Course Code: C132

Course Title: NGO management

College: SOAS CEDEP

Course Director: Colin Poulton

Course Description: The last 30 years have witnessed an extraordinary growth in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in almost all parts of the globe, and in all spheres of human activity. NGOs have become a highly visible component of civil society and are now significant players in the fields of human rights, the environment and social development at local, national and international levels.

Despite some deep historical roots, the emergence of NGOs as formalised, structured institutions has been relatively recent. Although they share some characteristics with state and private sector organisations, NGOs are in a category of their own; they have particular organisational features, maintain relationships with a broad range of different actors, and face a number of special challenges. NGO management has therefore evolved as a distinctive practice and field of study that differs in content and perspective from business management and public sector administration.

This course provides a critical overview of the major issues involved in NGO management, with an emphasis on organisations working in development and poverty-reduction in the Global South'. It draws on the growing body of theoretical work and practical experiences to provide an outline of the most significant management challenges facing NGOs today and the tools and approaches that managers use.

This course is aimed primarily at NGO staff with management responsibilities, and for individuals who wish to develop their knowledge and skills in preparation for moving into such positions. NGOs come in many shapes and sizes, and the definition of an NGO and the choice of terminology is itself the subject of much debate and limited agreement. In this module the focus is generally on the management of medium-sized NGOs that typically work at regional or national scales. Those in large national or international NGOs may also find it useful; particularly individuals who work closely with national or local partners and wish to understand some of the organisational challenges involved.

On successful completion of the course you will be able:

• To use a variety of frameworks to understand the organisational characteristics of NGOs.

• To analyse and understand the key issues and challenges facing NGOs as development organisations.

• To apply a range of tools and approaches to the development of NGO structure, systems and strategy.

• To describe some of the important issues in managing people as individuals and as groups.

• To recognise the broad range of resources available to NGOs, to evaluate their potential contribution to financial sustainability and to identify and interpret the key elements of financial management information.

• To identify the main issues in gathering and using information for accountability, learning and managing change.

Assessment: Exam 100%

Course Credit: All SOAS CeDEP short course students receive a certificate of completion. Students of SOAS CeDEP Short Courses who may wish to transfer credit to Certificate, Diploma or Masters-level programmes are advised to select short courses which also act as Core Modules on CeDEP's various programmes.

Course Study Hours/Duration: 240 hrs over 35 weeks

Schedule of Availability: Feb - Oct (Enrolment deadline prior to Feb start - 30th November)

Delivery Mechanisms: Print; CD-Rom; Online Discussion

Cost: £960

How to apply: To enquire about applying for this course, or for any other information, please contact the Course Administrator using the online Enquiry Form below