Charity Management MA, PGDip, PGCert  Charity Management MA, PGDip, PGCert St Mary's University, Twickenham, London ../webroot/files/Institutions/cover_photo/1563178405stmary's.jpg

This course develops your management potential ready for the competitive challenges ahead of the Third Sector and includes a certificate awarded by the Chartered Management Institute. 

Charities and voluntary services are often berated by the media for poor management decisions. This label is compounded by them being part of a third sector: below the private and public sectors. Smaller charities face increased competition for funds and publicity, and limited frontline resources.

This Charity Management course offers a fresh and positive outlook for the sector, recognising the vital role that charities and volunteers play in society.

You will learn contemporary management and business techniques - underpinned by ethics and responsible management practices - to help charities thrive in a competitive environment.

The programme will help develop your management potential and will equip you for any future challenges the sector faces. On completing your Master's degree, you will also gain an accredited award from the Chartered Management Institute .

As one of few postgraduate courses of its kind in the country, our Master's in Charity Management programme has a strong record in graduate employability and attracts international interest.

The programme is also enhanced by:

• Small class sizes and cohorts that offer a supportive and welcoming environment for all learners
• Exchanges of insights from peers and experienced academics offering real-life experiences of current issues affecting charities and voluntary services
• Guest lectures, seminars and workshops capitalising on our links to charities and social enterprises
• A dedicated team of lecturers and professors with decades of experience in shaping this sector and helping to make a difference.
• Unrivalled networking opportunities by making lifelong contacts with our internationally diverse community of students and academics

We actively encourage research, analysis and debate, highlighting your own experience of charities. This is designed to give real-life insights that help support your progress as an effective charity manager.

• Many of our graduates and alumni gain promotion within the charity sector
• Our programme is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute and includes the award of the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership
• We are one of a few universities in the UK offering postgraduate management education applicable to charities and voluntary sector organisations
• Taught on our historic Strawberry Hill campus

Applicants must have current experience (either paid or voluntary) in the charity management sector. They must also provide an appropriate written reference from a relevant charitable organisation that clearly demonstrates that they are currently working within the Third Sector in either in a paid or unpaid position.

Mature students with managerial experience within a charitable organisation but with limited educational qualifications will also be considered.

International requirements

International students should check our country-specific pages for equivalents. If English is not your first language you will need to achieve an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section (or equivalent).

Assessment will take place primarily through coursework, presentations and vivas. There is also an examination as part of the Charity Finance and Investment module.

Part-time students will be charged for the modules undertaken per academic year. Module prices are calculated as a percentage of credits against the total credits and cost of the degree.

Tuition fees are subject to an inflationary increase each year, meaning if your course runs over more than one academic year you may pay an increased fee per module for each subsequent year of study. Tuition fee increases for returning students will be capped at the higher of 5% per annum or the rate of Consumer Price Index inflation in the United Kingdom.