIRED COURSES: 12 UNITS

• Management in Nonprofit Organizations (U76 507) – This course provides an overview of fundamental principles of management, governance, and leadership in nonprofit organizations. Particular attention is given to issues of motivation, supervision, and evaluation of professional staff and volunteers, and working with the board of directors.
• Resource Development for Nonprofit Organizations (U76 508) – This course concentrates on effective fund raising management, accenting the practice, principles, processes and programs of fund raising from the private sector. The ethical, theoretical, and practical contexts for fund raising and resource development will be discussed as well as contemporary resources to aid today’s fund raising professional. A comprehensive review and analysis is provided of annual and major gift programs together with planned giving and capital campaign strategies. Donor motivations and characteristics are also examined.
• Financial Management in Nonprofit Organizations (U76 525) – This course focuses on important financial and accounting principles and techniques, with particular attention to operational and project budgeting, financial statement analysis, cash flow projections, endowment building and investment management, and strategic financial planning. Course content is designed to help non-accountants understand standard accounting concepts and procedures, manage the record keeping function, make effective financial decisions and report financial status to key constituents.
• Legal Issues Impacting Nonprofit Organizations (U76 570) – This course focuses on the opportunities and requirements placed on nonprofit organizations under Federal and State law. We explore how nonprofits are organized, governed, operated, and financed within this legal framework.

ELECTIVE COURSES: 3 UNITS (APPROVED NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT COURSE WORK)

CFRE International Approved Courses

Some Nonprofit Management courses are approved for 37.5 CFRE certification points per course. Please review our individual course descriptions to determine which courses are approved.