Non-Profit Management MBA: Curriculum Info & Tips to Find an Accredited School

From religious organizations to universities, there are more than 1.4 million non-profit organizations in the U.S. with more than 12.5 million employees working behind the scenes to run the show. The non-profit sector expends $120 billion in annual personnel costs and represents $340 billion in total annual budget outlays.

This means that if you manage to obtain a position with a religious organization, hospital, university, foundation, or other non-profit organization, you can expect stability, salary growth, employment growth, and a variety of jobs to choose from. Non-profit management MBA holders may work as: assistant director of fundraising, program analyst, program director, program officer, marketing/research associate, director, community outreach coordinator, finance director, director of information systems or director of public relations.

Top earners in this field are usually management personnel, and most hold a non-profit management MBA from an accredited college or university. Many management professionals in the non-profit sector earned an undergraduate degree in business, obtained entry-level employment in the field and continued working on an MBA while gaining valuable hands-in experience.

Today's MBA students have the option of obtaining their degree on-campus, online, or through a blended format. Blended formats allow students to complete half of their degree on-campus and the other half online. Blended and online formats make it easier for students to work full-time in the field while pursuing an advanced degree.

When searching for online or traditional programs, students can go by word of mouth or reputation, perform a Google or Bing search, or search college directories such as Bizdegrees.com. Princeton Review is an excellent source for lists of top business colleges as well as U.S. News and World Report. Both on-campus and online business and management programs have been accredited by some of the following agencies:

-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

-The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

-The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

Many online programs have also been accredited by:

-Distance Education Training Council (DETC)

-Council on Occupational Education (COE)

Regional accrediting agencies include:

-Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

-New England Association of Schools and Colleges

-North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

-Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

-Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

-Western Association of Schools and Colleges

If you come across a school that has not been accredited by any of the agencies listed above, check the U.S. Department of Education website at ED.gov for a complete list of recognized accrediting agencies.

Non-profit management MBA programs prepare students for a career in management by teaching everything from business computing and business finance to principles of marketing and principles of management. Online curriculums should require the same courses as on-campus programs, so be sure to check the course listings for the online program you have chosen before beginning the application process. The following is a list of non-profit management degree courses to look for:

-Business Computing

-Business Finance

-Business Statistics

-Effective Career Management

-Entrepreneurship

-Human Resource Management

-International Business

-Legal Environment Business

-Organizations: Structures & Behavior

-Principles of Management

-Principles of Marketing

-Writing and Speaking for Business

To learn more about Non-Profit Management MBA programs, including curriculum info, program info and common MBA coursework, visit bizdegrees.com. To learn more about career trends and salary potential for non-profit managers, visit the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.