Nonprofit and NGO Studies Minor
Are you passionate about advocacy, social justice, or global change?
Want to work in nonprofits, NGOs, or social enterprises?
Lead. Advocate. Make an Impact.
- Learn how nonprofits and NGOs work.
- Build skills in leadership, fundraising & outreach.
- Explore issues like justice, sustainability & equity.
Learn More About Our Program
The Nonprofit and NGO Studies Minor is designed for students who want to create positive change—whether in their local communities or around the globe.
This interdisciplinary program gives you the tools to understand how nonprofit organizations and NGOs work, why they matter, and how they respond to today’s biggest social, environmental, and economic challenges. You’ll explore topics like leadership, ethical decision-making, social justice, and community engagement while building practical skills in areas like public relations, grant writing, and project management.
Whether you’re thinking about a career in advocacy, social services, environmental justice, education, or international development, this minor helps you connect what you are learning in the classroom to real-world impact.
- Open to all majors
School and Department Information
Curriculum
Total Units Required: 25
Upper-Division Requirement: At least 21 units (300–400 level)
CORE COURSES (12 units – Required)
These foundational courses introduce leadership, organizational management, and writing skills for nonprofit settings.
- ORB 231 – Managing and Leading Organizations (4 units)
- SOC 329 – Global Change-Makers: Nonprofits and NGOs in the 21st Century (4 units)
- WRIT 400 & 400 EL – Writing for Nonprofit Organizations (3 + 1 units)
MANAGEMENT ELECTIVE (Choose One)
Learn how nonprofits make ethical decisions, resolve conflict, and operate as social enterprises.
- ORB 301 – Business Ethics and Social Responsibility (4 units)
- ORB 332 – Effective Decision Making & Conflict Resolution (4 units)
- ORB 381 – Managing Business as a Social Enterprise (3 units)
MARKETING & COMMUNICATION ELECTIVE (Choose One)
Build communication skills in public relations, civic engagement, or media strategy.
- COMM 317 – Public Relations (4 units)
- COMM 316 – Advertising and Civic Engagement (4 units)
- MKT 301 – Marketing (4 units)
- MP 401 & MP 401 EL – Community Media (4 + 1 units)
ELECTIVES (Choose Any Two – 8 units)
Customize your studies with topics like environmental justice, human rights, economic development, and social movements.
Environment & Sustainability
- EES 300 – Environmental Problems
- EES 400 – Sustainability
- ECON 350 – Environmental & Natural Resource Economics
- JCL 330 – Environmental Justice
Global Development & Human Rights
- ECON 331 – Economic Development
- POL 343 – Human Rights
- SOC 316 – Global Migration
Social Justice & Inequality
- ES 301 – Critical Race Theory
- POL 302 – Political Parties and Social Movements
- SOC 312 – Race and Ethnicity
- SOC 315 – Wealth and Poverty
- SOC 320 – Social Movements
- SOC 322 – Education and Society
- SOC 323 – Ethnic Groups in the U.S.
- SOC 325 – Gender and Society
- SOC 328 – Crime and Delinquency
- DEMONSTRATE understanding of the role and impact of nonprofit organizations in diverse cultural, social, and global contexts, including their interaction with public, private, and voluntary sectors.
- ANALYZE key principles of nonprofit leadership, such as strategic management, ethical decision-making, and mission-driven operations in multicultural and international settings.
- GAIN PROFICIENCY in designing and executing effective marketing, communication, and media strategies—such as grant writing and public relations—that emphasize community engagement and asset-based narratives.
- EVALUATE the ethical, social, and cultural dimensions of philanthropy, volunteerism, and civil society across local and global landscapes.