MA in Nonprofit Management

Empower yourself to have greater impact and influence

Beginning Fall 2020, this program will be offered online only.

Learn about the online version of this program

Are you looking for a way to make more of a difference in a world that seems to be heading down the wrong path? Are you looking to join a community of people who want to bring on positive change while also making a livable income in an increasingly expensive world?

At Antioch University, you will join a community that has prioritized making a difference for approximately 170 years. In our Masters of Nonprofit Management program, you also will join a community situated within a nonprofit institution at the epicenter of the thriving Los Angeles nonprofit world, led by a team of faculty with decades of leadership experience who are dedicated to the highest level of academic rigor. With the help of faculty, local and national nonprofit leaders and your fellow students and alumni, this program will support you in building the practical skills, professional network, and knowledge you need to increase your impact, advance your career, and excel at your mission.

This degree is offered by AU Los Angeles.

Program Overview

Antioch’s MA in Nonprofit Management (MANM) is designed for working professionals who are ready for the next step in their career. The program lasts for six quarters, and most of our students work full time while going to school. We prioritize flexibility in scheduling to help students make the program a reality. We also prioritize community learning and think it is a boon for our students to use the classroom to share their prior experiences to gain course credit. We have a diverse group of students, from those just starting out in the nonprofit world to people who already have leadership positions in major institutions. These students work closely together in small classes to learn from each other as well as your faculty and guests.

Our program is also more affordable than comparable private institutions. Most students receive grants, scholarships and/or federal loan assistance.

Each quarter focuses on a different aspect of the nonprofit experience: programs, advancement, administration, structure and governance, systems, and organizational sustainability. Students also have the opportunity to meet and work with LA-area nonprofit professionals and hear guest presentations from national nonprofit leaders. These speakers and guests have included Virgil Roberts, Founder of the African American Board Leadership Institute, Jan Masoaka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits, Wendy Garen, President and CEO of the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, and many others.

Course requirements

• Class sessions once per week
• Completed in 18 consecutive months
• Online and in-person assignments
• Two Saturday site visits per quarter, for a total of 12 site visits
• 48 units total: 8 units per quarter, including a 7 unit course and 1 unit of professional development

For detailed curriculum and degree requirements, please visit the AULA catalog.

How is this program different?

We have a distinctive way of looking at things, and we’ve found that this helps our students and alumni succeed in unexpected ways. Many programs seem stuck focusing on the minutia of management without asking the bigger, important questions. Our program will help you learn the skills you need to accomplish the little things, but it’s also about helping people become clear about their own values and those of their organization. We look at the bigger and smaller contexts, incorporating theory and practice in a practical way you won’t find anywhere else. And we’re also a nonprofit management program within a nonprofit institution, so we live the life of nonprofit professionals in multiple ways, every day.

We also operate as an adult learning community, offering a creative space to learn more collaboratively, think more deeply, and perform more effectively, together. This community focus and big picture way of thinking allows our students and alumni to solve problems in innovative ways that more traditional managers might never think of.

We also happen to be less expensive than other comparable private programs, and most of our students receive grants, scholarships, and/or federal loan assistance.

What do alumni say about our program?

Don’t take our word for it. Here is a video featuring several of our alumni and faculty talking about what makes our program unique, practical, effective, and transformative.  Visit our alumni page with more from our alumni.

What are we doing to be part of the larger nonprofit community?

The MANM program at AULA prides itself in being an active member of the nonprofit community, both in Los Angeles and throughout the country. We have frequent site visits and guest speakers from leading organizations, including Chrysalis, the Exceptional Children’s Foundation, the Sierra Club, the African American Board Leadership Institute, the Museum of Natural History, the Ralph M. Parson’s Foundation, the Unusual Suspects Theater Company, the California Community Foundation, the United Way of California, St. Vincent’s Meals on Wheels, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH),  the Huntington Library, LA’s Best, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and many, many more.

We are a collegiate partner of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, meaning students can simultaneously pursue the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential, the only national certification in nonprofit management and leadership recognized by the nonprofit community. We are also members of the California Association of Nonprofits and the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council. We are also, of course, fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Want to Learn More?

We are happy to set up an opportunity for you to visit a class, meet with a faculty member, or talk with alumni. Please phone (310) 578-1080 x 314 or email [email protected]

If you’d like to fill out an application right now, you can do so here. Or if you’d like to contact us for more information, please fill out the form to the right.

Career Outlook

How would the program affect my career? We know that many nonprofit employees are underemployed, working in positions that don’t allow them to achieve their professional or financial potential, and we also know that many for-profit professionals would love to join the nonprofit world but aren’t sure how to get started. Our program provides intensive professional development to assist anyone interested in pursuing or advancing their career in the nonprofit sector.

In our program, the majority of our students have been promoted or been hired by new organizations.

What have students gone on to do? Students and alumni hold positions that include program director, administrative manager, executive director, development officer, foundation officer, and management consultant. Others also provide service as nonprofit trustees.

Alumni work for organizations that include a wide range of nonprofits, including The American Heart Association, The Unusual Suspects Theater Company, Downtown Women’s Center, The Liberty Hill Foundation, Housing Works, The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, Artshare LA, 826LA, LA’s Best, The Music Center, CRCD, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, UCLA, Look What She Did, and many, many more.