Requirements
The minor in Nonprofit Leadership that includes the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA) certification requires the following 12 credit hours, 6 - 9 hours of elective credit hours and service: Elective Credits: 6 - 9 hours
All electives must be approved by the advisor. Some possibilities for these credit hours are the following: PADM 5830, 5840, 5870, 5990; ACTY 2100, 2110, 3130, 4140; ADA 5650, 5670; AFS 3140; ANTH 5220; COM 3500, 4440, 5410; DANC 4890; ECON 2010, 2020, 3100, 3190, 3240, 3450, 3800, 4020, 5880, ENVS 4100; GWS 3200; MGMT 3600; PHIL 4100; PSCI 2000, 2020, 3000, 3040, 3110, 3950, 4050, 4200, 4210, 4220; PSY 3000, 3300, 5260; SOC 2820, 2830, 3730, 4120, 4560, 5680; STAT 2160; SWRK 3330, 4010, 4020 (Please note there may be prerequisites for these classes.) Additional Requirements
Extra curricular requirements prescribed by the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA). These requirements include participation in a Nonprofit Leadership Student Organization, attendance at the national Alliance Management/Leadership Institute, and participating in other activities that fulfill the NLA competencies. NLA requirements may include costs associated with certification.
The student must complete a minimum internship of 300 hours (3 credit hours) in a nonprofit organization either by taking PADM 4100 or by taking an internship in the student’s major. If the internship is in the student’s major, the internship must be approved, in advance, by the WMU NLA Campus Director, (Master Faculty Specialist in the School of Public Affairs and Administration), involve work that fulfills the NLA competencies, and include the NLA reporting requirements.
The hours of electives are determined by the student’s career goals and defined in conjunction with the SPAA Master Faculty Specialist. Since leadership encompasses a broad range of skills that are applied in several sectors, it is not possible to provide a comprehensive list of the areas of the electives. Examples include the arts, communication, criminal justice, diversity, environmental studies, health services, nonprofit administration, public policy, public history, and urban and regional planning. Course options for these and additional areas are provided on the School of Public Affairs and Administration’s website and developed in consultation with the SPAA Master Faculty Specialist.
In order to obtain NLA certification/minor, the student must earn a minimum grade of “C” or better in any course counted towards the NLA certification/minor and have the WMU NLA Campus Director attest to the fulfillment of the competencies. The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance competency requirements include Communication, Marketing, and Public Relations; Cultural Competency and Diversity; Financial Resource Development and Management; Foundation and Management of the Nonprofit Sector; Governance, Leadership, and Advocacy; Legal and Ethical Decision making; Personal and Professional Development; Program Development; Volunteer and Human Resource Management; and the Future of the Nonprofit Sector. Current Approved Electives
Areas of Competence and suggested elective courses are provided on the School’s website: www.wmich.edu/spaa |
Return to: