With more than 96,000 nonprofit organizations in Texas alone, the need is rising for skilled leaders
According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, Texas is home to the second largest number of nonprofit organizations in the nation, second only to California.
A news release explained that forecasts indicate a strong outlook for jobs in the nonprofit sector and, as the number of nonprofits continues to grow, there will be increased demand for skilled workers.
The University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service aims to address that need with a new undergraduate degree program — a bachelor of science degree in nonprofit leadership studies — that will prepare students for careers in the nonprofit sector.
“Nonprofits are a vital part of our community and solve important social issues,” Laura Keyes, lecturer and degree coordinator, said in the release. “With this degree, students will have the opportunity to make a career out of making a difference.”
Offered by UNT’s Department of Public Administration, the program will expand on courses currently offered through a minor in leadership of community and nonprofit organizations and an academic certificate in volunteer and community resource management.
“We will address community resources for nonprofits, financial management, leadership theory and practice for volunteer managers, mediation, philanthropy and fundraising, proposal writing and grants administration and public speaking,” Keyes said in the release.
The program will include a mix of online and in-person classes on the Denton UNT campus. The release detailed that students will receive practical nonprofit management experience through a required internship.
Keyes added that upon graduation students will be positioned to pursue graduate work in management or public administration, including in UNT’s master of public administration degree program, which offers a specialization in nonprofit management.
For more information, visit hps.unt.edu/ and click on “Undergrad Degree” under “Program Offerings.”