MTSU is no longer accepting applications or allowing admissions to this program.
If you have questions, please contact the Management Department at (615) 898-2736.
The Social Innovation and Not-for-Profit Management concentration, part of the graduate
major in Management, offers students business and management skills applicable to
not-for-profit work. A person wishing to work in the not-for-profit field is not necessarily
someone who is disinterested in making a profit. It may well be that this individual
has invested many years in the for-profit rough-and-tumble world and now feels drawn
to giving back to the community in a less aggressive, less competitive endeavor. This
field also may appeal to the more humanitarian-minded individual who is just starting
a career. The not-for-profit’s primary goal is not to increase shareholder value;
rather it is to fulfill some socially desirable need. A not-for-profit venture operates
successfully because of keen business savvy and excellent management know-how. The
emphasis in this enterprise is on stewardship, and all support—financial and otherwise—must
be used as directed by the donors, and management must be held accountable for every
aspect of the operation.
Value is high in non-profit work
As baby boomers retire, there will be a greater need for replacement workers—and thus,
more job opportunities—in nonprofit agencies and organizations. The nonprofit sector
is emerging as an economic powerhouse, says Deborah Cuny, director of Especially for
Nonprofit Organizations at Virginia Commonwealth University. A study released by the
Community Foundation revealed that if the nonprofit sector were to shut down, the
entire economy would collapse. While one may not get rich in a nonprofit position,
many nonprofits offer more flex and vacation time and permit a more relaxed dress
code. ”Nonprofit work can super-size your skill set,” says Jennifer Cunningham at
California State Fullerton’s Career Center, since an employee, rather than focusing
on just one job function, may play several different roles in the organization. Nonprofit
work allows one to network, meet community movers and shakers, and build a resume.
Nonprofits employ more women than men, offering greater opportunities for women to
excel.
It’s about making a difference
The New York Daily News ran a story about senior Whitney Plumendahl, an applied sociology major at St. Cloud
State University in St. Cloud, Minn. Plumendahl decided even before graduation that
she would limit her job search to opportunities in the nonprofit sector. “It’s not
that I’m not open to other options, but I’m not a huge fan of corporate culture. For
me, it’s not about making money … it’s about making a difference.” The story goes
on to explain that this individual certainly isn’t the only college graduate who wants
to do good in the world, but the probability of lower pay will prevent many well-intentioned
students from pursuing careers in nonprofits. Yet, nonprofit work can be extremely
rewarding.
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MTSU College of Graduate Studies
If your desire is to enrich the lives of those in need through education and service,
then working in a not-for-profit organization can be richly rewarding. Not-for-profit
management is no less demanding than upper-level positions in the corporate world.
Successful humanitarian and outreach programs require a rock-solid work ethic. Because
not-for-profit enterprises depend greatly on a volunteer work force, the need for
professional leadership is paramount. Examples of career opportunities include areas
such as
- Child advocacy
- Communications
- Corporate management
- Education
- Food distribution
- Health and aging
- Homeless outreach
- Housing and economic development
- Service industries
- Social justice
Because this program is relatively new, employer information is still being compiled.
Following are examples of employers of Management graduates and Career Fair participants:
- American Cellular
- Automatic Data Processing
- CalsonicKansei North America
- Chick-Fil-A Murfreesboro
- Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc.
- Enterprise
- Ettain Group
- Insight Global, Inc.
- Internal Data Resources
- Liberty Mutual
- Modern Woodmen of America
- Nissan North America
- Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
- PepsiCo Foodservice
- Sherwin-Williams
- State Farm Insurance
- Target Stores
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VA)
- The Hershey Company
- Walter Meier Manufacturing
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Management is offered by the Department of Management
in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business. This program, with three concentrations,
offers students planning, communication, and ethical decision-making skills through
experiential learning in which they will find themselves in the trenches of the real-world
work environment. Each concentration—Social Innovation and Not-for-Profit Management, Organizational Leadership (provides students with business and leadership skills that can be applied in a variety
of leadership roles in business, government, or education), and Supply Chain Management (provides students with business and operations management skills that can be applied
to work in logistics, transportation, and supply chain management careers)—includes a capstone project in which students will partner with an organization in
the industry or non-profit sector.
Undergradute
The undergraduate program in the Department of Management offers the Bachelor of Business
Administration (B.B.A.) degree with majors in Business Administration, Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Management. Minors are available in Entrepreneurship and Management; the department participates
in interdisciplinary minors in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership
Studies.
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Assistantships
The Department of Management offers a limited number of assistantships each semester that are awarded on a competitive basis. An assistantship covers tuition,
most fees, and a monthly stipend in return for 20 hours a week of service. Assistantships
can be renewed for up to two years.
Additional Resources
