Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership Graduate Certificate

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership is designed to meet the needs of graduate students, employees and volunteers looking for advanced study in the theory and practice of nonprofit administration. Ideal for nonprofit professionals, community volunteer leaders and active philanthropists, the Certificate provides knowledge and skills to help strengthen the leadership capacity of nonprofit organizations and promote ethical and effective nonprofit administrative practice. The Certificate requires 15 hours of graduate coursework, available in both on-campus and online formats.

Graduate Certificate

Admission Standards and Procedures

The Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership can be pursued concurrently with other graduate programs at the university. The Department of Public and Nonprofit Administration admits students for fall, spring, and summer semesters each academic year, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Admission standards for the Graduate Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership are:

Fulfillment of university requirements for admission to the Graduate School.
A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0

Applicants must also provide the following documents to be considered for admission to the program:

Transcripts of all post-secondary institutions attended.
A personal statement that discusses career goals and educational objectives.
A current resume or CV
Contact information for at least two references who will be asked to provide letters of recommendation.

Meeting the minimum departmental standards does not entitle an applicant to admission. Meeting such standards only ensures consideration of the application.

Inquiries can be directed to mpa_admissions@memphis.edu.

Program Requirements:

Successful completion of 15 hours of graduate credit. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0.

Nine of the 15 hours must be met by satisfactory completion of three core courses

PADM 7641 - Thry/Prac Nonprofit Adm ** Credit Hours: (3)
PADM 7642 - Res Dev Nonprofit Org ** Credit Hours: (3)
PADM 7643 - Nonprofit Financial Leadership ** Credit Hours: (3)

Other Requirements

Elective courses will be selected with the student and their advisor.
In order to continue in the program, students must maintain at least a 3.0 Graduate GPA.

Graduation Requirements:

To obtain the certificate a student must complete five of the above-mentioned courses (three major courses and two elective courses), with an average grade of 3.0 (B) or higher, for a total of fifteen credits.