Catholic Philanthropy Specialization

If you want to learn to develop your abilities to serve the mission of the Church, an evening or online MS in Business with a Catholic Philanthropy specialization will give you the operational and fundraising know-how you need.

Provided in part through the Institute for Catholic Philanthropy—a one-of-a-kind partnership between FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students) and the University of Mary—our graduate business degrees with a specialization in Catholic Philanthropy combine advanced teachings in the core operational aspects of business and philanthropy with courses devoted to the values and best practices that make Catholic charities and nonprofits successful.

Take the First Step
Get in touch with any questions or submit the simple application for admission.
After acceptance to the university as a candidate for graduate studies, we will assist you every step of the way toward acceptance into your academic program so you can enroll and begin your classes!

At a Glance

$56,950
Median wage per year for fundraisers

Program Length

As little as 16 months

Format

  • Online with one-week residency at our main campus in Bismarck, ND

Tuition per Credit

$550

Next Start Date:

Rolling, every 5 weeks

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Is This the Degree For Me?

Who It’s For

  • Nonprofit Professionals
  • Members of the Clergy
  • B-Corp Professionals
  • Fundraising Professionals
  • Anyone looking to steer their business in a mission-based direction
  • All other professionals who want to combine strong values with advanced leadership skills

Career Paths

  • Director of Development
  • Foundation Manager
  • Major Gifts Officer
  • Executive Director
  • Grants Officer
  • Director of Annual Giving
  • Charity Manager
  • Nonprofit Leader
  • Church Leader
  • Fundraising Specialist
  • Mission-Based Organization Manager

What You’ll Learn

In our MS in Business with a Catholic Philanthropy specialization, you will gain advanced business leadership skills and examine, in-depth, an understanding of Catholic charities and other nonprofits. When you graduate, you will be prepared to:

  • Demonstrate full knowledge of the “Theology of Gift” and how these principles affect modern philanthropy.
  • Synthesize professional best practices with the Catholic Faith and develop processes and plans formed by values of self-gift and service.
  • Demonstrate preparation in all areas of the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) test subject matter.
  • Demonstrate professional competence as a manager or senior mission advancement professional.
  • Evaluate the contemporary global business environment in an integrated manner to propose business solutions.
  • Demonstrate professional business communication.
  • Interpret results from multiple business support tools to inform decision making.
  • Take on leadership roles within your organization.
  • Apply advanced management strategies to improve employee productivity and business results.

Accreditations

  • IACBE

    IACBE

    The Gary Tharaldson School of Business at the University of Mary has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Strang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA.

    View Accreditation

Program Details

Your first step is to get in touch with any questions or submit the simple application for admission. After acceptance to the University as a candidate for graduate studies, we will assist you every step of the way toward acceptance into your academic program so you can enroll and begin your classes!
  • Online with one-week residency at our main campus in Bismarck, ND

Foundations in Catholic Philanthropy (3 credits)

Analyze foundational principles such as Gift, Generosity, Gratefulness, and Love - specifically, how they relate to charitable giving and motives. Synthesize these concepts through an exploration of sacred scripture, early Church writings, and modem Church works.

Transformational Giving (3 credits)

Interpret Major Gifts practices through the lens of SelfGift, compare different major gift approaches, and demonstrate mastery of major gifts techniques and presentation.

Mission Advancement Principles & Practice (3 credits)

Evaluate ethical, procedural, legal, and managerial principles and practices of running a successful Mission Advancement office. This course will also fulfill Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) test preparation necessary for the following sections: Donor Research, Volunteer Involvement, Leadership and Management, and Ethics, Accountability, and Professionalism.

For a full list of courses for this program, visit the catalog.

If you are serving or have served our country, we sincerely thank you. Our military services office is here to work closely with active duty, retired, reserve, and eligible family members qualified for military benefits. Learn how we can help you with the application process and review the benefits you have earned.

  • Tuition: $550/credit
  • Application fee: $45
  • Technology fee: $43 per credit
  • Parking fee (evening class participants only): $25 per semester

For a full list of fees, visit our Tuition and Fees page.

The following will be needed when you have applied for admission so we can get you accepted into the graduate program:

  • Official transcripts showing a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.
    • Graduated from the University of Mary? Then we’ll get your Mary transcript for you!
    • At most other schools, you can request transcripts by going to the National Student Clearinghouse or by contacting the registrar’s office. 
    • Have your transcripts sent to:
      Office of Admissions
      University of Mary
      7500 University Drive
      Bismarck, ND 58504
    • Or request to send electronic transcripts to [email protected]
  • Application/enrollment fee - This will be collected at the time you fill out the online application.

Get Started Today

Apply Online