Nonprofit Leadership

Maureen Emerson Feit, PhD, Director
Noreen Elbert, EdD, Assistant Director
Lindsay Ohab, MPA, Graduate Program Coordinator

This graduate degree program is designed for those who lead, or aspire to lead, nonprofit organizations. The program offers opportunities to network with and learn from experienced peers while also working with a distinguished mix of instructors drawn from Seattle University faculty, practitioners, and training professionals.

Nonprofit leaders must have the skills and confidence that inspire others to voluntary action, while possessing the strong ability to manage complex organizations. The program has a unique curriculum designed to teach the core competencies expected of effective, values-driven nonprofit leaders. While courses teach the latest leadership and management theory, classwork emphasizes practical application. Course work is intended to build on the base of experience that students will bring with them to the classroom.

All courses are scheduled in the evenings or on Saturdays. Students are provided with class schedules in advance each quarter to facilitate planning.

Program participants have the opportunity to meet with a variety of the region’s nonprofit and philanthropic leaders. Personal mentoring is also provided by professionals currently working in the field. Graduates have access to career counseling services and are invited to continue their association with the network of over 300 alumni.

Admission Requirements

Completed Application for Graduate Admission and a nonrefundable $55 application fee (waived for Seattle University alumni).
Evidence of a four-year equivalent bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Minimum grade point average of 3.00 (GPA) calculated from official transcripts of all post-secondary educational institutions attended in last 90 quarter/60 semester credits of the bachelor’s degree, including any transfer credit earned during this time, and any post-baccalaureate course work. In special cases, those with a GPA less than a 3.00 will be admitted on a probationary basis. Applicants earning a bachelor’s degree from a non-graded institution must submit official GRE scores in lieu of GPA.
Recommendation from applicant’s past or present employer using the MNPL employer recommendation form for graduate study.
Current résumé reflecting two years of relevant professional experience in a nonprofit organization preferred.
List of five recommenders with name, title, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address who can comment on your professional abilities and potential for leadership in a nonprofit organization.
Two-page statement answering the following questions: What do you believe are the greatest challenges facing the nonprofit sector today? How will you apply what you learn in this program to make positive changes in those areas?
If English is not the applicant’s native language, official English proficiency scores meeting the university’s entrance requirements must be submitted. See policy 2008-01 in Admissions Policies for details.

Program Candidates

A class of up to 25 students is admitted each year.
Students attend their core courses in a cohort in order to provide more opportunities to learn from each other.
Students take elective courses outside of the cohort so that so they may benefit from a wider diversity of perspectives and experiences.
Each admitted student will be asked to gather from an employer an assessment of the student’s core competencies and leadership qualities. This profile will be used as a guide during the program and at graduation will be coupled with a plan for future professional development.