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Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management (NLPM)
Fully Accredited
Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE). / ADDRESS / 3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104. | Phone: (267) 284-5000
The Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management (NLPM) follows the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)'s accreditation guidelines.
Advance the Common Good with a Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management Degree
Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management (NLPM) professionals serve communities and other public or non-profit entities to effect positive change and to advance the common good. The NLPM degree at Marywood University is recognized among the best in the nation. It is an exclusive online 30-credit degree program that follows the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)'s accreditation guidelines.
Our goal is to prepare students for challenging emergence in public administration as effective and innovative administrators, equipped with practical and real-world experiences, and to train them with the vital skills, evidence-based research, and theoretical framework needed to tackle the complex environment of public affairs.
The NLPM degree program affords students with opportunities to get involved in public affairs as soon as they begin the program, focusing on civic engagement and public responsibilities on local, national, and international levels.
The curriculum combines evidence-based research, applied theory, and practical skill development to prepare students for conceptual, analytical, and ethical applications of administrative solutions to problems.
- Completely online with full- or part-time options
- Outstanding, experienced faculty, including Fulbright Scholars
- Apply up to 12 NLPM credits toward Marywood's Ph.D. program
Explore Dual-Degree Opportunities
The Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management (NLPM) and the Master of Social Work (MSW) at Marywood University offer a dual-degree program designed to assure the acquisition of both management and social work skills necessary for competence as a manager/administrator in the social work field.
This program is designed for those who wish to combine the development of administrative and managerial expertise with knowledge, skills, and values of the social work profession. The joint focus on public interest, policy, and management prepares students for a range of professional options and opportunities.
Courses
NLPM 501: Law and Public Affairs (3)
NLPM 502: Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector (3)
NLPM 503: Communication, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Dynamics (3)
NLPM 504: Program Assessment and Evaluation (3)
NLPM 505: Research Methodology (3)
NLPM 506: Human Resource Management (3)
NLPM 507: Ethics (3)
NLPM 508: Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
NLPM 509: Fundraising and Grants Writing for Nonprofit Organizations (3)
NLPM 510: Negotiation, Mediation, and Facilitation (3)
NLPM/MSW DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES
As an older student, I was impressed with the welcoming nature of all involved in my degree pursuit. From the guidance I received with my initial course, to the encouragement to be creative with all of my course work, I could not have had a more satisfying educational experience. If you could believe it, I was actually disappointed when I completed the program! Marywood University is an exceptional school with great atmosphere. I would encourage any prospective student to seriously consider Marywood as their school choice.
David Bulzoni '21 Read All Testimonials
Executive Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management (ENLPM) Option
Fast Track to Success with Only 6 Courses (18 credits)
Classes are completely online and asynchronous (no specific date/time for meeting).
Marywood University also offers an Executive Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management. This path is specifically designed for career professionals in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors who are seeking graduate education and a degree in public policy and administration without taking time off from their careers.
The ENLPM brings together Marywood University’s expertise in professional studies with individuals and groups seeking to address challenging administrative issues in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. The degree program, designed for working professionals with at least five years of post-bachelor’s degree experience, provides students with rigorous interdisciplinary training in management and administrative science.
Students attend online NLPM classes designed to fit their demanding professional lives while deploying their newly learned skills and knowledge in their chosen work. Engagement with practitioners in class is embedded into the curriculum and allows for practical application of skills alongside theoretical applications. Students can complete the 18 credit hours (6 courses) required by the program in two semesters (one-year) and earn a Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management from Marywood University.
Outcomes & Opportunities
Top Employers
- Consulting Firms
- Federal Government
- Local Government
- Hospitals
Top Career Paths
- Consultant
- Foreign Service Officer
- Civil Service Officer
- Healthcare Service Manager
Dig Deeper Into the Program Details
If you have any questions about this program, we're here to help.
Applying to the NLPM program at Marywood University is free and open online through the university's Office of Admissions.
An undergraduate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning is required for admissions, in addition to the following:
- Online Application
- Official Undergraduate Degree Transcripts
- Proof of English language proficiency (only for students for whom English is not their primary language and did not graduate from an English-taught university).
Advanced Placement in the Ph.D. Program
Receiving an NLPM degree from Marywood University is rewarding. Not only it will provide you with knowledge and skills for career development in the job market, but it will also provide you with an opportunity to continue with your higher education by applying to a Ph.D. program in Public Administration (or any related field). An ideal place for you to apply and continue your education is Marywood University's Ph.D. Program in Strategic Leadership and Administrative Studies (SLAS).
Total credit hours required to complete the Ph.D. Program in SLAS is 60 credits (15 courses, 2 seminars and 9 dissertation credits). However, students with an NLPM degree from Marywood University can apply to the Ph.D. Program in SLAS and upon acceptance apply 12 MPA credits (of a grade of B or better) toward the Ph.D. Program as an advanced placement. The following 4 NLPM courses are eligible for advanced placement:
The Core Course of PADM 501: Principles of Public Administration: This course can be applied toward the doctoral Foundation Course of SLAS 6001- Administrative and Leadership Theories.
The Core Course of PADM 502: Public Policy Analysis: This course can be applied toward the doctoral Foundation Course of SLAS 6003- Policy Analysis and Organizational Dynamics.
The Core Course of PADM 504: Research Methodology: This course can be applied toward the doctoral Research Course of SLAS 6008- Qualitative Research Design.
The Core Course of PADM 505: Public Budgeting and Finance eligible: This course can be applied toward the doctoral Foundation Course of SLAS 6005- Organizational Budget and Finance.
Even though the program is online, for those that would like to connect in person, faculty is on campus for your needs. You also have access to all the services and campus amenities, so we hope to see you around campus!
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Scholarships
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The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's scholarship programs are designed to encourage and support outstanding students who work hard, demonstrate a strong will to succeed, and have financial need. Our scholarships provide financial assistance and academic support to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.
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80+ opportunities for you to find the right fit with 50+ undergraduate degrees and 30+ graduate and certificate courses.
Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management (NLPM)
Program Objectives
The Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management program at Marywood is an exclusive professional online program, recognized as one of the Best Online Master’s Degree Programs in the nation by bestcolleges.com. All courses are offered through Brightspace. The program values ethical, innovative, dynamic, and practical approaches toward public service shaped by the process of participatory engagement in the complex environment of public administration.
Specifically, the program strives to:
- Exposing students to a wide range of public affairs and administrative issues, as well as processes, practices, and responsibilities involved in public service.
- Training public and nonprofit administrators on active engagement in problem solving.
- Training public managers and administrators on all levels to adapt ethical responses toward issues of public service.
- Developing collegial and supportive associations within the profession to share resources and expertise on local, national, and international levels.
- Preparing students plan, organize, staff, coordinate, implement, and administer public service.
- Facilitating students' understanding and command of theories and applied social sciences related to the delivery of public service.
- Preparing students develop analytical, assessment and evaluation skills for effective managerial decision-making within the complex environment of public and nonprofit administration.
- Helping students articulate their awareness of social justice through active community participation and evidence-based research.
- Providing advanced education in management related to the provision of public service, especially in the areas of public policy and administration, state and local government, the federal government, international relations and foreign policy, national security, disaster management, and nonprofit leadership.
The NLPM at Marywood University is involved in network development on national and international levels to promote practical approaches to administrative science in the public sphere. Rather than focusing on outdated policy and administrative issues, the program is focusing on developing cooperative efforts to engage in networking and promoting social justice, peace, and ethical leadership. The program seeks giving voice to victims of wars, genocide and oppression around the world, including providing access to education. The program also seeks engagement and cooperation with NGOs on the global level to advocate sound political and economic policies, providing solutions to problems while advocating liberty and human dignity to all members of human society. The program also aims at developing international networks of public administrators that can embody collaboration and partnership, professionalism, public integrity and democratic principles.
The NLPM at Marywood University is involved in researching issues of public and administrative affairs, nonlinear dynamics, homeland security, disaster management, peace and nonviolence in resolving conflicts and comparative international administrative systems. The program is working to coordinate annual and periodic conferences that engage local, regional, national and international scholars at Marywood University and publish scholarly work in a program-sponsored peer-reviewed journal. The goal is to transform the program into an international think-tank for public policy and administration. These objectives are used as catalysts to examine the characteristics of partnership building, value sharing and prototypes intrinsic in applying supportive paths to addressing issues of public affairs.
The NPLM at Marywood University considers the extent different issues in public and nonprofit administration impact the particularities as well as the broad array of administrative systems. An effective means of productive involvement is to form skills, attitudes and behaviors that integrate administrative practices in dynamic inter-related networks. Our focus is constructing common ground for dialogue in order to apply practical skills for ensuring collaborative interactions within public administrators on local, national, and international levels. The program, as such, is building approaches incrementally while forging alliances with other local, regional, national and international educational programs in public administration in order to foster a commitment toward transforming the discipline into an effective analytical tool in the study and practice of public administration. Accordingly, the NLPM at Marywood University is engaged in the development of the following activities:
- Coordinating and organizing annual and periodic conferences on public affairs and administration through international dialogue. These conferences will include local, regional, national and international participants.
- Publishing a peer-reviewed journal on public policy and administration as a tool for peace studies, security, public service, dialogue and conflict resolution.
- Offering workshops to local and regional public managers.
Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management Program Overview
The NLPM at Marywood University, recognized among the best in the nation. The program is an exclusive online 30 credit hours that follows the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)'s accreditation guidelines. Our goal is to prepare students for challenging emergence in public and nonprofit administration as effective and innovative administrators equipped with practical and real-world experiences, and to train them with the needed skills, evidence-based research and theoretical framework in order to tackle the complex environment of public affairs.
The NLPM degree is both marketable and professional. It prepares students for management careers in public and nonprofit organizations as well as administrative positions in the public sector. The degree is ideal for students who are committed to public service and want to make a positive difference in the world.
The program affords students opportunities to get involved in public affairs as soon as they begin the program, focusing on civic engagement and public responsibilities on local, national and international levels. The curriculum combines evidence-based research, applied theory, and practical skill development in order to prepare students for conceptual, analytical, and ethical applications of administrative solutions to problems.
With classes scheduled online and delivered through Moodle students can enroll on a full or part-time basis and from the comfort of their homes around the world. Faculty expertise include all substantive policy areas which enable them to teach, advise, research, and serve the students, community and profession. Here are few other reasons to consider the NLPM program at Marywood University:
- Recognized as one of the Best Online Master’s Degree Programs in the nation by bestcolleges.com and the OnlineMastersDegrees.org (OMD)
- Easy and free online admissions process.
- No standardized tests are required for admissions.
- Full or part-time.
- Streamlined, up-to-date and cutting-edge curriculum.
- Dynamic teaching methods designed for learning adults and effective graduate studies.
- Knowledge and skill development for career advancement.
- Outstanding and experienced faculty.
- Specialization in general public administration, nonprofit leadership, and homeland security and disaster management.
- Sequential classes based on a master schedule.
- Dual NLPM/ MSW degree
- Transition upon graduation and acceptance to the PhD Program in Strategic Leadership and Administrative Studies with up to 12 NLPM credits applied toward the PhD program.
- Professional peer-review Journal of Applied Professional Studies (JAPS).
- Professional networking, student organizations, and activities.
Curriculum (30 Semester Hours; Online)
Required Courses
| NLPM 501 | Law and Public Affairs | 3 |
| NLPM 502 | Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector | 3 |
| NLPM 503 | Communication Strategic Planning andýOrganizational Dynamics | 3 |
| NLPM 504 | Program Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
| NLPM 505 | Research Methodology | 3 |
| NLPM 506 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| NLPM 507 | Ethics | 3 |
| NLPM 508 | Public Budgeting and Finance | 3 |
| NLPM 509 | Fndr/Grnts Wrtng Nonprft Or | 3 |
| NLPM 510 | Negotiation, Mediation, Facilitation | 3 |
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NLPM Internship
The NLPM program does not require an internship, but encourages internships for pre-career and career-changing students. The program assists students in locating internship opportunities on local, state, regional, national, and international levels. The internship may begin as early as the second semester, but it is usually taken during the latter half of one's program. Your advisor will provide you with placement assistance, once you declare your interest and your registration for the Internship course (PADM 596) is approved. Approximately 400 hours of job experience is to be attained and evaluated (approximately 32 hours per week in a semester or 16 hours per week in two semesters).
Each intern is responsible for negotiating a set of learning and performance objectives with the work supervisor and the program's advisor within the seven areas of POSDCoRB (Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting). The statement of objectives, once completed and signed by all parties becomes a contract that the employer agrees to help the intern achieve learning objectives, the intern promises to attain the performance objectives of the agency, and the NLPM program agrees that completion of the objectives requires 3 credits for the work portion of the internship. When possible the advisor visits or communicates with the supervisor to coordinate the internship. At the end of the internship, the intern is evaluated by both the supervisor and by his/ her advisor.
1. Federal Government Internships
The Pathways Program includes a federal government-wide internship program for students from high school to PhD. Positions are located across the country, either part-time or full-time.
Veterans interested in continuing their public service can look into the many opportunities provided by this program.
The State Department manages several internship programs that enable students to get experience in a foreign affairs environment.
U.S. Department of Transportation
The U.S. DOT offers internship in several areas, including planning, economics, public administration and criminal justice.
2. Nonprofit Internship
Search by name, location, or mission for volunteer and internship opportunities at nonprofit worldwide.
3. NASPAA
The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) has internship opportunities for students of public administration.
Good source for finding jobs or internships.
Peer-Reviewed Journal
Journal of Applied Professional Studies
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Fully Accredited
Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE). / ADDRESS / 3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104. | Phone: (267) 284-5000
The Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Public Management (NLPM) follows the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)'s accreditation guidelines.