Nongovernmental Organizations & Civil Society Concentration

The explosive growth of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide has fostered demand for deeply committed staff with solid development policy and organizational management skills. This concentration focuses on how NGOs drive social change and enable participation and empowerment, especially among vulnerable and excluded groups. It gives students the skills they need for careers in NGOs and social-change organizations including foundations, social movement coalitions, community organizations, non-profit associations, and social enterprises.

Key topics of study include NGO management, program design and evaluation, advocacy, community participation and social movements, project and financial management, fundraising and grant writing, geographic and information systems (GIS), and policy analysis, in addition to wide-ranging policy issues at the heart of NGO work, such as food security, health policy, human rights, migration and refugees, poverty and inequality, and environmental sustainability.

NGO students learn to apply essential organizational and management skills to address these and other important policy issues in diverse contexts around the world. NGO students also develop valuable direct experience through NGO internships, benefiting from the SPIA-to-DC pathway for internships with national and international organizations in the nation’s capital and the option to study at SPIA’s DC Center, our dedicated support for a wide range of international NGO internships and study abroad experiences, and local opportunities within our own vibrant nonprofit community.

Download Plan of Study beginning Fall '26 »