Executive MBA in Nonprofit Management

The Executive MBA in Nonprofit Management combines the best managerial and leadership skills taught in our traditional MBA with the specialized content necessary to successfully manage nonprofit organizations. The program gives students the skills, knowledge, and perspective necessary to generate value in the nonprofit sector and to help nonprofits meet the current management and leadership challenges of the 21st century.

Our belief is simple: we will give you the skills and knowledge to help you work toward resolving some of the major challenges nonprofits face--funding, succession, board governance, and others—thus enjoying both personal and professional success while helping solve some of society’s most intractable problems.

Executive MBA students bring unique executive experiences to the classroom, which enhances the learning environment for all (learn about the make-up of current cohorts).  Several classes are blended with our traditional MBAs.  Mixing these two populations brings new perspectives to the classroom discussion, allowing for richer and more diverse classroom experiences. 

Our program caters to the part-time student, full-time employee who desires to continue working while pursuing graduate education within a cohort process. As a cohort, students will take two classes each semester for six consecutive semesters (two years).  Each class is taught once each week, Monday through Thursday, at 7:10-9:55pm. In addition, a Saturday morning workshop is offered once a semester.   Please see the FAQ page or Curriculum page for more detailed information..

Admission Guidelines

• Undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or higher (on a four-point scale)

• At least five years of executive/managerial experience with at least three in the nonprofit sector. Those interested in transitioning from the for-profit sector should have at least five years of executive/managerial experience.

Applicants for the Executive MBA in Nonprofit Management must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the University of Portland. Admission may be considered for those not strictly meeting the criteria but having extensive work experience in the nonprofit or for-profit sectors.

Admission is based on the entire application and letters of recommendation, not merely quantitative factors. Application requirements are subject to change.

An applicant whose native language is not English or did not complete a degree at a university at which all courses were taught in English must achieve a minimum score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of 88 iBT or 570 (paper-based) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) of 7.0.

International applicants should review the International Student Services website, for additional information.

Application Requirements

Applicants interested in the Executive MBA in Nonprofit Management program can apply online through the University of Portland Graduate School by submitting the following:

Nonprofit MBA Application Requirements

The Executive MBA program begins in the fall semester of any given year.  It is recommended that your application be submitted well in advance of the start of the program in order to ensure you complete the admission requirements for the program.  Once accepted, students must complete four web-based self-tutorials (quantitative methods, finance, financial and managerial accounting, and information technology).  Completing these tutorials ensures each student has the foundational knowledge required to take further EMBA coursework.  For further information on the self-tutorials, please visit our Curriculum page.  A recommended date by which your application should be submitted is June 15th.