If you have a desire to work for a nonprofit organization you are in good company. More than 5% of the workforce is employed by nonprofits. As passionate as you may be about working for a cause, that enthusiasm does not guarantee success or leadership skills. Increasingly, nonprofits are modeling themselves after their for-profit counterparts and this includes requiring specialized degrees for their employees. Choosing the best school for your nonprofit-related degree, whether that means enrolling in a traditional institution or considering some form of learning management software, is the next career decision you must make.

There are a variety of degrees that lend themselves to non-profit work. Some of these degrees are geared to both the public and private sector and others are directly related to nonprofit work. The following is a list of programs that have a nonprofit focus.

The MPA (Masters of Public Administration)

MPA programs teach students how to apply business principles in a nonprofit environment. This degree draws on a variety of fields to help students to develop their organizational management skills including, anthropology, sociology, law, and political science in addition to general business courses.

The MBA (Masters of Business Administration)

These programs provide students with an introduction to a variety of areas related to managing a business including but not limited to; accounting, human resources and operations. Students take general business courses but can choose a concentration area, including the management related to nonprofit organizations.

The MSW (Masters of Social Work)

This degree is a requirement of most social service agencies. This degree concentrates on community organizing, political advocacy and human services management. This degree includes field-work and focuses on direct service with clients.

The MUP (Masters of Urban Planning)

Focused on the revitalization of urban areas through environmental considerations and community empowerment, this degree has a variety of applications. In addition to housing, city planning and homelessness, the MUP has international applications as well.

The MPP (Masters of Public Policy)

This degree addresses the role of political, economic and social issues on decision-making and policy creation. Individuals that complete this degree are trained in a variety of methods for decision-making including cost and benefit analysis, statistics and the application of social and political theory.

Choosing your degree is the first step, choosing the university is the next step. There are close to a 100 universities across the US that offer these advanced degrees. Researching the individual departments at the university, the staff and their publications or connections, as well as the work-study, graduate assistantship and scholarship options will help you to make your decision.