Apply for a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management

All prospective students interested in completing the Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management are encouraged to contact Bob Choquette (graduate admissions) before beginning their application process. If you have questions about the curriculum, feel free to contact the director, Prof. Dyana Mason, at any time. Contact information is provided at the bottom of this page.

An equal-opportunity, affirmative-action institution, the UO is committed to cultural diversity. As such, we encourage all interested candidates to apply. We recognize that affirmative action and equal opportunity begin with the recruitment process of potential professionals. We also recognize the need for students to develop a capacity to function in organizational settings with diverse workforces, clients, and other groups.

We encourage prospective students to visit us. Learn more about the program and meet current faculty and students by attending a scheduled Graduate Info Session or arranging an individual visit.


How To Apply

Please read the information below to determine which of the three categories pertains to your academic status.


Currently Admitted/Enrolled PPPM Master’s Degree Students

Students currently enrolled in the PPPM MNM, MPA, or MCRP degree programs can declare their enrollment in the certificate by completing the Graduate Certificate Declaration form provided on the UO Division of Graduate Studies website. Print the form, sign it, and submit it (either in hard copy or as a PDF email attachment) to Prof. Dyana Mason (dmason@uoregon.edu).

Graduate Certificate Declaration Form


Other Currently Admitted/Enrolled UO Graduate Students

These are the application instructions for master’s or doctoral degree program students in any academic unit other than PPPM.

  1. Complete the Division of Graduate Studies’ Graduate Certificate Declaration Form located on the Division of Graduate Studies' Academic Forms page. Save the completed form as a PDF.
     
  2. Complete the PPPM Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management Application Form for non-PPPM graduate students. Please be prepared to upload the following items as part of your application:

Graduate Certificate Declaration Form: Upload the form you completed in step 1.

Résumé: A comprehensive résumé showing your employment experience and education.

Statement: Prepare a statement specifying your professional goals and explaining how completing the certificate program will contribute to your attaining these goals. This should be one to three pages, double- or single-spaced, 1” margins, 12-point font. The written statement is evaluated carefully to determine the certificate program’s relevance to your education and career goals. The statement is also used to evaluate your writing ability.

No additional materials are required at the time of application, although we reserve the right to contact your primary academic department to collect any additional information (such as reference letters) that may assist us in evaluating your application file.

Please submit the PPPM Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management Application Form by the designated deadline (see Deadlines below) in any academic term. When you submit the form, it will be automatically emailed to Bob Choquette, Graduate Admissions Coordinator.


Prospective Students Not Currently Enrolled in a Graduate Academic Program at the UO

For students seeking to complete the Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management as a stand-alone graduate certificate program of study, a full application through the UO Division of Graduate Studies application system is required.

  1. Complete the UO Graduate Admission Application: You must complete this application and pay a fee to the Division of Graduate Studies. After you select the Certificate program on this form, be sure to select Premasters or Postmasters on the next screen.

UO Division of Graduate Studies: Apply Now

This application requires the following components:

Résumé: A comprehensive résumé showing your employment experience and education.

Statement: Prepare a statement specifying your professional goals and explaining how completing the certificate program will contribute to attaining your goals. This should be one to three pages, double- or single-spaced, 1” margins, 12-point font. The written statement is evaluated carefully to determine the certificate program’s relevance to your education and career goals. The statement is also used to evaluate your writing ability.

Transcripts: At the time of application, applicants must submit unofficial transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended, including the University of Oregon. Unofficial transcripts are uploaded as part of the online application. Applicants who accept their offer of admission and matriculate must submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities from which they received a bachelor’s degree or higher. Detailed information about submitting official transcripts is available here.

Letters: Include two letters of recommendation. These can be from either academic or nonacademic sources on the recommender’s business letterhead.

Test scores: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required. However, if you think it will strengthen your file, you may submit your GRE score. Please request GRE scores to be sent to university code “4846 UO” and program code “4801 Public Administration.” We also accept the GMAT score instead of GRE (use code “KSQ”).


Deadlines

You are responsible for making sure that all the application materials reach the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management prior to the application deadlines. We are unable to consider incomplete files. Please retain a copy of the materials for your records. Once the file is complete, the application will be reviewed for admission. Note that these deadlines are guidelines and we may be able to process applications after the stated deadline.

Deadlines for applications are August 1 (fall term start), November 1 (winter term start), February 1 (spring term start), and May 1 (summer session start). Applications submitted in summer each year will be reviewed for a fall term start.

The Admissions Committee meets after each application deadline to evaluate application materials. You will be notified of your status as soon as the committee has completed its deliberations.


For more about admissions, contact:

Bob Choquette
Graduate Coordinator
School of Planning, Public Policy and Management
Hendricks Hall | 1209 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1209
541-346-3851 | choquett@uoregon.edu

For more about the certificate curriculum or advising, contact:

Dyana Mason, PhD
Director, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management
School of Planning, Public Policy and Management
Hendricks Hall | 1209 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1209
541-346-2324 | dmason@uoregon.edu