Since its inception in 1908, the Master's of Business Administration degree changed the landscape of graduate business programs significantly. It has not only become the most popular post graduate degree in the world, but also the most recognized business education credential for business managers. What began as a simple business degree, has evolved into a broad over-arching program encompassing numerous concentrations, specializations, majors, and certificates covering specialized topics in business or a particular business sector or job specialty. Students can currently pursue online MBA programs with specialized curriculum in Marketing, Cybersecurity, Business Analytics, HR, IT, and International Business, with more choices added every semester. Online MBA Today explores different online MBA degree options in order to give prospective students information on the multitude of fields and degrees available.
Let's explore the rewarding field of Nonprofit Management.
What Is Nonprofit Management?
Nonprofit organizations can be small or large. They can be volunteer-run or have multimillion dollar budgets. They can be religious institutions, hospitals, schools, or stores. Regardless of the size or shape, nonprofits work to address social causes without creating any profits for individuals, but this doesn't mean they don't need business-savvy leaders. Just like any company, nonprofits thrive when they have leaders at the helm who know what it takes to run a business, the benchmark of success is just different. Instead of going off of that quarter's profits and dividends, a nonprofit measures success by furthering the cause, whatever that may be, by looking at how many people were helped, signed on, educated through your work.
Online MBA in Nonprofit Management
If you are interested in helping lead a foundation, charity, or other organization, an online MBA in nonprofit management might be a great fit. An MBA in nonprofit management will give you the basics of business combined with a focus on the challenges unique to the nonprofit world.
In addition to the standard MBA coursework, which covers everything from accounting to leadership management, MBAs in nonprofit management will also cover subjects such as social entrepreneurship, fundraising, cross-sector collaboration, legal foundations, ethics and nonprofit law, and program development, areas that are unique challenges to the nonprofit sector.
An online MBA program for nonprofit management provides you with flexibility to complete your degree on your own time, and is perfect for students who are working full-time, live out of the area, travel a lot, or have family obligations that would make it difficult or impossible to attend on-campus classes. If you are already established in a nonprofit and want to move forward in your career while continuing your current work, going the online route can provide you with that opportunity. As long as you have reliable internet and a working computer or tablet, you're ready to go. With online programs, everything you need, from lectures to class discussions to faculty assistance can be found online.
While many programs are entirely online, others will require you to come to campus a few times throughout the duration of the program or offer a hybrid of online and on-campus work.
There is a high demand for graduates from MBA programs in the nonprofit sector, because not many business graduates choose this route. Nevertheless, the need is there for employees who are well-trained in finance, leadership, and other areas of business administration. Also, working in the nonprofit sector offers opportunities to create meaningful economic and social change. As an MBA working at a nonprofit, you have the opportunity to obtain funding for large-scale projects, do wide-spread marketing, improve internal systems and employee management, or analyze your organization's finances and financial outcomes of programs.
With an online MBA degree in nonprofit management, you'll be prepared to lead nonprofits, or start a brand new one in a variety of areas, such as fine and performing arts, environmental protection, education, public health, or community development. An MBA will prepare you for a variety of roles in the nonprofit world, from fundraising to program support to membership growth.
Based on our ranking of the top online MBA programs in Nonprofit Management, here are the top five programs in the country:
- Oklahoma State University – Stillwater, OK
- University of North Dakota – Grand Forks, ND
- Clarion University – Clarion, PA
- Wilmington University – New Castle, DE
- Western Kentucky University – Bowling Green, KY
OTHER MBA SPECIALTY REVIEWS:
Guide to Online MBAs in Accounting
Guide to Online MBAs in Finance
Guide to Online MBAs in Information & Technology
Guide to Executive MBAs
Guide to Supply Chain Management MBAs
Guide to Online MBAs in Business Analytics
Guide to Online MBAs in Healthcare Management
Guide to Online MBAs in Marketing
Guide to Online MBAs in Finance
Guide to Online MBAs in Entrepreneurship