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CURRICULUM

The level of knowledge required for practitioners in both fundraising and grantmaking has increased dramatically in recent years. The M.S. in Fundraising and Grantmaking provides you with the fundamentals of fundraising through a required core curriculum. You first choose a concentration in either Fundraising or Grantmaking. You then select from a group of seminar-style elective courses in specific subject areas based on your academic and professional interests. You may choose to focus on areas such as the arts, health sciences, higher education, or politics. Internships in the field provide you with hands-on experience, and continuing education coursework is available to broaden your knowledge and skills. The program culminates with a capstone project, which involves original research and the writing of a Master’s thesis based on your findings.

• View complete degree requirements with links to course descriptions.

CORE CURRICULUM
Six required core courses provide you with the fundamental knowledge to ensure that you grasp the most important concepts and skills of the fundraising and grantmaking fields. You learn the history and philosophy of fundraising in the U.S. and why it is different from philanthropy abroad, the effects of globalization on philanthropy, the psychological reasons why people give, the state and federal laws that govern the operation of nonprofits, how boards are developed, the financial and statistical underpinning of fundraising analysis and reporting, and more.

CONCENTRATIONS
Concentrations are offered in Fundraising or Grantmaking. Your concentration constitutes 9 credits of your total coursework. Each concentration provides in-depth immersion in your specific area of specialization.

ELECTIVE COURSES
Your knowledge is enhanced by elective coursework that broadens your understanding of fundraising and grantmaking. These seminar courses permit you to craft the degree program to your individual interests and career direction. For example, if you completed an undergraduate degree or have a desire to work in the arts, you may consider using your elective coursework to specialize in this area, preparing you to work as a fundraiser for an arts organization or for a foundation that makes grants largely to the arts. The program includes optional seminars in other content areas that are taught by specialists currently working in these fields. These include health sciences, medicine and medical research, higher education, corporate and foundation philanthropy, and political fundraising.

CAPSTONE PROJECT
The capstone project marks the culmination of your Master’s degree program. Working individually, you select a topic and, upon approval of your proposal, conduct primary source research under the guidance of a faculty member in a subject relevant to your specialization. You are encouraged to choose a capstone topic that would benefit the field, such as the study of women in philanthropy, since many of the existing studies have obtained contradictory results. All final papers must be of an academic and research standard consistent with the requirements of current journals and publications.

INTERNSHIPS
To provide real-world experience to our students, we cultivate internship opportunities across the spectrum of business and the private sector, including corporations, financial institutions, NGOs, nonprofits, and educational institutions. You benefit from our strong affiliations with New York City’s philanthropic community and our network of contacts at organizations such as Gilda's Club Worldwide, the Anti-Defamation League, the Guggenheim Museum, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and the New York Foundation for the Arts, among others.

OPTIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSEWORK
To complement your coursework in the Master’s program, and because we believe that an effective fundraiser must not only be knowledgeable about the tools of the profession but must also be a well-rounded, educated global citizen, you have access to continuing education courses and seminars throughout the School of Continuing and Professional Studies in such areas as global politics, art, literature, science, and others, all led by eminent NYU scholars. This coursework is optional and encouraged, but not applicable to your degree program.