Curriculum in Nonprofit Studies

UW Tacoma has been breaking ground in a number of ways. We are now offering an exciting new curriculum in nonprofit management. This curriculum focuses on service learning and experience within the nonprofit sector. Through our affiliation with a national nonprofit organization, American Humanics, we are able to offer the American Humanics certificate in nonprofit management. American Humanics has been committed to developing and promoting curricula in nonprofit management on US campuses for over fifty years. UW Tacoma, due to its exceptional community focus and base, was invited to become the Northwest regional base for the American Humanics certification program. This provides our students and our community with a number of invaluable opportunities and resources.

The curriculum is based on specialized coursework, active participation in the American Humanics Student Association, and at least three hundred hours of supervised internships with local non-profits (life experience may be counted toward this requirement). We are creating networks of social service and educational institutions in the region in order to give students the opportunity to experience working with a variety of community-based service organizations. Courses aimed specifically at nonprofit management issues will be offered in programs throughout the University.

The American Humanics certification curriculum at UWT provides a comprehensive response to major societal trends:

* Increased growth and demands on the youth and human services nonprofit sector and the need for mission-driven, qualified professional staff.

* Interest of population ages 18-34 and older adults in career transitions for meaningful career and work experiences.

* Requirement of higher education to attract and maintain involvement of traditional and nontraditional students and increase placement in the work force after graduation.

Increase in Nonprofit Employment and Human Resource Needs

It has been reported that more than one million nonprofit organizations are at work across the country, employing nine million people and aided by nearly 90 million volunteers.
It has also been estimated that our nation's non-profits need more than 50,000 new professionals, at minimum, to fill staff vacancies.

Benefits of the Certification Program to Students:

* Certification in entry-level nonprofit employer competencies

* Course-work grounding in the foundations and practices of nonprofit management

* Tested practices and principles through experiential learning

* One-to-one support, career development and mentoring

* Networking with prospective employers

* Opportunity to test skills and various nonprofit roles through internships, co-curricular and community service activities

* Potential for references and referrals from agency executive directors, advisory board members and community leaders

* Exposure to national nonprofit network of partners and career options

* Increased sense of being connected and belonging to the community

* Opportunity for lasting friendships

* Youth Group Work

* Employment opportunities

--> Improves the chances of job placement in the nonprofit sector, especially with national nonprofit partner organizations. Some schools experience 97%-100% job placement for their graduates because the nonprofit sector is a rapidly emerging job market.

-->Provides graduates with priority access to nonprofit job opportunities at competitive salaries.

--> Provides a chance for students to attend a national conference (the annual American Humanics Management Institute) where they will interact and network with students, faculty and nonprofit executives from across the country.

Whether students are inspired to direct themselves fully toward community service work or not, this program will provide meaningful educational and life experience that will prove beneficial for personal fulfillment and the community for the long term.