Nonprofit Studies Minor or Certificate

*THIS MINOR IS NOT ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS.*

The Nonprofit Studies minor or certificate is an option for students who are interested in pursuing careers in nonprofit organizations. Students learn a variety of business and fundraising skills and do internships at various community sites. This minor fits well with many SIAS concentrations.

Undergraduate students may also earn a certificate in nonprofit studies by fulfilling the requirements for the minor in nonprofit studies. Post-baccalaureate students who complete the requirements earn the certificate, not the minor. Minors can only be granted to students with their first undergraduate degree.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CERTIFICATE IN NONPROFIT STUDIES

NOTE: Admission to the Certificate in Nonprofit Studies is limited to post-baccalaureate applicants.

  1. Contact Ruth Bernstein to discuss this certificate program, application and admission requirements.
  2. Request a transcript from the institution from which you received your undergraduate degree.
  3. Provide a statement detailing your interest in the nonprofit certificate program.

Your transcript and personal statement should be mailed to:

Certificate in Nonprofit Studies
Attention: Ruth Bernstein - SIAS Program
University of Washington Tacoma
Campus Box 358436
1900 Commerce Street
Tacoma, WA 98402-3100 USA

In addition, it is necessary to complete and submit an online Application for Nonmatriculated Undergraduate Admission (check "Nonprofit Studies Certificate") accompanied by a non-refundable processing fee of $60. A copy of this application will be forwarded to the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.

For questions, please contact the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences office.

NONPROFIT STUDIES MINOR COURSE REQUIREMENTS BEGINNING SPRING 2018

Requirements overview

Students should plan to enroll in TNPRFT 490, Nonprofit Practicum, having completed all other required courses or are co-registered for their final required course. Since the goal of the Nonprofit Practicum course is to synthesize classroom theory with hands-on experiences in a non-profit organization, the Nonprofit Practicum course should be taken last.

The Nonprofit Studies minor requires 25 credits. All courses in the minor must be completed with a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Please see an adviser to discuss details.

Courses

*For more information about the Board Governance series, see link here.

The requirements for completing the Nonprofit Studies minor or certificate program include an internship as part of TNPRFT 490. The general guidelines for this internship follow:

  • Internships involve spending 12 hours per week for ten weeks on an approved project. These 12 hours per week are a combination of time spent working at the internship site and research and study related to the approved project.
     
  • Internship projects should involve substantive, policy-oriented work. The goal is to use the internship to connect the theory that students have learned in the classroom with the experience of getting things accomplished in a non-profit organization.
     
  • Internships should be done with a nonprofit or community-based organization and must be linked to a social purpose. Your internship should not consist of something that you already do as part of your job or volunteer experience. The goal of the nonprofit studies internship is to give students an opportunity to try out something new and to expand their experience.
     
  • SIAS Internship guidelines and forms

    Once your internship contract is signed by you, Ruth Bernstein (internship supervisor) and your site supervisor, you can obtain an entry code to register for the course.

Declare a minor by completing the Request to Declare/Change a Major or Minor form and submitting it to the Office of the Registrar. You must have earned a minimum of 45 credits and declared a major before declaring a minor. If you have any questions about this process, please see your advisor.