Make a difference. Make a living.
Are you looking for a way to make a greater difference in the world? Do you desire to work more effectively toward equity and justice—from human services and environmental issues to the arts, culture, education, and more? Join a community of people who want to bring positive change—while also building a career and earning a livable income.
Antioch University is a nonprofit institution that has prioritized making a difference for nearly 170 years. When you enroll in our Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management (MANM) program, you join a thriving and committed community—led by a team of faculty with decades of leadership experience who are dedicated to the highest level of academic rigor. Our MANM 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.
Program Overview
At Antioch, we have a distinctive way of looking at leadership. Many management programs seem to focus on the minutiae of administration 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 larger and smaller contexts, incorporating theory and practice in a practical way you won’t find in most other programs. 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.
Antioch’s MANM is designed for working professionals who are ready for the next step in their career. We have a diverse group of students, from those just starting out in the nonprofit world to people who already have leadership positions in agencies and institutions.
We operate as an adult learning community—students work closely together in small classes to learn from each other as well as from faculty. Through coursework, we foster a creative space to learn more collaboratively, think more deeply, and perform more effectively, together. We’ve found that this community focus and big picture thinking allows our students and alumni to solve problems in innovative ways that more traditional managers might not think of—and succeed in unexpected ways.
Program Length
Antioch’s MA in Nonprofit Management is a 36-semester-credit program that can be completed in under two years, and most of our students work full time while going to school.
There are three entry points (January, May, and August), so you never need to wait long to get started.
Take your next step – talk to our admissions team about your MA in Nonprofit Management.
HSA-5210: Program Planning and Evaluation (3 credits)
This course introduces students to the purposes of and strategies for program planning in nonprofit organizations. The primary focus of the class is building the knowledge and skills required of program professionals. Students explore and examine theories, concepts, approaches, and processes fundamental to program planning and evaluation. Using research, reflection and practical application, students will explore the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs that aim to effect change and build capacity of individuals, families, and communities.
MNM-5210: Development and Fundraising (3 credits)
Development (also often referred to as “advancement”) is what empowers and supports nonprofits in doing the work of fulfilling their stated missions. If you think of a nonprofit organization’s programs as the essence of what it does for its cause or community, the work of development is that of garnering the resources necessary to make that good work possible. For many (though not all) nonprofits, the key component to resource development is fundraising. This course, therefore, focuses primarily on the fundamentals of fundraising, from preparing a fundraising plan through acknowledging and recognizing donors appropriately for their support.
MNM-5110: Nonprofit History, Context, Theories, and Trends (3 credits)
Among the many types of organizations that exist, what is a nonprofit? Are they an aberration in a capitalist economy or an intentional counterpoint? What impels people to establish them and support them? Is it to fulfill a need in society, or in themselves? And are they worth the effort and resources people put into them?
This course will explore all these questions as it surveys the development of the nonprofit sector and examines some of the theories that attempt to explain its existence and purpose. Moving from past to future, it will also discuss some of the trends currently reshaping the sector and the impact they may have upon it.
FIN-5100: Financial Analysis for NonProfits (3 credits)
This course focuses on the practical application of financial statement analysis and the use of financial information to make decisions in nonprofit organizations. Students will explore financial definitions, concepts and structure of non-profit accounting principles, financial statements, and basic tools for interpreting financial information. Ultimately, students will develop confidence in reading and interpreting the financial position of an organization and use financial statements, along with knowledge of an industry and information about the marketplace, to make informed budget and financial decisions.
A wide range of elective courses allow students to pursue their special interests in depth.
Sample elective courses:
MNM-6100: Social Movements and the Work of Advocacy (3 credits)
This course considers the question of how intentional change occurs in a nation’s society and/or economy. Focusing first on the theoretical level, students will survey several notable social movements in the modern era as well as prominent theories which attempt to explain their inception and influence. Turning to the pragmatic, the course will then move on to discover how movements become effective at gaining notice and followers and, ultimately, making change.
HSA-5100: Public Policy and Advocacy (3 credits)
This course examines the relationship of how public policy influences nonprofits and as well as, how nonprofits impact policy. The topics in this course will focus on the interaction between nonprofit organizations in forming public policy and advocacy strategies, methods and techniques employed to affect policy and legislative change.
MGT-5380: Developing People and Performance (3 credits)
Skillful leaders foster workplace culture, practices, and relationships that support learning, satisfaction, and strong performance among employees. Employees, in turn commit their knowledge, skills, and energy to the organization’s success. Through the interdisciplinary lens of human resource development, students explore the value and benefits of developing people and performance in diverse and inclusive work environments. Theories related to training, organizational development, performance improvement and systems create the landscape for students to explore the practical aspects of organizational culture and systems that support the development and well-being of employees and organizational stability.
MGT-5370: Organizational Leadership and Change (3 credits)
This course introduces leadership theory and managerial roles to plan, organize, implement, monitor, and evaluate organizational change efforts. Strategic communication plays a critical role in the change-management process, and students will examine best practices in organizational leadership and change management. The course thus introduces leadership theory and some best practices of change leadership such as to scan, focus, align, mobilize, and inspire. The course will focus on several key areas such as: why leaders need to guide staff through periods of change and help transform organizational culture, why formal and informal leadership behaviors are needed at many levels of an organization, and why multiple intelligences are needed not only to manage and lead change, but also to predict and address resistance, anxiety, and the forces of inertia that can sabotage even small change efforts.
Capstone projects undertaken give students the opportunity to integrate learning from throughout the program.
For detailed curriculum and degree requirements, please visit the AU catalog.
Career Outlook
The nonprofit sector has grown steadily over the past several decades, employing more than fifteen million individuals in a vast variety of jobs. Nonprofit professionals can lead fulfilling careers in a wide range of fields, including such varied interests as animal welfare, health care, education, social services, and social advocacy.
Our program assists anyone interested in pursuing or advancing their career in the nonprofit sector, whatever their specific area of interest. The degree equips individuals for roles in program management, fund development, organizational administration, and executive leadership.
“This program is about so much more than learning about nonprofit management. I was looking to make a smooth career transition to the nonprofit world that I love. What I received was so much more. This program had me continually reevaluating the way I think and the paradigms I lived by.”
Admissions
Applications are considered as soon as they are complete, so you can always start soon after being admitted.
Antioch University particularly seeks qualified candidates who will contribute to building a student population diverse in gender, ethnicity, age, class, physical abilities, learning styles, sexual orientation, professional backgrounds, religious backgrounds, and community experiences.
How to Apply
- Online Application (No Application fee)
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants who have not finished their degree must do so before the first day of their desired start term.
- Current resume
- Scores from GMAT or GRE are not required.
- Admission essays: Please answer the question(s) below in 300 words or less for each.
- What do you see as the greatest challenge or challenges, facing people who strive to be leaders in today’s world?
- What personal experiences and/or characteristics make you a great candidate for this graduate program?
- If your undergraduate degree is below a 3.0 GPA, please respond to this additional question in 300 words or less:
- What specific factors contributed to your undergraduate GPA, and how have those factors changed so that you can be successful in our graduate program at Antioch University?
- Additional requirement for international students:
- Reading & Writing in English Proficiency Assessment (if applicable) or TOEFL score of 550 “paper-based”, 214 “computer-based”, and 79 “internet-based” or higher.
All application materials submitted become part of an applicant’s file and cannot be returned.
Cost + Aid
Tuition
Tuition is $676 per credit. With 36 credits required for completion, total tuition is $24,336.
Additional fees may include charges for materials, late registration, enrollment maintenance, graduation, transcripts, tuition payment plan, late payments, late registration, and returned checks.
Financial Aid
Many 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.
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