Program Overview
The nonprofit leadership and management major provides students with both the theoretical and practical knowledge concerning the management of nonprofit organizations. The focus of the major is to build the capacity of students to lead and manage nonprofit organizations through practical application, experiential learning and exposure to nonprofit environments and professionals in the field. The major establishes the academic foundation for students pursuing careers in the nonprofit sector, human services and community development.
A Focused Curriculum
The nonprofit leadership and management major is designed in order for students to learn the primary theoretical frameworks of nonprofit management, engage in participatory assignments and projects related to leadership, organizational and community development and gain professional experience working in a nonprofit organization. As students grow and develop from their experiences, they are advised in preparing for a career in the nonprofit sector.
Courses within the nonprofit leadership and management major include the following:
- Nonprofit Organizations and the Voluntary Sector
- Volunteerism and Philanthropy
- Fundraising and Program Evaluation
- Counseling and the Helping Professions
- Service Learning Practicum
- Leadership Development and Group Dynamics
- Policy and Research for Social Change
- Public Relations Techniques
- Project Development and Management
- Advanced Leadership and Team Development
- Seminar in Training and Organizational Development
- Undergraduate Research
- Independent Study
- Social and Global Inequalities
Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in nonprofit leadership and management have obtained positions with local, national and international nonprofit organizations. Examples of these positions are:
- Executive Director of a Nonprofit
- Marketing and Public Relations
- Fundraising and Resource Development
- Volunteer Recruitment and Management
- Community and Economic Development
- Program Development, Management and Evaluation
- Financial Administration and Management
Featured Graduate Profiles:
Joseph Kilar, ’15 – food coordinator at Second Harvest Food Bank for Northwest North Carolina
“Dr. Pamela Palmer and Dr. David Bergen were my advisors throughout everything. They really represented the university well, and they represented their departments well, too. Both Dr. Palmer and Dr. Bergen were very friendly and truly cared about my success. All my professors wanted to ensure that we as students did well in our classes, and were especially supportive during my practicum and internships.“
Morgan Falls, ’14 – Pursuing a master’s in Public Policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia
“At HPU, I had the opportunity to explore my interests beyond the classroom. I went to Guatemala for an alternative fall break, and I returned for a Maymester. While studying for a semester abroad in Ecuador, I completed an internship with an NGO in Quito. With the support of my advisors, I was able to graduate with three majors. This allowed me to recognize my interest in exploring public policy at various levels, which is what I hope to do through the MPP program at UVA.”
Laura May, ’14 – Executive Director of Friends in Action, a nonprofit in Greensboro
“High Point University provided me with educators who were truly invested in my goals and did everything they could to prepare me to get there.”
The Department of Human Relations, Sociology, and Nonprofit Studies offers the B.A. degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. To graduate from High Point University with this degree, students must complete the following:
B.A. in Nonprofit Leadership and Management
| Major Requirements |
40 credits |
| University Core Requirements |
50 credits |
| Electives |
38 credits |
TOTAL
|
128 credits
|
Requirements for a B.A. in Nonprofit Leadership and Management (40 credits):
- NPL 1250. Nonprofit Organizations and the Voluntary Sector (4)
- NPL 2750. Fundraising and Resource Development (4)
- NPL 2811. Nonprofit Leadership and Management Practicum I (2)
- NPL 3250. Program Design, Management, and Evaluation (4)
- NPL 3300. Counseling and the Helping Professions (4)
- NPL 3811. Nonprofit Leadership and Management Practicum II (2)
- NPL 3850. Governance and Leadership (4)
- NPL 4811-4815. Internship (4)
- NPL 4880. Policy and Research Methodology (4)
- HRE 3220. Group Dynamics and Team Development (4)
One course selected from:
- COM 2235. Public Relations Techniques (4)
- HRE 3550. Project Development and Management (4)
- HRE 3600. Intercultural Competence in the Workplace (4)
- HRE 4220. Contemporary Perspectives on Leadership (4)
- HRE 4450. Seminar in Training and Organizational Development (4)
- NPL 4110. Undergraduate Research (4)
- NPL 4444. Independent Study (4)
- SOA 3040. Social & Global Inequalities (4)
