Academic Programs Catalog

College of Arts and Letters

Department of Religious Studies

Graduate Study
Nonprofit Leadership, Global Cultures, and Social Enterprise - Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, Global Cultures, and Social Enterprise is a transdisciplinary graduate certificate administered by the Department of Religious Studies in the College of Arts and Letters. Students will develop expertise in the national and international nonprofit, NGO, or philanthropic sectors in the context of global cultural knowledge, with an emphasis on leadership, ethics, values, and human and ecological flourishing in civil society, particularly in a religious context. There are four areas of primary focus: (1) nonprofit organizations and leadership; (2) global cultural and religious knowledge, ethics and values; (3) individual and cultural renewal and flourishing; and (4) social entrepreneurship. Practical application and social engagement is emphasized.
 
Admission

To be considered for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, Global Cultures, and Social Enterprise students must:

  1. have a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution, or be a current advanced undergraduate student at a recognized institution.
  2. have a cumulative undergraduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 in the last two years of undergraduate study. This requirement is waived for students currently pursuing a master's or doctoral degree program at MSU.
  3. submit an admissions portfolio consisting of a statement of purpose/letter of intent, a resume or curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, copies of official university or college transcripts.
  4. have an ACM minimum TOEFL score of 90 on the non-native language proficiency test if the student is an international applicant.
In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below. The graduate certificate is available only online. 

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, Global Cultures, and Social Enterprise

Students must complete 10 credits from the following:
1. The following course (2 credits):
REL 817 Religion, Cultural Knowledge, and Nonprofits 2
2. Complete four courses from the following (8 credits):
GNL  821 Values and Ethics in Applied Leadership  2
GNL  822 Cross Cultural Dialogue and Collaboration 2
GNL  823 Social Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Religion  2
GNL  824 Social Entrepreneurship and Religion: Case Studies  2
GNL  825 Creativity in Organizations  2
GNL  826 Flourishing Under Stress  2
GNL  827 Nonprofit Institutions and Civil Society in a Global Context  2
GNL  828 Nonprofit Governance  2
GNL  829 Nonprofits and the Legal Environment  2
GNL  830 Nonprofit and NGO Marketing and Fundraising  2
GNL  831 Grant-writing for Nonprofits 2
REL  818 Global Religions, NGOs, and Social Change  2
REL  819 Religious Organizations and Civil Society in Asia  2
REL  820 Secularisms, Publics, and Religions in Asia  2