Your mission brought you this far. Business expertise can take it further.
The Notre Dame EMNA helps experienced nonprofit professionals strengthen the financial, strategic, and leadership capabilities behind the work they already believe in, so their organizations can serve their missions more effectively.
Build your capabilities across financial management, governance, fundraising, strategy, data analytics, communications, and leadership, while also learning to connect sound business practice with the distinctive demands of mission-driven organizations.
Nationally recognized faculty
The Executive Master of Nonprofit Administration is Notre Dame's first graduate business program, with a deep, mission-focused legacy spanning more than 70 years. Faculty at Mendoza College of Business bring nationally recognized expertise and direct experience working in the nonprofit sector to the education of nonprofit leaders.
Blend of online and in-person courses
With a blend of online and in-person courses, you’ll gain the flexibility of online learning with the opportunity to study on Notre Dame’s iconic campus. The summer session brings your cohort together for face-to-face learning, deeper connections with classmates and faculty, and relationships that extend beyond the program.
EMNA Field Project
Through the EMNA Field Project, you’ll apply nonprofit theory and leadership skills to a collaborative capstone project that supports your current employer. With greater autonomy over your learning, you’ll develop practical solutions while strengthening your skills in nonprofit leadership and practice.
“Professionally, there is such a wide variety of experiences in the program; it is wonderful to be able to send an email, text, or pick up the phone and call someone who you know has the background you need. Sometimes, you just need another touchpoint, and this program provides it.”
Hear from nonprofit leaders, faculty, and alumni about the challenges they’ve confronted, the organizations they’ve served, and the communities their work continues to impact.
Francis Doyle shares how the Executive EMNA program has influenced his leadership style, encouraged his pursuit of faith-driven mission, and his advice to students considering taking this next step in their career.
For Tia Chambers, the Notre Dame Executive MBA is providing more than a degree. It’s giving her the confidence, connections, and knowledge to expand what’s possible in her career.
For Brian DeJean, the Notre Dame Executive MBA is helping him turn classroom learning into real-world opportunities — from restructuring his businesses to building new ventures with his cohort and the alumni network.
“This program provides almost instant application to your work in the field; you can put all of these principles to work when you arrive back home.”
For EMNA students, career growth can take many forms — leading a larger organization, moving into senior leadership, transitioning to the nonprofit sector or becoming more effective in a current role. The Notre Dame EMNA builds the skills, perspective and network to take that next step while staying grounded in the mission that drives your work.
90%
Employed Full Time
More than 90% of EMNA students are employed full time, bringing real-world nonprofit experience into the classroom and expanding your professional peer network.
1:1
Personalized Career Support
Access dedicated coaching and resources to help you navigate career transitions, pursue advancement and identify your next opportunity.
#4
Global Alumni Network, ranked by Financial Times
Join a global network of more than 144,000 Notre Dame graduates and build connections with leaders committed to service and social impact.
Tuition & Aid
The Notre Dame EMNA is designed to be an accessible investment for working nonprofit professionals, with scholarships and funding opportunities available. Tuition for the 2026–2027 academic year is $3,900 per 3-credit course, or $1,300 per credit hour.
Financing Your Education
Students may combine Notre Dame-sponsored fellowships, external scholarships, employer support, personal funds, and graduate loans to finance their education. Employer sponsorship is not required.
Whether you already lead in the nonprofit sector or are preparing to bring your experience to it, the Notre Dame EMNA is designed for professionals committed to advancing mission-driven organizations. We look for applicants with significant professional experience, demonstrated leadership and a commitment to serving nonprofit organizations and their communities.
Your classmates know what it means to balance mission and resources. Their years of nonprofit experience become part of your education, creating a community where people share professional insights and understand what’s at stake.
47
Total Students
53%
Women in the Cohort
12
Years of Nonprofit Work Experience
What advice would you give for balancing work and the EMNA?
“As a program designed for working professionals, I have always felt tremendous support in balancing all of what life throws at you.”
QIs an executive master’s degree in nonprofit administration worth it?
A
The Notre Dame EMNA provides those committed to mission-driven work with the leadership tools the sector requires. You’ll expand your capabilities in finance, strategy, governance, fundraising, and leadership, so you can help your organization turn limited resources into greater impact.
QCan I earn the Notre Dame EMNA while working full time?
A
Yes. The hybrid program was created for working nonprofit professionals. Students combine online fall and spring coursework with required summer study at Notre Dame, completing the 42-credit degree in as little as 14 months, or extending it according to their professional needs.
QHow can I apply what I learn in the Notre Dame EMNA to my nonprofit?
A
Application is built into the experience. Coursework addresses the unique challenges nonprofit leaders regularly encounter, from financial management and board relations to fundraising, strategy, and data analytics. The culminating Field Project allows you to apply your learning to a substantive nonprofit challenge and develop solutions grounded in both research and practice.
QWhat makes the Notre Dame EMNA different from other nonprofit management programs?
A
Notre Dame has a long legacy of bringing business education and service together. You’ll develop the management capabilities organizations need, while studying among experienced professionals who understand that effectiveness is never the final objective. What matters is what greater effectiveness allows your organization to accomplish for others and the world.
Experience Notre Dame
Learn more about the Notre Dame EMNA on campus or online. Meet faculty, students, and admissions staff, explore the hybrid learning experience, and discover how the program can align with your career goals and current professional responsibilities.
