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Nonprofit Management 

The graduate certificate in nonprofit management will help you more effectively manage your resources, analyze community needs and prioritize and deliver appropriate services within budget. The curriculum will prepare students to meet more rigorous expectations for oversight and accountability, financial management, and program success in the nonprofit world.  you are an entry-level staff member or a manager without recent formal training, this may be the certificate for you. This certificate can be completed 100% online. 

  •  PUB_AF 7710: The Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector 
  • PUB_AF 7520: Human Resource Management and Development in the Public and Nonprofit Sector
  • PUB_AF 8720: Budgeting and Financial Management in the Nonprofit Sector 
  • The student will select an additional elective course in consultation with the certificate coordinator. 

 

Public Management 

Students will gain the skills to become ethical and responsible leaders who can effectively manage people, budgets, and organizations.  Students who complete the certificate will be well positioned to begin or advance in a public service career, with many expecting to pursue management careers in state and local governments. This graduate certificate program can be completed 100% online.

  • PUB_AF 8520: Human Resource Management and Development in the Public and Nonprofit Sector 
  • PUB_AF 8510: Public Budgeting and Taxation 
  • Choose one of the following:  
  • PUB_AF 8530: Strategic Management of Public Service Organizations: People, Information, and Money 
  • PUB_AF 7540: Local Government Management 
  • The student will select an additional elective course in consultation with the certificate coordinator. 

 

Public Policy 

Individuals from any academic background may benefit from a greater understanding of policy development and implementation processes. The public policy certificate helps students understand the politics surrounding policy decisions related to a specific field, and it develops students' ability to be involved in policymaking. Students will learn about policy analysis, to better understand and participate in the policymaking process. This certificate can be completed online.  

  • PUB_AF 8170: Public Policy Processes and Strategies 
  • PUB_AF 7430: Public Policy Analysis 
  • PUB_AF 8420: Public Program Evaluation OR PUB_AF 7420:  Program Assessment and Improvement
  • One Elective that is policy relevant (chosen in consultation with certificate coordinator)

 

 

Organizational Change and Conflict Management 

The graduate certificate in organizational change and conflict management will help you gain a deeper understanding of the challenges of people and organizations, particularly in the public and nonprofit sectors. This certificate will teach models for conflict resolution, strategic planning, executive coaching, team building and organizational diagnosis and assessment. 

This certificate is offered in collaboration with the MU School of Law. The courses in the certificate will focus on organizational analysis and change, as well as dispute resolution and conflict management.  Courses are drawn from the Truman School of Public Affairs and the School of Law offerings. Students will have an opportunity to develop knowledge and competencies appropriate to the advanced study and diagnosis of evolving and emerging organizations and communities in the public, private, and nonprofit arenas. They will find a curriculum supportive of careers in academics, management, and consulting. 

This certificate can be completed 100% online.

Required Courses 

  • PA 8610 Group Dynamics and Conflict Resolution OR  LAW 5450 Conflict and Conflict Management 
  • PUBAF 8150 Collaborative Governance 
  • LAW 6935 Dispute System Design 

Elective course from the Public Affairs or the Law curriculum, such as: 

  • LAW 6945 Non-Binding Methods of Dispute Resolution 
  • LAW 5485 Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution 
  • LAW 5516 Dispute Resolution in the Digital Age 
  • LAW 5765 Mediation 
  • LAW 5810 Negotiation 
  • PUBAF 8160 Organizational Dynamics and Leadership 
  • PUBAF 8864 Administrative Law 

 

Global Public Affairs 

In this program, you will learn about diverse cultures, public opinion and the inner workings of how public policies can influence the goals of companies, organizations or countries. The certificate will prepare students for the complexities of international governance and policymaking.   

The graduate certificate in global public affairs will position you to work well in international agencies, non-profit organizations and organizations with a focus on diverse populations within the U.S. and overseas. 

This can be completed 100% online.

Required course - choose one of the following: 

  • PUB_AF 7810 Comparative and Global Governance 
  • POL_SC 7540 American Foreign Policies 

Choose three of the following: 

  • PUB_AF 8630 Organizational Change in a Community and Global Context 
  • PUB_AF 8850 Policies and Institutions of the European Union 
  • PUB_AF 8860 International Comparative Rural Policy 
  • POL_SC 7415 Peacekeeping and Intervention 
  • POL_SC 7500 Insurgency and Counterinsurgency 
  • POL_SC 7510 Intelligence and National Security 
  • POL_SC 8400 International Relations Theory 
  • POL_SC 8450 International Conflict 
  • POL_SC 8470 Understanding Civil War 
  • POL_SC 8550 Strategic Studies 
  • POL_SC 8560 Military Innovation in Peace and War 
  • Global Intensive Public Affairs topics course(s) 
  • Approved courses outside of Public Affairs/Political Science 

 

Early Childhood and Family Policy

This certificate program will provide you with the understanding of multiple systems and the impacts they have on children and families.   Systems such as health care, education and childcare, wages and family leave, child welfare, and criminal justice.   Students are taught how to use research to develop, analyze, and evaluate policy while building the translational skills for effective advocacy.  

You can apply this certificate to work in local government, early childhood organizations, legislative lobbying, state and federal departments (corrections, education, labor, mental health, and more), global non-governmental organizations, research, and other advocacy channels. 

The certificate is 12 credits offered in 8-week courses.  This means you can complete a certificate in two years easily and be one third of the way to a master's in public policy degree.