M.B.A. in Nonprofit Management

Brian Adams, Ph.D., director

Degree Outcomes

The M.B.A. in Nonprofit Management provides nonprofit professionals a cohort program combining the best managerial and leadership skills taught in our traditional M.B.A. with the specialized content necessary to successfully manage nonprofit organizations. The program gives students the skills, knowledge, and perspectives necessary to generate value in the nonprofit sector and to help nonprofits meet the current management and leadership challenges of the 21st century.

Learning Goals and Objectives for the M.B.A. in Nonprofit Management

Students who successfully complete all requirements for a Master of Business Administration in Nonprofit Management should be able to:

1. Core of Business Knowledge:  Demonstrate a broad core of business knowledge and be able to integrate and apply this knowledge in the nonprofit sector.
   1. Demonstrate competency in the underlying concepts, theory and tools taught in the core curriculum of our program in nonprofit management.
   2. Be able to use their knowledge of different business disciplines to identify, analyze, and recommend solutions to complex problems requiring interdisciplinary and global perspectives.
   3. Be familiar with how the unique circumstances of the nonprofit sector impact decisions made by general managers regarding funding, human resources, and other aspects of a nonprofit's value creation activities.
2. Analytical Skills: Possess analytical, research, and critical thinking skills needed by middle and upper-level managers in the nonprofit sector.
   1. Acquire the competencies needed to identify, analyze, and evaluate alternative solutions to business problems in the nonprofit sector.
   2. Have the ability to write and present comprehensive research reports/briefs and present facts, analysis and conclusions relevant to issues in the nonprofit sector.
3. Leadership Competencies: Possess the interpersonal competencies needed to be effective managers and leaders in the nonprofit sector.
   1. Be skilled at oral and written communication.
   2. Be skilled at leadership; including motivation, negotiation and management of conflict.
   3. Be able to communicate and work effectively in a diverse work setting.
4. Value System: Be able to evaluate the ethical and societal implications of managerial decisions within the nonprofit sector.
   1. Identify ethical dilemmas facing nonprofit enterprises, and analyze them from multiple ethical and stakeholder perspectives, and recommend appropriate resolutions to those dilemmas. 
   2. Understand the overarching issues of corporate social responsibility and sustainability.
   3. Be able to identify and evaluate the economic, social and environmental trade-offs resulting from decisions in the nonprofit sector.

Admission Requirements

1. Statement of Goals
2. Current resume (minimum of two years of work experience is strongly encouraged)
3. Two recommendation forms and letters
4. Official transcripts (from all previously attended academic institutions)
5. A bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university recognized by the University of Portland
6. International Applicants: All foreign degrees will be evaluated by International Student Services prior to an admission decision
7. Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a scale of 4.0)
8. Official GMAT (minimum score of 550 or higher) or GRE (minimum score equivalent to a GMAT score of 550) may be required
9. International Applicants: an official score from the TOEFL (minimum score of 88), IELTS (minimum score of 7.0), or Duolingo (minimum score of 110) exam is required.
10. International Applicants: Proof of financial support will be required to attend the University of Portland, but is not required for application review

The GMAT/GRE requirement can be waived if an applicant has significant and relevant work experience (at least three years); has successfully completed 9 hours of coursework at an AACSB accredited graduate business program with a cumulative G.P.A of 3.0 or higher; has a business-related graduate degree from an AACSB accredited program; or has taken six hours of graduate business courses at the University of Portland as a non-degree seeking student and earned a 3.0 cumulative G.P.A. or higher. It is strongly recommended that applicants have two to three years of professional experience after their bachelor’s degree to fully benefit from the program. 

Honors Pledge

The faculty of the Pamplin School of Business encourages students to acknowledge the ethical components of teaching and learning; essential factors in fulfilling the University’s mission in the classroom. Students are asked to reflect upon the core value of academic integrity and make this an integral part of their work at the University. Students are asked to sign an honors pledge and attach it to all submitted course work to affirm the integrity of their scholarship to all concerned.

Cohort Program

The M.B.A. in Nonprofit Management is a cohort program; in which a small group of students take the program together in lockstep. Thus, the entire group shares the same classroom and curricular experience. A cohort gives the student the opportunity to work with similar professionals and to connect and share an experience with them that transcends the classroom. By working together in a cohort, students build a network of adult learners who share a commitment to the nonprofit field. In certain classes, the M.B.A. cohort will also be blended with students in our traditional M.B.A. program.

Degree Requirements

The M.B.A. in Nonprofit Management requires students to take six consecutive semesters of classwork with six credit hours (two classes) offered each semester. A total of 36 credit hours will be completed before graduation and students will receive an M.B.A. degree.