Public & Nonprofit Management Major | Baldwin Wallace University

OVERVIEW

Transform your passion for helping others into a compelling career that puts you at the center of a rewarding profession in public & nonprofit management.

You'll delve into topics like public policy, grant writing and administration, and learn how today’s political, economic and social conditions impact public and nonprofit management.

Comprehensive, Integrated Studies

Coursework in political science, business, and economics provide a strong foundation for your studies, focused on developing analytical, communications, policy and management knowledge and skills. Electives in psychology, sociology, and public health allow you to tailor your curriculum to career interests.

Real-World Focused

A required internship with a government or nonprofit organization enables you to gain valuable networking contacts, boost competencies and acquire firsthand insight into this multi-faceted career field. BW's proximity to Cleveland puts you within a 20-minute drive to outstanding opportunities.

Exceptional Undergraduate Program

BW's public & nonprofit management major is one of only 30 undergraduate majors in the nation focused on nonprofit leadership and public policy. In Ohio, there are only two programs.

Career Opportunities

Nonprofit program management
Municipal management
Nonprofit grant writer
Community relations management for local government agencies
Government and community affairs manager for private companies

CURRICULUM

Public and nonprofit management is offered as a major and minor. It includes rigorous coursework and enriching experiential learning activities that develop competencies in organizational management, social science research, public budgeting and finance, grant writing and more.

Students in the major are advised closely, and encouraged to choose a minor in a field related to their interest in government and nonprofit management.

The public & nonprofit management major prepares students to:

Gain the skills and mindset needed to understand the role of public service in the context of government and the nonprofit sector, and to understand the particular political, economic and social factors and challenges facing public and nonprofit managers
Develop the skills needed to engage in public and nonprofit management: problem identification and analysis, problem solving, effective oral and written communication, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and organizational management
Identify their interests and potential for future opportunities in public and nonprofit management through interning with a government or nonprofit organization
Demonstrate understanding of the management of public health and nonprofit organizations and the public policy process
Demonstrate undergraduate level competence in objective writing, presentation skills, policy research, and qualitative and qualitative analysis
Develop career and/or graduate study plans in the areas of government and nonprofit management, public policy, or a related field through involvement in an internship and intensive program advising

STUDENT EXPERIENCES

Experiential learning bridges classroom study with real-world opportunities. You can enhance your studies with internships, co-curricular activities and other learning experiences that include:

Community Research Institute

Gain real-world research experience through BW's Community Research Institute. The institute serves government agencies and nonprofit organizations in Northeast Ohio through services that include surveys and feasibility studies. A recent project included research for the 2016 Presidential election that was published both locally and nationally.

Brain Center for Community Engagement

Providing service opportunities at the local, national and international levels, the Brain Center for Community Engagement is a vibrant liaison for connecting students to organizations serving diverse community needs. Opportunities include one-time projects, weekly service, alternative breaks and other programs that foster civic and leadership skills among participants. It is an outstanding resource linking students to nonprofit internships.

Career Networking

Make career contacts through an advisory committee designed just for political science, public & nonprofit management, international affairs, national security and legal studies majors and minors. BW alumni and other professionals serve as resources for informational interviews, shadowing and other networking opportunities. Students can learn about careers in politics, policy, government, law and foreign service and obtain information about attending graduate or law school.

Study Abroad and Internships

Study abroad provides first-hand knowledge of other societies and cultures. Semester-long internships in Washington, D.C., help students develop professional skills, earn academic credit and gain valuable job experience domestically in settings that include the United States Congress, news organizations and law firms, and abroad with intergovernmental and nonprofit organizations.

Model United Nations

A successful program in existence at BW for 40 years, Model United Nations is a series of simulations run as conferences where participating student teams from different universities learn about international diplomacy and the workings of intergovernmental organizations. The teams tackle current issues through negotiation and debate. The communication, negotiation and public speaking aspects make Model UN relevant for students of all majors. Over the years, the team and individual members of BW's Model UN and Model African Union teams have won every award at Harvard Model UN, Model NATO, Model AU, and LEIMUN, including Best Delegation.

Full-Time Faculty

Mark Mattern
Professor and Chair, Department of Politics and Global Citizenship
Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Haesook Chae
Professor
Ph.D., University of Southern California

Lauren Copeland
Associate Director, Community Research Institute
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara

Judy Krutky
Professor
Director, Intercultural Education
Ph.D., Columbia University

Javier Morales-Ortiz
Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Connecticut

Barbara Palmer
Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Thomas Sutton
Professor
Ph.D., Kent State University

Public & Nonprofit Management

Department of Politics and Global Citizenship

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