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August 2007
Certificate Program in Community Nonprofit Leadership
Provisional Statement
About the Program
The Community Nonprofit Leadership Series is a program designed to provide practical and conceptual knowledge, strategies for organizational and community success, professional networking opportunities and a professional development credential. It serves nonprofit practitioners and UW-Madison campus students interested in nonprofit careers. The program is based on a 5 course series. Each course will be of value as a stand alone learning experience, but the greatest value will come from completing the full series. The series can be completed in 12-16 months or over a longer period of course by course study. Successful completion of the program will lead to a Certificate in Community Nonprofit Leadership granted by the Interdisciplinary Studies Department of the School of Human Ecology, UW-Madison
The five courses in the series are:
-Nonprofit Sector: Overview and Foundations
-Strategic Planning for the Nonprofit Sector
-Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations
-Leadership for Community Building and Collaboration
-Applied Project in Nonprofit and Community Leadership
These courses build on strengths of the School of Human Ecology in understanding the ecology of the community context, how the community context affects individual and family life and design of interventions to enhance human and family outcomes. Instruction is at an advanced undergraduate, applied adult level.
Accessible Course Designs
Courses in the series use accessible course designs involving a combination of face to face and online instruction. Two credit offerings provide a level of depth and time commitment that is manageable within the work life schedules and responsibilities of nonprofit practitioners. These designs will allow for networking of course participants and provide valuable instruction and learning. Courses provide an additional 1 credit option for greater depth of learning. In lieu of taking 1 credit options(s) learners can take elective course(s).
Blend of Nonprofit Practitioners and Campus Students Interested in Nonprofit Careers
A positive feature of the CNLC series is the opportunity for nonprofit practitioners and campus students to study alongside of each other. Practitioners bring rich experience in the sector for further processing with other practitioners and with students. Students bring the interests and academic foundations of persons eager to enter and, or advance in the nonprofit sector. The combination of perspectives enriches learning for both groups. Enrollments will be managed to assure an effective balance of practitioners and students in each class.
Certificate Provisions
The Community Nonprofit Leadership Certificate is a 15 credit program. Nonprofit practitioners and campus students can earn the certificate by completing the 5 courses earning between 10 and 15 course credits supplemented by 0-5 additional elective credits for a total of 15 credits. The certificate provides a professional development credential for nonprofit practitioners. Earning the certificate provides an additional competency for campus students augmenting studies in their degree program.
Credits beyond the 2 credit minimum for each course can be earned by taking an additional third credit or by taking 1 or more elective courses. Elective courses will be chosen in consultation with one’s program advisor. Elective course(s) will augment the learner’s nonprofit background possibly emphasizing nonprofit management, or other community context, practice and, or issue content. Any elective course(s) will be taken after admission into the certificate program.
Certificate Course and Time Requirements
To earn the certificate you must complete the following courses earning a grade of "C" or better in each course:
- The Nonprofit Sector: Overview and Foundations, 2-3 credits
- Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations, 2-3 credits
- Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations, 2-3 credits
- Leadership for Community Building and Collaboration, 2-3 credits
-Applied Project in Nonprofit and Community LeadershipMaximum time to complete the certificate is 5 years
Relation of CNLC program to Community and Nonprofit Leadership degree program of the Interdisciplinary Studies Department of the School of Human Ecology
The Community Nonprofit Leadership Certificate is intended to provide a professional development experience and credential for nonprofit practitioners and for campus students in majors that do not include substantial course work on community and nonprofit leadership. The Community and Nonprofit Leadership major and degree program provides a full series of studies focusing on community nonprofit leadership and earning a bachelors degree. It is not expected that students majoring in Community and Nonprofit Leadership will complete the certificate because their degree program provides education in the same areas as the certificate along with additional studies of greater depth and scope. Students may wish to take some CNLC courses as electives. Enrollment of C&NPL students may, however, be restricted to assure spaces for students in other majors. Courses in the CNLC series also will generally not be used as substitutes for campus courses by students enrolled in the Community and Nonprofit Leadership degree program. Such courses may be applied toward the C&NPL program by students who begin studies in the certificate program and later elect to enter the C&NPL degree program.
Certificate Program Admission and Advisor
To be admitted to the certificate program you must complete an application (see link below). The application should be submitted after completing one course and as soon as you decide to complete the full series and earn a certificate. It should be submitted before completion of your third course. When accepted into the program you will be assigned a program advisor. The program advisor will consult with you on course timing and selection and on the focus of your Applied Project in Nonprofit and Community Leadership.
Link to certificate program application form.
[Will be available later]
Course Enrollment and Recommended Sequence
The Interdisciplinary Studies Department of the School of Human Ecology expects to offer the Overview Course and the Strategic Planning Course each fall and the two Leadership courses each spring. You will complete the Applied Leadership Project after consultation with your program advisor (See Admission to Certificate Program).
Students enroll in the certificate program on a course by course basis. The recommended sequence to complete the certificate in 12 to 16 months is:
Fall Semester:
- The Nonprofit Sector: Overview and Foundations
- Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
Spring Semester:
- Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations
- Leadership for Community Building and Collaboration
Fall, Spring or Summer, following completion of the first 4 courses
- Applied Project in Nonprofit and Community Leadership
If taking the courses on a one course per semester basis the recommended sequence is:
- The Nonprofit Sector: Overview and Foundations
- Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations
- Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
- Leadership for Community Building and Collaboration
- Applied Project in Nonprofit and Community Leadership
Portability of Courses
It is expected that most nonprofit practitioners will be primarily interested in completing the proposed certificate in Community Nonprofit Leadership as University Special students for purposes of professional and career development. However, some may wish to apply courses toward broader campus based certificate or degree programs. In addition campus students may wish to apply CNLC courses toward their degree program or other certificate programs. Course credits taken as a University Special student may be applied to a campus degree or certificate program if approved by the sponsoring department. To facilitate portability of the courses to 3 credit campus courses, students will have the option of completing a 3rd credit of work for each course.
Award of Certificate
Successful completion of the series will lead to award of a Certificate in Community Nonprofit Leadership granted by the Interdisciplinary Studies Department of the School of Human Ecology, UW-Madison.
Admission to UW-Madison and Course Registration as a University Special Student
UW-Madison uses a computer based system for course registration. To use the system one must first be admitted to the university. Nonprofit practitioners must first apply and be admitted as a University Special student. Then one can register for and enroll in the desired course(s). See the document: Registering for UW Madison Credit for Courses in the Community Nonprofit Leadership Series for more detailed instructions.
Curriculum
Link to Individual Course Descriptions
[Will be available later]
Faculty
Link to Faculty descriptions
[Not available at this time]
Program Contacts
If you have questions about the Community Nonprofit Leadership Series please contact the program administrator, Mary Young, Interdisciplinary Studies Department, at 262-2660 or meyoung1@wisc.edu or the faculty leader, Professor Boyd Rossing, Interdisciplinary Studies Department, at 262-5930 or brossing@wisc.edu
Note: This statement is provisional pending approval by the Interdisciplinary Studies Department
