SPCS nonprofit studies program receives nonprofit academic council accreditation
SPCS Academic Update
The SPCS Nonprofit Studies graduate program has been accredited by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC), an international membership association for academic programs focused on the study of nonprofit organizations, voluntary action, and/or philanthropy.
In its 2022 accreditation report to the University of Richmond, the NACC affirmed the University of Richmond’s Nonprofit Studies program as “aligning with the three central principles underlying the NACC Curricular Guidelines.” These principles are as follows:
- A nonprofit/philanthropy-first research philosophy and perspective.
- Nonprofit-first pedagogical subject matter in the teaching emphasis.
- Nonprofit pedagogy using terminology synchronized with that of NACC.
The accreditation report confirmed that the program met all 16 major content subject areas through core curriculum instruction. It recognized 9 of those 16 curricular areas for “depth worthy of recognition by both reviewers.” Those areas were as follows:
- Ethics and values
- Nonprofit governance and leadership
- Public policy, advocacy and social change
- Nonprofit law
- Fundraising and resource development
- Leadership, management, innovation and entrepreneurship
- Nonprofit human resource management
- Information technology, social media and data management
- Assessment, evaluation and decision-making methods
The report concluded that the Nonprofit Studies program “will be listed as an accredited program fulfilling its stated purposes and promises to its students.”
The Nonprofit Studies program offers a Master of Nonprofit Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Studies. A 15-month version of the master’s degree is available for those seeking to complete the degree as a fifth-year graduate program toward employment in the nonprofit sector.
The program is chaired by Dr. Andrew Schoeneman, who compiled many of the materials required for evaluation along with Assessment Specialist Joel Hanel and Program Coordinator Kris Waikart.