Fundraising and Advancement, Certificate

Program Description

Professionals working in fundraising and advancement serve local, national, and international nonprofits and educational institutions of all levels. Increased competition for philanthropic gifts combined with a dearth of trained professionals results in a need for education of those seeking to work in front-line fundraising and in roles that complement those professionals, such as: prospect researcher, donor relations/stewardship officer, or database manager. Students who have raised funds in their schools or communities or that have interned or worked for nonprofits, and adults seeking to transition into the field, will find this program of benefit. Students will learn about key principles of the profession, explore their leadership styles, practice skills required of fundraising and development staff, and come to understand the various types of organizations in which they might work and roles in which they might serve.

By completion of the certificate, students will be able to:

1. Describe the breadth and scope of the nonprofit sector worldwide.
2. Define the role that fundraising and philanthropy plays in enabling nonprofits to achieve their goals.
3. Use the language of the fundraising profession and describe its foundational principles.
4. Practice ethical and legal behavior in the fundraising profession.
5. Distinguish among roles held by fundraising professionals, comparing duties, responsibilities, skills and characteristics required for success.
6. Promote communication skill development within the workplace including public speaking, asking for gifts, and preparing and deliver presentations.
7. Write in a variety of media and contexts relevant to the fundraising profession.

Program Requirements

To earn an undergraduate certificate in Fundraising and Advancement, a minimum of 12 credits is required.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
LA 402	Fundraising Leadership: Building a Strong Base	3
LA 404	Careers in Fundraising and Development	3
Additional Courses
Select 6 credits from the following:		6
CAS 404	Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
COMM 428A & ENGL 478	Principles of Strategic Communications and Grant Writing
OLEAD 409	Leadership Development: A Life-Long Learning Perspective
OLEAD 464	Communication Skills for Leaders in Groups and Organizations
OLEAD 465	Collective Decision Making

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee’s unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

World Campus

Sophie W. Penney, Ph.D.
Sr. Program Coordinator/Lecturer
204 Willard Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-6480
swp2@psu.edu

Contact

World Campus

COLLEGE OF THE LIBERAL ARTS
138 Sparks Building
University Park PA 16802
814-865-9555
rl3@psu.edu