At George Mason University, students can engage in a wide range of coursework and research on nonprofits. More information about these opportunities can be found below!
Undergraduate Offerings on Nonprofits
George Mason undergrads can concentrate on nonprofit management when they earn a BS degree in Public Administration through the Schar School.
Undergraduate coursework on nonprofits is also available through Mason’s School of Integrative Studies which offers a minor in nonprofit studies.
Master’s Degree Coursework on Nonprofits and Philanthropy in the Schar School at George Mason University
George Mason University has one of the largest, most well-respected, and reasonably-priced nonprofit management programs in the Washington, D.C. region and the country. At George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government, students can complete a Nonprofit Management Concentration in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program, or they can earn a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management. Individuals can also take regular graduate courses as non-degree students.
Course offerings give students the fundamental tools they need to effectively manage the day-to-day operations of nonprofit organizations while preparing them to lead these organizations in a rapidly changing environment.
Mason graduate courses in nonprofit management include:
- Introduction to Nonprofit Management
- Leading in the Nonprofit Sector
- Advocacy and Lobbying
- International NGOs
- Resource Development and Fundraising
- Nonprofit Law, Governance, and Ethics
- Nonprofit Financial Management
- Performance Evaluation for Managers
- Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise
Ph.D. Research
Students can also focus on nonprofit research through the Schar School’s Ph.D. programs in Political Science and Public Policy, as well as through other Ph.D. programs at George Mason. Work on nonprofits by recent Ph.D. graduates includes:
- Crowdfunding for Commercial and Social Ventures by Daowen Wendy Chen, Ph.D. in Public Policy
- Let Them Give: Philanthropic Infrastructure and Industry in the United States by Emily K. McDonald, Ph.D. in Sociology
- Closing the Gap(s): A School-based Health Center Partnership Improving Health and Educational Outcomes for Low Socioeconomic Status African American Youth in an Urban Public School Academy by Tiah E. McKinney, Ph.D. in Education
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News and Updates
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Remembering Prof. Thomasina Borkman
George Mason University Scholar of Self-Help and Mutual Aid Thomasina Borkman, one of George Mason University’s preeminent nonprofit scholars, passed away on September 14, 2026, just before her 90th birthday. Dr. Borkman was a Professor Emerita in Mason’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology and a former President of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations…
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15th Symposium on Public Policy for Nonprofits
Beyond SurvivalResilience in the Nonprofit Sector Date: Friday, February 19, 2027Location: Virtual Hosted by: Independent Sector, ARNOVA, and Nonprofit Policy Forum Recent years have presented significant challenges for America’s nonprofit sector. A variety of shocks – the COVID pandemic, new policies promulgated by the Trump administration, the rapid development of AI technology, and more –…
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New George Mason University Report Highlights Nonprofit Wages Compared to For-profits and Government
The Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise in George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government is pleased to announce the release of a new report, Spotlight on Nonprofit Wages, from the George Mason University – Nonprofit Employment Data Project (GMU-NED). The report shows that charitable nonprofit workers in the U.S. are, overall,…