Mar 29, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2008-09 
    
Undergraduate Catalog 2008-09 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nonprofit Leadership Minor


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The School of Public Affairs and Administration offers a Minor in Nonprofit Leadership. Besides traditional course work this minor requires service to the University and community. The minor requires 18 credit hours and certification. Each student earning this minor will also earn a certificate from American Humanics, a national organization of over 70 collaborating universities and national nonprofit organizations. The American Humanics program is designed to prepare students for entry-level professional positions in nonprofit organizations.

Requirements


The minor in Nonprofit Leadership that includes the American Humanics certification requires the following 18 credit hours and service:

  • Electives Credits: 6 to 9 hours

Additional Requirements


Extra curricular requirements prescribed by American Humanics, Inc. (These requirements include participation in an American Humanics Student Organization, attending the national AH Management Institute, and participating in other activities that fulfill the AH competencies.)

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 AH Campus Director, involve work that fulfills the American Humanics competencies, and include the reports for American Humanics certification by WMU.

The hours of electives are determined by the student’s career goals and defined in conjunction with the American Humanics Director. 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 Web site and developed in consultation with the American Humanics Director.

In order to obtain AH certification/minor, the student must earn a minimum grade of “C” or better in any course counted towards the AH certification/minor and have the WMU Campus Director attest to the fulfillment of the competencies. The American Humanics competency requirements include career development and exploration, communication skills, employability skills, personal attributes, a demonstrated understanding of historical and philosophical foundations of nonprofit organizations, youth and adult development, nonprofit board and committee development, fund raising principles and practices, nonprofit management, nonprofit accounting and financial management, community outreach/marketing and public relations, program planning, implementation, and evaluation, risk management and legal issues, volunteer management, information management and technology, ethics and values, diversity awareness.

Current Approved Electives


Areas of Competence and suggested courses are provided on the School’s Web site: www.wmich.edu/spaa

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