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Message from the President: COVID-19 | 2021 Winter Commencement Celebration
Within the Local Government Management for Sustainable Communities specialization, you will discuss what sustainability and livability mean and explore a wide range of tools, strategies, and skills you can use to create sustainable communities that are more environmentally sound, economically prosperous, and socially equitable. You will also examine planning processes, approaches, and policies that can help you address a variety of complex and interrelated issues involving multiple stakeholders.
Receive up to a $1,000 grant if you reside in the U.S. and start this program on March 1, 2021. Contact one of our Enrollment Specialists to learn more.
Get Started NowThis sequence represents the minimum time to completion. Time to completion will vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286.
Course Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
The courses must be taken in the prescribed sequence below. |
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NPMG 6116 |
Foundations for Graduate StudyStudents in this course are introduced to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Students work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. They assess the relationship of mission and vision to professional goals and develop a program of study, a Professional Development Plan, and strategies for online success. Students also explore resources used throughout the program, such as the online Walden University Library. Students engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence and integrity. |
(3 cr.) |
NPMG 6200 |
Introduction to the Nonprofit SectorNonprofit (NPO) and non-government (NGO) organizations can serve to affect people and communities through positive social change. NPO and NGO leaders require a fundamental understanding of the nonprofit sector, including related ethical, legal, financial, and global perspectives. Through the lens of the NPO and NGO leadership, students in this course explore social entrepreneurship, marketing, communication, and governance. Gaining practical insight, students also apply theories presented in the course either to build a business plan for a new NPO/NGO or to evaluate an existing one. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6405 |
Ethics and Social JusticeEthics is a foundational element of leadership. In this course, students examine the philosophy of ethics as well as responsibility and social justice—basic tenets of public service. Students explore the complex social, political, and related ethical challenges leaders face as they seek to meet the needs of diverse constituents. They examine ethics and social justice related to economic disparity, power, and privilege. Students also assess demographic data and current social trends and themes to understand, analyze, and address ethical and social justice issues that impact service delivery in a global community. Applying concepts presented in the course, students engage in an in-depth assessment of an emerging or persistent ethical or social justice issue, through which they demonstrate their ability to make recommendations for improvement or change. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6420 |
Organizational Management and LeadershipPublic and nonprofit leaders in all areas of public administration require a thorough understanding of the expectations of their roles as leaders and managers of diverse and complex organizations. Students use theoretical and applied perspectives from which they study the intricacies of these roles, including the distinction between leadership and management, organizational culture, change management, systems theories, and organizational development. Students gain a practical understanding of these topics through the application of principles and concepts to public, private, and nonprofit organizational settings. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6435 |
Human Resource Management: Building a Capable WorkforceThe acquisition, development, and retention of talent are critical elements in the success of any organization. In this course, students examine theories, approaches, and systems related to hiring, managing, training, and retaining employees in government and nonprofit organizations. Through the use of case studies, students explore topics that include legal and ethical considerations, diversity, performance management, the establishment and implementation of policy, technology, and conflict management. Students apply principles and concepts learned in this course to real-world situations encountered in public, private, and nonprofit organizations. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6451 |
Board Governance and Volunteer ManagementThe success of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) is largely dependent on the effective management of program volunteers and board members—individuals who often serve as the lifeblood of NPOs. Students in this course explore the volunteer management process, including volunteer recruitment, orientation, training, supervision, and evaluation. They focus on methods that organizations use to create and maintain an effective Board of Directors to ensure that the board governs and guides the organization toward their mission. Students design a board development or volunteer management plan based on processes presented in the course and fundamental concepts acquired earlier in the program. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6465 |
Strategic Planning: Collaboration, Cooperation, and CoordinationIn an increasingly complex world, leaders and managers in public and nonprofit organizations plan strategies to fulfill the organizational mission and enhance stakeholder satisfaction. Students in this course explore the role and process of strategic planning, including collaboration, cooperation, and coordination. They also examine the benefits, challenges, and pitfalls of strategic planning, in addition to the impact of globalization. Students apply these concepts to real-life scenarios and develop a strategic plan for a nonprofit or public organization. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6480 |
Applied Research and Evaluation MethodsOrganizational credibility, community trust, and fund-raising are increasingly dependent upon demonstration of program effectiveness and success. Students in this course are introduced to research and evaluation methods in the public and nonprofit sectors. They examine the strengths, limitations, and threats to validity; models, quantitative metrics, and tools used to evaluate programs and policies; and legal and ethical issues associated with research and evaluation methods. Students are asked to critically evaluate sample research, using these parameters. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6461 |
Resource DevelopmentAll nonprofit organizations require financial resources. Obtaining philanthropic financial support is essential to program delivery and stability. Students in this course explore the concepts of philanthropy and development, identification of funding sources, donor/prospect cultivation and education, and solicitation and appreciation strategies. They focus on processes and strategies for creating an organizational philanthropic culture based on ethics and donor relationships. Using these strategies and other concepts presented in the course, students create a resource development plan for a nonprofit organization. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6820 |
Elements of Sustainable and Livable CommunitiesCreating and maintaining sustainable and livable communities require leaders who understand the connections between the natural, built, and social environments, and those who can address these connections in a holistic and integrated fashion. Students in this course examine concepts of sustainability and livability and explore popular approaches to creating and maintaining communities that are more environmentally sound, economically prosperous, and socially equitable. They also focus on strategies to halt urban sprawl and to promote alternative modes of transportation. Students define and explore these concepts through case studies and examples drawn from local communities. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6821 |
Tools for Sustainable Community DevelopmentEffective community leaders must be familiar with a wide range of tools, strategies, and skills to create sustainable communities. In this course, students examine these elements to learn how leaders build capacity for community change; assess community needs and resources; create community visions; promote stakeholder interest and participation; analyze community problems; and carry out practices and interventions to improve sustainability in communities. They also explore sustainability frameworks and models and apply these and other concepts presented in the course to develop a proposal for sustainable community development, focusing on community assessment, stakeholder involvement, and development planning. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6822 |
Current Issues in Regional and Local Public PolicyPublic decision-makers must understand and address a variety of complex and interrelated issues, such as land use and transportation, energy and environment, housing and schools, and regional economic development. In this course, students learn how leaders attend to these issues in light of existing policies and contemporary social, economic, political, demographic, and technological trends. Students explore and discuss planning processes, tools, approaches, strategies, and policies used to create sustainable and livable communities through collaborative processes involving multiple stakeholders. Through the development of a policy-option written assignment, students assess critical issues and identify problem-solving strategies. |
(5 cr.) |
NPMG 6910 |
MS in Nonprofit Management and Leadership CapstoneIn this course, students complete a capstone project using action research that fosters social change in public administration or nonprofit management and leadership. In the project they demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired in their master's degree program. The project employs an action research model. Students reflect on how the project and the program have contributed to their personal, scholarly, and professional growth. |
(5 cr.) |
VIEW ALL COURSES |
Curriculum Component | Requirements | Cost | Total * |
---|---|---|---|
Tuition | 63 total quarter credit hours | $495 per quarter hour | $31,185 |
Technology Fee | Per quarter | $160 | $1,120 |
TOTAL | $32,305 | ||
Transfer up to 30 credits | $15,170 | ||
Total with Maximum Transfer Credits† | $17,135 |
The tuition reflects the minimum credits to completion. Program completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286.
*Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included and may cost between $1,000 and $1,400.
†Maximum transfer credit total includes reduction in technology fee as related to reduced number of courses over time
Many Walden degree-seeking students—67%—receive some form of financial aid.* Create a customized plan that makes sense for you.
*Source: Walden University’s Office of Financial Aid. Data reports as of 2018.
Find Ways to SaveReceive up to a $1,000 grant if you reside in the U.S. and start this program on March 1, 2021. Contact one of our Enrollment Specialists to learn more.
Get Started NowProgram Admission Considerations: A bachelor's degree or higher.
General Admission Requirements: Completed online application and transcripts. Please note that the materials you are required to submit may vary depending on the academic program to which you apply. More information for international applicants.
Any time I hear another working professional talking about going back to school, I always bring up my experience at Walden.
Melissa Bellanceau MS in Nonprofit Management and Leadership Graduate
I would not have been able to obtain my master’s or work on my doctoral degree without the flexibility of Walden’s online programs.
Kelley L. Malcolm MS in Nonprofit Management and Leadership Graduate
Walden not only has changed my world, but the world of those around me.
Andrea Baer MS in Nonprofit Management and Leadership Graduate
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