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.

<!–Our program is also more affordable than comparable private institutions, and most students receive grants, scholarships and/or federal loan assistance. You can also reduce the cost of tuition by up to $3,000 when you begin your graduate studies by successfully demonstrating the learning you have acquired through your professional activities.

–>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.

Admissions

The program is not currently admitting new students due to planned changes in the curriculum.

Scholarships, Cost, and Aid

GO TO COSTS

What does the MANM degree cost?

At the MANM program at AULA, we don’t just have the best teachers and community. We also have the lowest costs among comparable private nonprofit management programs in California, as well as some excellent scholarship options.

Please note: Additional fees for all AULA programs may include (but are not necessarily limited to) charges for materials, late registration, enrollment maintenance, parking, graduation, transcripts, tuition payment plan, late payments, late registration, and returned checks.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TUITION & FEES

Scholarships and Financial Aid

A majority of AULA students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AULA.

The MA in Nonprofit Management program encourages all applicants to apply for financial assistance. Most students receive grants, scholarships, and/or federal loan assistance.

Thanks to the Susan Nero Scholarship Fund and university and departmental grants, students can apply for need-based grants or merit-based scholarships.

Matching Scholarships

The University awards Matching Scholarships of up to $5,000 to qualifying students.

How it works: You obtain outside funding for tuition from a source or sources other than your immediate family. (The latter is known as “Expected Family Contribution,” or “EFC.”) Examples of qualified outside funding sources include your employing organization, a charitable foundation, a community group (i.e. Rotary, Lions Club, etc.), an established scholarship fund (i.e. Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, etc.), a religious community, or even a GoFundMe (or equivalent) campaign mechanism seeking broad, community support to help finance your graduate education.

You then provide written documentation of this funding and attach it to the Scholarship Application Form.

If AULA awards you a Matching Scholarship, the University will match any amount of outside funding up to a maximum of $5,000. For example, if you have obtained $5,000 from outside funding and you have also received the maximum Matching Scholarship award of $5,000, your tuition is then reduced by nearly one-third to approximately $22,544 for the complete MA in Nonprofit Management degree program. Any smaller amount of outside funding will be matched by an equal scholarship award from the University.

The number of Matching Scholarship awards is limited. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as early as possible.

City Year Scholars

As a City Year University Partner, AULA will support a 25% tuition scholarship towards the M.A. in Nonprofit Management program, renewable each year for a maximum of two years, for up to two (2) City Year Scholars per academic year. As all City Year alumni and staff receiving a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award qualify for a matching scholarship as outlined above, the City Year Scholars award is designed to supplement the matching scholarship for up to two (2) City Year scholars whose match does not reach the 25% tuition scholarship threshold. For examples, see chart below:

More detailed information on this award may be found at https://alumni.cityyear.org/page/Antioch.

How do I apply for scholarships?

If you are applying for the MA in Nonprofit Management program you are encouraged to apply for scholarship assistance. Complete the Scholarship Application Form, indicating for which scholarships you wish to be considered. All recipients of all Scholarship awards must maintain satisfactory academic progress as prescribed by University policy. The Scholarship Committee will consider your application for all currently available scholarship funds for which you qualify.

For more information about scholarships and deadlines, contact the MANM Program Coordinator Danielle Minobe, (310) 578-1080, ext. 314, or via email at [email protected].

LEARN MORE ABOUT FINANCIAL AID