Degree

Master of Nonprofit Management

School

Public Administration

Overview

The Master of Nonprofit Management prepares students for professional public service leadership in the nonprofit sector through a competency-based curriculum set on a foundation of ethical principles, community engagement and scholarship that creates usable, relevant knowledge to address complex societal issues in Central Florida and beyond.

Program Highlights

  • The MNM program consists of 36 credit hours and is fully online.
  •  Full-time students can complete the program in less than two years.
  • The School of Public Administration offers a Dual Master of Public Administration and Master of Nonprofit Management option.
  • UCF’s MNM is program is the first stand-alone nonprofit program to be accredited by the Network of Schools in Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration.

Program Mission

The Master of Nonprofit Management prepares students for professional public service leadership in the nonprofit sector through a competency-based curriculum set on a foundation of ethical principles, community engagement and scholarship that creates usable, relevant knowledge to address complex societal issues in Central Florida and beyond.

Program Values

The Master of Nonprofit Management is dedicated to advancing public service values and civic leadership in the nonprofit sector. For our faculty and students, public service values are demonstrated by adhering to ethical principles of behavior and by acting in a professional manner.

Ethical Principles

We advocate the following ethical principles of conduct as the foundation of public service:

  • Integrity – to serve in a honest, transparent manner while honoring promises;
  • Benevolence – to promote the public good, avoid doing harm, and respect the worth of each individual;
  • Fairness – to act in way that is just and equitable to all, while avoiding undue burden on the most vulnerable in our society; and
  • Social Justice – to identify and address the unfair burdens experienced by groups of individuals through intentional and unintentional policies, laws, and societal projects and practices.

Professional Principles

We advocate the following professional principles to advance public service as a profession:

  • Commitment – to pursue a passion for the public interest with accountability and transparency;
  • Competence – to utilize the most current knowledge, skills, and abilities to serve the public interest with efficiency and objectivity;
  • Scholarship – to cherish and honor learning that enriches the human experience;
  • Stewardship – to accept responsibility for decisions and actions regarding the protection of organizational and public resources;
  • Diversity and Inclusiveness – to respect and value all perspectives and experiences, creating an environment that is open to all; and
  • Leadership – to inspire others to advance the public interest while actively promoting democratic participation and collaboration.

Program Requirements

Students choosing to pursue the MNM program must complete 36 credit hours to earn the degree. Students will complete 27 credit hours of core courses, six credit hours of advanced electives and a capstone course. To graduate, students must achieve a minimum grade of “B-” for each core class and the capstone experience, and they must maintain an overall program GPA of 3.0. The following core courses are required for students and it’s recommended that you take them in the sequence listed below.

For more information, please visit the UCF Graduate Catalog.

Curriculum

This course covers volunteer development in nonprofit organizations, including board selection, development and leadership, volunteer recruitment, training, retention and theories of motivation, leadership and ethical issues.
Offered in fall and spring
This course examines the human resource development and financial resource development in nonprofit organizations including management issues.
Offered in fall and spring
This course includes the study of government or public nonprofit agency grant and contract administration, including responding to funding assistance solicitations, preparing grant and contract proposals, evaluations and presentations.
Offered in fall and spring
The synthesis of best practices and research literature in nonprofit management.
Offered in fall and spring
This course covers financial management in nonprofit organizations, including nonprofit funding, budgeting policies and procedures, orientation of department managers to budgeting, and the ethical implications of budgeting and finance.
Offered in fall and spring
Students will learn ethical competence in public service leadership in the nonprofit sector, ethical decision making, and the creation of a culture of ethics.
Offered in fall and spring
An examination and analysis of planning, goal setting and strategic management in public sector organizations.
Offered in fall and spring
This courses covers the motivation of public employees with particular emphasis on organizational behavior and contemporary public service legislation.
Offered in fall and spring
This courses covers the techniques and skills utilized in the evaluation of public programs.
Offered in fall and spring
This capstone courses provides an overview of nonprofit leadership and boards development. Students will be required to development a portfolio and analysis that demonstrates their mastery of the NASPAA universal competencies.
Offered in fall, spring and summer
Prerequisites: PAD 5145, PAD 5146, PAD 6142, PAD 6208 and PAD 6335

Student Resources

Curriculum Guide

Cost

There are two tuition options available to students entering the MNM program

Program

Cost

In-state (completely online)

$11,783.52

Out-of-state cohort

$15,862.32

Additional fees may be added and tuition is subject to change. For complete information, see UCF Tuition and Fees.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is available to students through the UCF Financial Aid Office. For graduate students, the opportunities for financial assistance can also be found in the UCF Graduate Catalog.

Certificates

Students accepted into a graduate program within the School of Public Administration may apply some applicable credits toward a graduate certificate. Students must apply separately for the certificate program. View the graduate certificates offered by the School of Public Administration.

Application

Applications are accepted in the fall and spring semesters. Apply online through the College of Graduate Studies.

Note: The GRE is not required except for those students wishing to compete for a fellowship.

To be considered for admission, the following documentation must be on file with UCF by the appropriate application deadline date:

  • Undergraduate transcripts, and
  • Graduate transcripts (if another graduate degree in a related field has been completed), and
  • Supporting documents:
    – Resume
    – Statement of Interest
    – Three letters of recommendation from professors or professional individuals

There are three categories of admissions for the MNM program:

  • Regular admission applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Conditional admission applicants must have applied before completing their final semester with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Provisional admission applicants have a GPA of less than 3.0. Admission is limited to a small percentage of total applicants who are actively working in the nonprofit sector with a track record of success in the field.

Application Deadlines

Nonprofit Management MNM

Fall

Spring

Domestic Applicants

Jun 1

Nov 1

International Applicants

Jan 15

-

Online Learning

The core courses in the MNM program are only offered online. Students have the option to take the two elective courses either online or face-to-face, however, the tuition structure is different for face-to-face classes. See the program cost section above.

Experiential Learning

Students without practical nonprofit management experience are strongly advised to complete an internship as part of their advanced curriculum. MNM students have the advantage of developing internship placements through our experiential learning coordinator. Internship placement varies by student interest and semester. For more information on experiential learning, please review our brochure.

Internship Placements

2023-24
CPNM (Center for Public and Nonprofit Management) - Orlando, FL
IRONMAN Foundation - Tampa, FL

In the past, our students have taken internship placements with the following organizations:

2015-16

  • Feeding Children Everywhere
  • Big World Project
  • Seminole County Emergency Operations Center
  • City of Orlando Office of Community Affairs and Human Relations

2016-17

  • Autism Speaks
  • The Washington Center
  • Canine Companions for Independence
  • Corporation for National and Community Service
  • Angels of Assisi

2017-18

  • UCF Legislative Scholars
  • Make-A-Wish Foundation
  • Firewall Centers
  • Case Foundation UCF
  • Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County
  • Feeding Children Everywhere
  • Women with 20/20 Vision
  • Iglesia Genesis Cochabamba Habitat for Humanity Seminole
  • Heart of Central Florida United Way

Completion Rate

MNM students have considerable flexibility in completing the degree. Our program is designed so that a full-time student can easily complete the degree in less than two years. Many of our students pursue the degree on a part-time basis, balancing their educational goals with work and family priorities. Graduation rates are reported on an “Academic Year -5” basis (AR-5). For the 2022-2023 academic year, graduation rates are based on students entering the program in 2018-2019. Of 85 entering students, 8 graduated within two years (100 percent of program design length; six semesters), 31 graduated within three academic years (150 percent of program design length), and 40 graduated within four academic years (200 percent of program design length). Total students graduated and persisting to graduation 85.

Graduate Placement Distribution

Job placement statistics for 2023-24:

Locations

Number of Alumni

National or central government in the same country as the program

0

State, provincial or regional government

4

County government or other local government

6

Nonprofit (domestic)

25

Nonprofit (international)

0

Private sector (research/consulting)

2

Private sector (non-research/consulting)

17

Obtaining further education

0

Military Service

1

Unemployed (seeking employment)

0

Status unknown

8

Total

63