School of Business & Technology · Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s in Nonprofit Management
Lead the organizations that make communities stronger.
Want a career that serves others? MVU’s nonprofit management major prepares you to lead, fund, and run nonprofit organizations, with a concentration in human services or recreation administration and a 6-credit internship.
120
credit hours to graduate
60–66
credit hours in the major
On campus
in Marshall, Missouri
4 years
at a full-time pace
Why nonprofit management
Skills to serve and lead
Learn the business side of doing good, then specialize in the work you care about most.
Fundraising and programs
Learn fundraising, resource development, volunteer management, and program development.
Leadership
Build leadership, communication, and group skills you’ll use with staff, boards, and volunteers.
A real internship
Complete a 6-credit internship and a senior seminar before you graduate.
Is this program for me?
This program may be a great fit if you want to…
- Work for a cause you care about.
- Lead youth, human services, or recreation programs.
- Raise money and manage resources well.
- Make a difference in your community.
What will I learn to do?
Skills you’ll practice and grow
- Apply leadership and management practices in nonprofit settings.
- Communicate effectively in organizations.
- Work well in culturally diverse settings.
- Raise, budget, and manage funds with transparency.
- Run needs assessments and use research methods.
- Explain the laws, standards, and ethics that govern nonprofits.
- Design, run, and evaluate programs.
How the degree works
How your 120 credit hours add up
Here’s how the degree is built. Your advisor helps you choose courses each term.
01
General education core
At least 42 credit hours across writing, speaking, math, science, social science, and the humanities.
02
Nonprofit core and a concentration
60–66 credit hours: a nonprofit management core, an internship, and your choice of human services or recreation administration.
03
Electives or a minor
Use the rest of your 120 hours for electives, a minor, or even a second major.
Explore the curriculum
What you’ll study
Here are the courses in the major. Your advisor helps you plan the order.
Nonprofit management core
- ACCT 100 Introduction to Accounting
- BNSS 232 Principles of Marketing
- BNSS 312 Human Resource Management
- BNSS 412 or ENGL 327 Administrative Communications or Technical and Professional Writing
- COMM 105 Interpersonal Communication
- NPFT 105 Introduction to Nonprofit Agency Management
- NPFT 221 Leadership and Group Dynamics
- NPFT 308 Volunteer Movement
- NPFT 325 Legal Aspects of Human Service Agency Management
- NPFT 430 Fundraising and Resource Development
- NPFT 464 Program Development
- NPFT 401 Internship (6 credits)
- NPFT 485 Senior Seminar
Human services concentration (66 credit hours total)
- NPFT 101 Introduction to Human Services
- NPFT 140 Humanics/NLA (1 credit)
- NPFT 240 Humanics/NLA (1 credit)
- NPFT 320 American Humanics Management Institute (1 credit)
- NPFT 340 Humanics/NLA (1 credit)
- NPFT 420 American Humanics Management Institute (1 credit)
- NPFT 440 Humanics Executive Board (2 credits)
- SOCL 100 Introduction to Sociology
Recreation administration concentration (60 credit hours total)
- NPFT 102 Introduction to Recreation
- NPFT 110 Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation
- NPFT 309 Community and Commercial Recreation
- PHYS 221 Lifetime Wellness (2 credits)
- PHYS 233 First Aid/CPR (2 credits)
- PHYS 239 Physical Education for Exceptional Children
General education core (at least 42 credit hours)
- Social and behavioral science (9 hours) from at least two subjects, including one constitution course: HIST 104, HIST 105, or POLS 100
- Written communication (6 hours): ENGL 130 Rhetoric and Composition, plus ENGL 160 or HONR 190
- Oral communication (3 hours), such as COMM 100 Public Speaking & Introduction to Communication
- Natural science: 7 hours from at least two subjects, including a lab (BS); 3 hours (BA and BFA)
- Mathematics (3 hours)
- Humanities and fine arts: 9 hours (BS) or 12 hours (BA and BFA) from at least three subjects, covering the arts and creativity, ethics, and culture and society
- Additional general education from any area, to reach at least 42 hours
- Plus one Writing Intensive (WI) course and one Service Learning (SL) course, which can overlap with other requirements
Graduation requirements
- Complete at least 120 credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Earn a major GPA of 2.0 or higher, with no grade below C and no pass/fail grades in the major.
- Complete at least 36 credit hours of upper-division (300- and 400-level) courses.
- Complete your last 30 credit hours, and at least 12 hours of your major, at MVU.
- Complete the major assessment requirement.
- Apply for graduation and pay the $100 graduation fee.
Getting started
Three steps to begin
Applying to MVU is free, and most students finish the application in a few minutes.
02
Send your transcripts
Send your high school transcript, plus official transcripts from any college or dual credit courses. Transferring? See the transfer steps.
03
Plan how you’ll pay
Explore scholarships, grants, and loans on Tuition & Financial Aid, or request information for current tuition.
What are the concentrations?
You choose one: human services, which focuses on social services and the Humanics/NLA leadership courses, or recreation administration, which focuses on community, commercial, and therapeutic recreation.
Can I add a minor or a second major?
Yes. A minor is optional and appears on your transcript; it must be in a different subject than your major. You can also double major by completing all the requirements for both majors. You’ll receive one diploma.
What do I need to graduate?
- At least 120 credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- A C or higher in every major course.
- At least 36 upper-division credit hours.
- Your last 30 credit hours at MVU.
- An application for graduation and the $100 graduation fee.
Talk with the Dean
Have questions about courses, concentrations, or how to plan your degree? Reach out. We’re happy to talk through your goals.
Bachelor’s in Nonprofit Management