Nonprofit Leadership

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LEAD 420: Theories of Nonprofit Leadership - 3 credit hours

Understand the essential features of nonprofits in the U.S., including both sector-wide and individual organizational elements. You will design a nonprofit organization focused on an issue you care about; creating a mission, assessing risk, developing a budget, programs and governance structure, exploring volunteer management and more.

LEAD 350: Culture and Context of Leadership - 3 credit hours

Explore how social change happens in complex systems (or organizations), and how culture, power, and social norms shape that change. Reflect on your personal values and consider how your experiences have shaped your view of the world.

You will also learn the value of bringing together people from diverse perspectives and backgrounds to make progress on leadership challenges. By understanding how culture and context influence leadership, you will be better prepared to lead in ways that are informed, ethical, and oriented toward the common good.

LEAD 499: Nonprofit Organization Internship Seminar* - 3 credit hours

Apply internship experiences to nonprofit competencies and prepare students to enter the nonprofit job market.

*An internship experience is required before you take LEAD 499. Details below.

Choose one elective:

• LEAD 212: Introduction to Leadership Concepts
• LEAD 225: Fundamentals of Global Food Systems Leadership
• LEAD 405: Leadership in Practice
• ENTRP 340: Introduction to Entrepreneurship
• ENTRP 520: Social Entrepreneurship
• HDFS 301: Helping Relationships
• MANGT 420: Principles of Management
• MANGT 450: Strategic Management of Nonprofit Organizations
• POLSC 507: Introduction to Public Administration

The goal of this experience is to gain an overview of the organization and develop a deep understanding of how it functions. The program will support students in locating and obtaining nonprofit internships through advising and notifying students of internship opportunities.

Understanding that every situation is different, internship experiences will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Generally, each internship should be at least 150 hours, spread over any period, and completed with a 501(c)(3)* or another approved organization.

Locating an internship site

To get started in finding an internship experience, learn more about previous students' internships here.

*A 501(c)(3) is a tax-exempt nonprofit and the most common type of nonprofit in the U.S.