Public, Private and Nonprofit Collaboration Certificate Program

Over the last decade, nonprofit, business, and governmental organizations have been increasingly working together to address societal and environmental problems. For example, recently the EPA and the Environmental Defense Fund collaborated with business and local authorities to address massive public health and environmental concerns that accompany the need for growing port facilities on U.S. coastlines. In order for cross‐sector collaborations to succeed, future managers must possess an understanding of the diversity of perspectives and purposes held by organizations in other sectors. Risks, challenges, and issues inherent in collaborations, including how success is defined, how power differences are managed, trust built, and accountability assured, are critical in achieving mutually desired goals and benefits.

Overview

A Graduate Certificate in Cross-Sector Alliances is offered by the Master of Public Administration program in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the Master of Business Administration program in the Walton College of Business. The program prepares students for a workplace in which they will be interacting with organizations from other sectors in joint projects or initiatives. Accordingly, students must understand the financial, accountability and general management challenges of the different sectors. In addition, the program also prepares students for work in different sectors and builds skills not addressed in stand-alone programs. In general, students will gain a fundamental knowledge of within-sector management issues, how those issues relate to cross-sector management and governance, and will be able to apply this understanding in practical scenarios. 

Faculty Members

Dr. Joshua Mitchell, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Dr. Rachael Moyer, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Dr. David Hyatt, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Supply Chain Management

Paul Mlakar, Adjunct Instructor, Department of Management

Testimonial

"The Cross Sector Alliances certificate was a great complement to my MPA program. In today’s world, it is a given that public, private, and non‐profit sectors will have to work together; by participating in the certificate program, I was able to study private business strategy and theories in conjunction with the theoretical understanding of the public and non‐profit sectors I was receiving from my MPA courses. I was then able to connect that knowledge to real‐world public‐private partnerships. This knowledge has been a great asset to my current position within a public agency that focuses on economic activity within the state. This knowledge allows me to understand the perspectives of business managers and developers I work with and better respond to their concerns and challenges. All in all, the Cross Sector Alliances certificate greatly enhanced my experience in the MPA program and made me better prepared to face the challenges within an increasingly collaborative world." —Victoria Hui

Curriculum

Admission Requirements:

Admission to the Graduate School

Program Requirements

Core courses:

• PLSC 5133 Nonprofit Management
• Choose one:
  • PLSC 5193 Seminar in Public Administration (for M.B.A students)
  • MGMT 5223 Business Leadership and Ethics (for M.P.A. students)
• MGMT 5313 Strategic Management
• WCOB 5843 Cross Sector Collaboration for Sustainability

Electives (3 hours): Choose one from the following

• PADM 5823 Grant Writing for the Social Sciences 
• PADM 5813 Managing Information Technologies in Public Affairs
• PLSC 5173 Community Development
• MGMT 4103 Special Topics in Management
• WCOB 510V Special Topics in Business

Contact Information

For more information about the program please contact Dr. Joshua Mitchell at jlm038@uark.edu or call (479)-575-3356.