Virginia Tech, Nonprofit Academic Centers Council announce first-ever guidelines for undergraduate curriculum in nonprofit leadership and philanthropy
Russell Cargo, director, Nonprofit and Civil Society Program, Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance, and president of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC), has announced that the council has published the first-ever comprehensive guidelines developed for undergraduate study in the nonprofit and philanthropic studies field.
NACC is a 47-member international association of centers and institutes at accredited universities that have research, education and outreach activities devoted to nonprofit management and philanthropy.
“This is a significant milestone in the evolution of nonprofit management as an academic discipline,” said Cargo.
Curricular Guidelines for Undergraduate Study in Nonprofit Leadership, the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy is divided into two parts.
“The first part explains how nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, and civil society affect who we are and how we live and is intended for integration across the undergraduate curriculum,” said Cargo. “The second part proposes more specific content for pre-professional endeavors, including individual courses, certificates, minors, or majors. Because they are designed for those students who expect to work or volunteer in the nonprofit sector, they suggest a more applied orientation.”
The NACC undergraduate curriculum guidelines were developed by a formal Curriculum Task Force organized in 2006. Former NACC director, Pamela Leland, served as consultant to the project, and Robert Ashcraft, Arizona State University, was chair of the NACC Curriculum Task Force.
The NACC has also published the second revised edition of Curricular Guidelines for Graduate Study in Nonprofit Leadership, the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy. Since the graduate curriculum guidelines were published in 2001, research, classroom experience, and active service engagement in nonprofit organizations have added to NACC’s knowledge base.
“The purpose of the guidelines is to assist new and existing nonprofit education and training programs and ensure they are preparing students to meet the substantial challenges of managing and governing nonprofit organizations. We recognize the dynamic nature of this emerging academic field and are committed to regular revisions of the guidelines,” said Cargo.
Both the undergraduate and graduate guidelines are available on the Nonprofit Academic Centers CouncilNACC website or call (216) 368-0969.
