This dissertation proposal examines the use of experiential education approaches in nonprofit-focused master's degree programs associated with the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC). The study uses a mixed-methods approach with two phases: 1) qualitative interviews with program administrators to understand how their experiential education approaches are defined and implemented, and 2) a quantitative survey of additional programs to confirm themes from phase 1. The goal is to develop a comprehensive picture of experiential education approaches across NACC programs, how they are structured and supported, and similarities/differences between programs. This study could provide significant insights for other nonprofit management education programs.

1. Experiential Education Approaches in
Nonprofit Management Education:
An Examination of Nonprofit-Focused
Master’s Degree Programs Associated with
the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council
Heather Carpenter
Dissertation Proposal Defense
Robert Donmoyer, PhD, Chair
Mary McDonald, PhD
Paula Krist, PhD
Roseanne Mirabella, PhD

2. Background
Experiential education: “a philosophy and methodology in which educators
purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused
reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills and clarify
values” (Association for Experiential Education, 2010, par. 2).
Examples of experiential education teaching approaches:
• Experiential learning
• Fieldwork or field project
• Work experience
• Service-learning
• Internships
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3. Background Cont.
Experiential education teaching approaches are
used within a variety of academic settings
including:
•Nonprofit management education (NME) programs
• NME programs associated with the Nonprofit
Academic Centers Council (NACC)
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4. Nonprofit Academic Centers
Council (NACC)
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Experiential
Education Applied ResearchCommunity Based Consulting

5. Problem Statement
Research to date:
• General NME
• Experiential education used in a single
university or on a single approach
• No comprehensive picture of experiential
education approaches
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6. Research Questions
1. What types of experiential education approaches are offered within
nonprofit-focused master’s degree programs associated with NACC
member centers across the United States?
2. How are these experiential education approaches defined, built, and
administered by each nonprofit-focused master’s degree program?
3. What is the program and university setting of each experiential education
approach?
4. What types of program and institutional support are provided to the
experiential education approach?
5. What are the similarities and differences between experiential education
approach descriptions, program setting and support descriptions, as well
as institutional setting and support descriptions across Universities?
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7. Literature Review
• Nonprofit management education
• Mirabella and Renz (2001) Nonprofit Outreach Centers
• History and philosophy of experiential
education
• Approach descriptions in the fields of Engineering,
Medicine, and Social Work
• Driscoll (2006) Carnegie Community Engagement
Classification
• The impact of experiential education on
students, the university, and the community
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8. Methodology
A two-phase mixed method exploratory design:
• Phase 1: Qualitative interviews
• Phase 2: Development, administration, and
analysis of quantitative data
• Design was selected because this is an
unexplored area of research
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9. Phase 1: Qualitative Data
Collection and Analysis
Allows for program directors to describe the
experiential education approaches in their
own terms.
Participants:
• 5-10 master’s program administrators
Participant Recruitment and Selection:
• E-mail Introduction
• E-mail Invitation
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10. Phase 1: Qualitative Data
Collection and Analysis
Interview Procedures and Analysis:
• Pilot interviews
• Interviews take place either over the phone or in person
• Transcribed and coded thematically
Dealing with Potential Limitations:
• Different definitions and interpretations of experiential
education approaches
• More established experiential education approaches
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11. Phase 2: Quantitative Data
Collection and Analysis
Developing, administering, and analyzing a
survey which will aid in confirming or
disconfirming the findings and themes that
emerged during the qualitative interviews
Participants:
• 40 master’s program administrators
Participant Recruitment and Selection:
• E-mail invitation
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12. Phase 2: Quantitative Data
Collection and Analysis
Survey Procedures and Analysis:
• Pilot Survey
• Clean survey data
• Descriptive statistics
• Frequencies
• Crosstabs
• Inferential statistics
• Correlations
Statistical analysis that explains relationships among
the variables
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13. Phase 2: Quantitative Data
Collection and Analysis
Dependent Variables
• Experiential education approaches
Independent Variables
• Type of master’s degree program
• Setting
• Support
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14. Potential Limitations of the Study
• Personal bias
• Small sample size may not representative of
NME
• Different language to explain experiential
education
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15. Significance of the Study
• First study of its kind
• Potential significance for program directors at
other NME programs
• Findings used in future studies
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16. Questions/Comments
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