Nonprofit & Community Leadership

Concentration Advisor:

Karen A. Ford, D.S.W.
540.568.8916
fordka@jmu.edu


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Curriculum Chart    
Course Catalog 
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Careers in Nonprofit & Community Leadership:

Not only is JMU one of the only schools to offer a doctoral program in Nonprofit Leadership, but it also offers a combination of practical skills and leadership theory which you can bring to your work in:

  • Nonprofit Management
  • College-level instruction
  • Consulting
  • Researcher/Writing

This program will serve you well if you…

  • aspire to, or already work in, a position in nonprofit management, academics, or consulting.
  • have at least 3-5 years of experience in the nonprofit field.
  • would like to be a part-time or full-time student.
  • need mostly late afternoon or evening classes to fit your work schedule.

What makes this program unique?

A degree from the School of Strategic Leadership Studies is unique, not only because it is a doctoral degree, but also because it has cross-disciplinary courses and promotes competency in: 

  • nonprofit governance
  • leadership
  • ethics
  • financial structures
  • public-private partnerships
  • advocacy and fundraising
  • application of knowledge (throughout guided coursework) culminating in an externship and dissertation

The Need for Nonprofit Leadership

Playing a critical role in lives and communities in our nation and globally are the 1.4 million 501(c)(3) organizations endeavoring to provide services through the arts, environmental initiatives, health and human services, education and research, international outreach, faith-based programs, and foundations.

Nonprofit organizations afford millions of people powerful, independent, and voluntary methods for addressing the issues and expressing the values most important to them. Often called the "Third Sector", nonprofit organizations provide 5% of our nation's GDP.

The innovative leadership skills, which you will gain while earning your Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership , will provide you with a rigorous experience that emphasizes the critical role of the nonprofit sector in twenty-first century society and an in-depth study and research of nonprofit governance, leadership, ethics, financial structures, performance measurements, public-private partnerships and fund raising. You will be prepared to take on the challenges of leadership in a rapidly evolving sector at the international, national, regional, state or local level.