Lead with faith, innovation, a relational approach, and professional skills to make the world a better place. Nonprofit Leadership (M.A.)

Serving People in Their Time of Need Why Study Nonprofit Leadership at Wheaton?

The M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership prepares you to lead in a wide range of nonprofit fields so you can make the world a better place with an approach that meets the needs of a rapidly changing world.

• Faith Formation
  Christian faith integration, the cultivation of humble, character-driven leadership, vocational discernment, and grounding that will nourish and sustain you for the long run.
• Professional Skills That Are Evidence-Based and Real-World Ready
  Strategy, financial management, fundraising, evaluation, operations, culture building, measuring  what matters, research-driven frameworks, data-informed decision-making, and crisis leadership. Project-based learning and case studies ensure you can apply what you learn.
  
• Rooted Innovation
  AI-informed strategies, design thinking, adaptive leadership, and systems-level problem solving that are rooted in sector knowledge, theology, and ethics.
• Relational Approach
  Respectful partnering, beneficiary/client focused, mentoring, cohort learning, and invitation into a global network of nonprofit and social impact leaders, partners, and alumni.

The program is designed for students looking to advance or to begin your career in diverse nonprofit fields with organizations of any size. Housed within Wheaton’s School of Social and Natural Sciences, the program is interdisciplinary by design and takes a holistic approach to nonprofit leadership. It can also prepare you for future doctoral studies.

Cutting Edge Nonprofit Research

Scholars and students grow close relationships and delve into high-level, impactful research together. Students collaborate with professors on projects that explore multi-disciplinary aspects in nonprofit leadership.

Recent research and evaluations by the faculty team includes:

• Theories of change for urban Chicago grassroots organizations
• The positive impact of humble leadership in nonprofits
• Social determinants for volunteering in response to crises
• Program effectiveness in a wide range of nonprofit settings
• How practical theology shapes and guides nonprofit interventions

Networks, Collaborators, and Curriculum Partners

As faculty teach and mentor you, they are in network with, learn from, and/or collaborate with organizations such as: the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council, Christian Community Development Association, Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Micah Global, Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, Professionals in Christian Philanthropy, Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Praxis, ACCORD Network, National Christian Foundation, Global Trust Partners, International Society for Third-Sector Research, and more.