Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Nonprofit Leadership, Religion, and Social Change will provide students the opportunity to develop deeper knowledge of national and international nonprofit organizations, NGOs, philanthropic enterprises, charitable actions, and careers in service in the context of global cultural knowledge, religious engagements, and spiritual orientations. There are five areas of primary focus: (1) nonprofit, philanthropic, and charity governance, leadership, and legal structures; (2) NGOs, global civil society, and theories, methods, and examples of social change; (3) values, virtues, ethics, and justice in relation to global cultural and religious knowledge; (4)human, ecological, and societal flourishing in civil society, particularly in contexts that may be labeled as “religious” or “spiritual”; and (5) organizational innovation and leadership theory/practice in global religious and cultural contexts. Practical application, experiential learning, and social engagement are emphasized.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Nonprofit Leadership, Religion, and Social Change

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Nonprofit Leadership, Religion, and Social Change.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Nonprofit Leadership, Religion, and Social Change major is met by completing Religious Studies 485 or 490 or 491 or 499. Those courses are referenced in item 3. e. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Arts and Letters for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following requirements for the major (minimum of 40 credits):

   Foundations of Religious Studies (6 credits)
   a.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	REL	101	Exploring Religion						3
   	REL	102	Exploring Spirituality						3
   	REL	150	Exploring Biblical Literature						3
   	REL	206	Spirituality, Belonging, and the Quest for Purpose						3
   	REL	301	Methods and Theories in the Study of Religion						3
   b.	One of the following courses in global religion (3 credits):
   	REL	306	Native American Religions						3
   	REL	308	Black Spirituality and Religion						3
   	REL	310	Judaism						3
   	REL	320	Christianity						3
   	REL	325	East Asian Buddhism						3
   	REL	330	Islam						3
   	REL	335	East Asian Religions						3
   	REL	340	Hinduism						3
   	REL	350	Buddhism in South Asia						3
   	REL	355	Southeast Asian Religions						3
   	REL	360	African Religion						3
   	REL	365	Evangelicalism in the U.S.						3
   	REL	414	Jewish Identity (W)						3
   	REL	420	Birth of Christianity (W)						3
   	REL	425	Apocalypse Then and Now (W)						3
   	REL	430	The Qur'an and Its Interpreters (W)						3
   	REL	432	Modern Muslim Thought (W)						3
   	REL	441	Devotional Hinduism (W)						3
   c.	All of the following nonprofit leadership courses (15 credits):
   	REL	185	Introduction to Religion and Nonprofits						3
   	REL	207	Intercultural Competence, Religious Diversity, and Self-awareness						3
   	REL	285	Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship and Religion						3
   	REL	455	Introduction to Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for Nonprofits						3
   	REL	485	Religion and Nonprofit Leadership (W)						3
   d.	Nine credits from the following religious studies nonprofit courses. At least 3 credits must be at the 300 or 400 level.
   	REL	210	Religion and the Environment						3
   	REL	250	Religion and the Arts						3
   	REL	305	Spirituality, Peacebuilding, and Social Change						3
   	REL	311	International Development and NGO Management						3
   	REL	385	Religion, Health, and Healthcare						3
   	REL	456	Indigenous Environmental Stewardship, Ontologies, and Governance						3
   	REL	457	Indigenous Research Methodologies and Ethics						3
   e.	Two of the following nonprofit courses from the following (6 credits):
   	AAAS	300	Communities in Action						3
   	AAAS	401	Social Media and New Journalism						3
   	ACM	461	Financial Management and Planning of Arts, Cultural, and Museum Management						3
   	ACM	462	Marketing and Public Relations in Arts, Cultural, and Museum Management						3
   	ACM	465	Leadership and Innovation for Arts, Cultural and Museum Management						3
   	ACM	467	Development and Fundraising for Arts, Cultural Management, and Museums						3
   	CSUS	322	Leadership for Community Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	429	Program Evaluation for Community Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	430	Nonprofit Organizational Management for Community Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	433	Grant Writing and Fund Development						3
   	WRA	260	Writing, Rhetoric, Cultures, and Community						3
   	WRA	331	Writing in the Public Interest (W)						3
   	WRA	337	Writing and Public Policy						3
   	WRA	401	Rhetoric, Leadership, and Innovation						3
   	WRA	441	Social Justice as Rhetorical Practice						3
   	WRA	453	Grant and Proposal Writing						3
   f.	Complete 3 credits of Experiential Learning through one or more of the following experiences:
   	Study Away or Study Abroad								1 to 4
   	REL	490	Independent Study (W)						1 to 4
   	REL	493	Religious Studies Internship						1 to 4
   	REL	499	Senior Thesis or Project (W)						1 to 4

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Religious Studies major is met by completing Religious Studies 410 or 412 or 414 or 420 or 425 or 430 or 432 or 441 or 460 or 461 or 465 or 471 or 480 or 485 or 490 or 491 or 499. Those courses are referenced in item 3. e. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Arts and Letters for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following requirements for the major (34 to 40 credits):

The Minor in Religious Studies, which is administered by the Department of Religious Studies, provides students with a foundational understanding of religious traditions around the world.

The minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University other than the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies or the Minor in Religion in the Americas.  With the approval of the department and college that administers the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Students who plan to complete the requirements for the minor should consult an undergraduate advisor in Religious Studies.

Requirements for the Minor in Religious Studies

Complete 15 to 19 credits from the following:

The Master of Arts degree in Nonprofit Leadership, Global Cultures, and Social Enterprise is a transdisciplinary degree administered by the Department of Religious Studies in the College of Arts and Letters. Students will develop expertise in the national and international nonprofit, non-governmental organization, or philanthropic sectors in the context of global cultural knowledge. Emphasis will be placed on leadership, ethics, values, and human and ecological flourishing in civil society, particularly in a religious context. The areas of primary focus are: 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.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the Master of Arts degree 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.
2. have a cumulative undergraduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 in the last two years of undergraduate study.
3. submit an admissions portfolio consisting of a personal statement, an academic statement, a resume or curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, and 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.

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.