Online MPA – Nonprofit Management
Make a positive impact in your community by developing the management, policy and fundraising expertise to help organizations in the nonprofit sector function more efficiently.
Apply by:
Start Class:
Program Overview
Explore our 100% online MPA in Nonprofit Leadership program
$16,974*
Total Tuition
As few as 12 months
Program Duration
36
Credit Hours
Support mission-driven organizations with the essential skills gained through the online Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Leadership. You will gain a strong understanding of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations and their role in the public sector, as well as empowering less-advantaged communities.
The industry-relevant coursework for this nonprofit MPA focuses on deepening your knowledge of collaborative action, financial management, budgeting, public policy, and building sustaining, effective governance structures with all levels of government. Explore key concepts such as legal compliance, comprehensive community development, strategic planning, fundraising, and resource development as it pertains to the nonprofit sector.
This 100 percent online nonprofit leadership program from the Murray State College of Humanities and Fine Arts includes a capstone experience in which you will integrate theories and methods by proposing and executing a project involving a substantive management or analytic issue in the public sector.
Among the Best in the South
Ranked #1 among the "Best Value Schools in the South" by U.S. News & World Report (2025)
This online MPA degree will prepare you for careers such as:
- Program Director
- Grant Proposal Manager
- Executive Director
- Donor Relation Manager
- Community Director
- Program Director
- Grant Proposal Manager
- Executive Director
- Donor Relation Manager
- Community Director
Learning outcomes:
- Develop a strong understanding of the roles and functions of nonprofit organizations and philanthropic institutions in a modern democracy and how to manage within them
- Strengthen critical analytic skills and frameworks in management, finance and policy that you'll need to successfully make an impact across sectors, fields and policy arenas
- Cultivate management techniques for individuals and groups, financial competency, understanding and budget creation, policy development and improvement, and ethics pertaining to nonprofit agencies
- Enhance understanding of how government and public organizations serve their stakeholders, including managing resources and regulatory powers
- Explore theories and concepts of nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations and community development and the many facets of funding and funding strategies
- Develop a strong understanding of the roles and functions of nonprofit organizations and philanthropic institutions in a modern democracy and how to manage within them
- Strengthen critical analytic skills and frameworks in management, finance and policy that you'll need to successfully make an impact across sectors, fields and policy arenas
- Cultivate management techniques for individuals and groups, financial competency, understanding and budget creation, policy development and improvement, and ethics pertaining to nonprofit agencies
- Enhance understanding of how government and public organizations serve their stakeholders, including managing resources and regulatory powers
- Explore theories and concepts of nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations and community development and the many facets of funding and funding strategies
Have questions or need more information about our online programs?
Also available
Murray State University offers a variety of specialized Master of Public Administration concentrations. Check out all of our online MPA programs.
Tuition
Discover the value of our affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition
Master of Public Administration online programs from Murray State University offer affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition. All fees are included in the total tuition.
Tuition breakdown:
$471.50
Per Credit Hour
$16,974*
Total Tuition
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course | Per Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPA – Nonprofit Leadership | $471.50 | $1,414.50 | $16,974* |
*The tuition rate is subject to annual changes based on approval by the Murray State University Board of Regents and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. Refer to Graduate Tuition Rates for more information on the cost of attendance for Murray State.
Calendar
Take note of these important dates and deadlines
Murray State University online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.
Now enrolling:
6/15/26
Next Application Deadline
6/21/26
Start Classes
| Term | Start Date | Application Deadline | Document & Financial Aid Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Last Class Day | Term Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 5/11/26 | 5/1/26 | 5/4/26 | 5/5/26 | 5/8/26 | 6/20/26 | 6 weeks |
| Summer 2 | 6/21/26 | 6/15/26 | 6/16/26 | 6/17/26 | 6/18/26 | 7/31/26 | 6 weeks |
| Fall 1 | 8/19/26 | 8/12/26 | 8/13/26 | 8/14/26 | 8/18/26 | 10/7/26 | 7 weeks |
| Fall 2 | 10/14/26 | 10/5/26 | 10/6/26 | 10/7/26 | 8/18/26 | 12/4/26 | 7 weeks |
Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from Murray State?
Admissions
Here’s what you’ll need to apply to the online nonprofit leadership program
At Murray State University, we’ve streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Leadership online, including where to send your transcripts.
The requirements include:
For admission to this MPA online program, you must meet the following requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree from a 4-year domestic institution
- Undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended
Official transcripts, test scores and other documents should be sent from issuing institutions to:
Email address: [email protected]
Mail address:
Graduate Admissions
Murray State University
B2 Sparks Hall
Murray, KY 42071
Questions? Call 866-906-0541.
Courses
Learn about the coursework for the online nonprofit leadership MPA
For this Nonprofit Leadership master's degree online, you must complete 21 credit hours of core courses and 15 credit hours of electives.
Core Courses (21 credit hours)
POL 660: Research Methods
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examines the process of research in public affairs, with an emphasis on quantitative methods and techniques.
POL 670: Foundations of Public Administration
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A graduate-level introduction to the study of public administration, covering substantive topics in the field as well as the political dimensions of public service and the ethical issues faced by government practitioners. Emphasis is placed on the development of the discipline as a field of inquiry.
POL 671: Public Policy Analysis
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Problems and methods in perception of public problems, determination of goals, generation and evaluation of alternative policy practices and programs, and explanation of policy choices. Emphasis on political and analytical methods of examining policy making and policy outcomes. Includes a survey of literature dealing with theories of the policy process.
POL 673: Public Budgeting and Finance
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An intensive, graduate-level overview of public agency and governmental budgeting and finance at the federal, state, and local government levels. This course examines budgeting as a tool of governmental economic and public policy. Specifically, the course considers the evolution and purposes of budgeting with special attention given to recent efforts to improve government resource allocation.
POL 674: Public Organizations
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces management of public and nonprofit organizations by reviewing the history and evolution of organization theory and the application of these theories to 21st century public and nonprofit organizations. Topics such as organizational culture, conflict, stress, communication, leadership, groups, power and politics, and ethics will be examined in an attempt to explain and predict employee behavior in the context of public organizations.
POL 681: Public Sector Human Resource Management
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An intensive, graduate-level overview of public sector human resource and human capital management in the federal, state, and local governments, including such topics as types of personnel systems; recruitment and selection; compensation and benefits; training and development; performance management; legal compliance; diversity; and labor-management relations. Students address the literature in one of these areas.
POL 688: Capstone in Public Administration I
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
A course integrating the theories and methods of public administration in a major research project related to a substantive management or policy problem in the public sector. Students must propose a research design for an original project after completing a major review of public administration literature. Normally this course shall be taken in the last semester of graduate work within the M.P.A. program. Required for all MPA students.
POL 689: Capstone in Public Administration II
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 2
A course integrating the theories and methods of public administration in a major research project related to a substantive management or policy problem in the public sector. Students must complete an original research project that was proposed in POL 688. Normally this course shall be taken in the last semester of graduate work in the M.P.A. program. Required for all MPA students. Prerequisite: POL 688 and instructor permission.
Elective Courses (15 credit hours)
Must complete NLS600 and POL 639 or POL 668.
NLS 600: The Non-Profit Sector and Civil Society
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course provides students with historical and philosophical foundations of the nonprofit sector in American society and around the globe, the roles and relationships among structural sectors of society (nonprofit, government, and business), and the competencies and functions of nonprofit sector leadership and management. Students identify and study current and emerging issues and trends impacting society and the response for the nonprofit sector, while exploring the range of career and volunteer opportunities.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of the comparative perspectives on the nonprofit sector, voluntary action, and philanthropy and their impact on global social, economic, and political issues and trends;
- Delineate the scope, significance, and diversity of the nonprofit sector and its sub-sectors, voluntary action, and philanthropy across civil society and among the nonprofit, government, and for-profit sectors; and
- Develop a working knowledge of the history and theories of the nonprofit sector, voluntary action, and philanthropy around the world, including (but not limited to) political, economic, religious, and socio-cultural perspectives.
- Scope, size, functions, and structure of the nonprofit sector, voluntary action, philanthropy, and civil society, globally;
- Cross-sector issues and trends, opportunities and challenges, and future projections; and
- History and theoretical foundations of the nonprofit sector, voluntary action, philanthropy, and civil society, along with the impact of a range of related political, economic, and socio-cultural perspectives.
NLS 602: Financial Management for Nonprofits
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A review of the impacts of basic economics and market dynamics on the nonprofit sector, frame an overview of financial management, and resource development processes and practices. The course presents students with quality practices and tools used in budgeting, accounting, reporting, and fund raising.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain budgeting as a component of the planning process
- Discuss principles of accounting and reporting requirements
- Present key financial tools for informed decision-making
- Understand the principles of fund development and donor retention
- Present key investment strategies for nonprofits
NLS 630: Nonprofit Organizations and Community Development: Comprehensive Strategies for Impact
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course prepares students for action in the complex and ever-changing context in which mission-driven nonprofit organizations operate. This course provides students with current and emerging action strategies and practices to strengthen or improve less-advantaged communities, empower their residents, and interact with a broad spectrum of public, for profit, and nonprofit agencies. Students examine and apply quality practices in comprehensive community development, coalition and movement building, integrated strategies, collective and collaborative action, and strategic planning and assessment approaches.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain a mission-driven nonprofit and the role it plays in community development
- Explore common challenges faced by less advantaged communities
- Discuss ways collaborative efforts of the nonprofit sector can empower residents and promote community growth
- Apply community assessment tools
- Present a strategic plan for community development
NLS 675: Social Entrepreneurship
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course is about utilizing entrepreneurial skills to craft innovative responses to social problems. Entrepreneurs are particularly good at recognizing opportunities, exploring innovative approaches, mobilizing resources, managing risks, and building viable enterprises. Social entrepreneurship applies to both profit and non-profit organizations that have programs designed to create social value.
Learning Outcomes
- Distinguish among different frameworks and approaches to social entrepreneurship, including social impact, enterprise, and venture applications.
- Understand a range of applications of social impact strategies to address critical social challenges and opportunities.
- Develop knowledge of and access to a range of networks and support systems that advance social entrepreneurship.
- Understand and apply the principles of social entrepreneurship in responding to the needs and opportunities of a nonprofit organization interested in incorporating related practices into their operations.
NLS 685: Seminar on Leadership Development
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
"Course is a high-level exploration of leadership principles and practices, in support of the development of personal confidence and capacity to be more effective leaders and managers. Students will develop competencies for quality applications in the context of family, community, and career, including personal principles and values, ethical standards and practices, interpersonal and group dynamics, cultural competence, and vision and strategy development, among others.
"
NLS 625: Nonprofit Organization Development, Management, and Leadership
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the roles and responsibilities of positional leaders in the ongoing development, management, and leadership of nonprofit organizations. Students develop understanding of strategies, practices, and tools for developing vision and mission, establishing and implementing strategic plans and operation policies, developing and guiding human resources (paid and volunteer), and building and sustaining effective governance structures.
NLS 665: Policy, Legal Issues, and Advocacy for Social Change in Nonprofit Organizations
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An exploration of the legal issues impacting the nonprofit sector, the roles of policy in insuring compliance and effective practice, and the application of advocacy strategies. Student will build understanding through the examination of the basic legal needs nonprofits have in common, requirements of the tax exemption, the legal aspect of fund development, human resources law for nonprofits, and political activities, among others.
Students must take at least one of the following electives:
POL 639: Public Sector Leadership
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines theories and practices of leadership in public and nonprofit sector organizations. Emphasis is given to competing theories of leadership and to the examination of leadership through theoretical reference frames.
POL 668: Ethics in Public Administration
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is on the individual, managerial, organizational, and societal challenges of establishing and maintaining ethical conduct within public organizations. The course will cover moral, philosophical, and legal perspectives on public ethics within government agencies and non-profit organizations.
Need More Info?
Submit the form below, and a representative will contact you to answer your questions.
Request More Information
Submit the form below, and a representative will contact you to answer your questions.Begin Application Process
Start your application today!
for help with any questions you may have.
