Thriving nonprofit organizations are an essential component of community well-being. The Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management provides the knowledge and skills to lead and manage nonprofits effectively.

Aspiring nonprofit leaders will gain fundamental skills, those already in the field will expand their skills, and nonprofit board members will gain knowledge to enhance their capacity to govern.

Admission to this certificate program requires a bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better.

Application Process

Current UCCS students wishing to pursue a graduate certificate in Homeland Security and Emergency Management must submit a Certificate Declaration to cps@uccs.edu. Students in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) or Master of Criminal Justice programs may count graduate certificate coursework completed with a grade of B- or better toward their degree’s elective requirement, allowing certificate completion along with the MPA or MCJ program. Consult with CPS's graduate student services specialist or relevant program director to verify courses fit into your degree plan.

New students interested in pursuing a graduate certificate only must complete the online graduate application, select their intended certificate and pay the $60 application fee. An official transcript showing the undergraduate degree conferred should be sent to UCCS Admissions, 1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, or electronically to gradapp@uccs.edu.

A Certificate Completion Application is required to be submitted upon completion of the required certificate courses and grades have been posted for the final course.  This form is located in the myUCCS student portal.  It is the responsibility of the student to notify the College of Public Service when they complete their graduate certificate.

Graduate certificate students may also become interested in enrolling in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) or Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program. Up to 12 credit hours of graduate-level School of Public Affairs coursework completed with a grade of B or better as an unclassified (non-degree) student may be applied to the MPA or MCJ upon admission, subject to degree plan requirements and program director approval.

Additional resources for Admissions:

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• Financial Aid
• Scholarships

The certificate consists of four courses totaling 12 credit hours of graduate coursework. A grade of B- or better is required in each course counting toward the certificate. Certificate students must maintain a 3.00 GPA once admitted to the certificate program. Please be advised that courses are typically offered alternately online and on campus, not concurrently. It is possible that pursuing a certificate fully online or fully on campus could take up to two years, depending on course availability.

• PAD 5110 - Strategic Nonprofit Management
• PAD 5140 - Nonprofit Financial Management
• PAD 5150 - Philanthropy, Fundraising, & Earned Revenue Strategies
• PAD 5160 - Leading Innovation in Nonprofits & Social Enterprises

Please see the UCCS Academic Catalog for course descriptions and detailed program requirements.