IUPUI Bulletins » Schools » IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI » Courses » Graduate
  • PHST-P 515 History of Philanthropy (3 cr.) This course examines traditions of giving and receiving charity and philanthropy in the modern era. It takes a comparative approach to giving including different historical contexts and traditions. Among the topics covered will be donor motivations, definitions of need, identity formation, and philanthropy, politics and social change.
  • PHST-P 518 History of International Humanitarian Assistance (3 cr.) This course covers the history of international humanitarian assistance during the 19th and 20th centuries. Its focus is on the movements and activities that developed in wealthier countries (Europe and the U.S.) during this period which attempted to help those in other lands in need of assistance (e.g., food, shelter, medical care). These needs arose from a variety of causes, both natural and man-made, such as famine, flood, epidemics, earthquakes and volcanoes as well as wars and government oppression. The responses took many forms, governmental and non-governmental, in a world that underwent very dramatic changes during the 19th and 20th centuries.
  • PHST-P 521 Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr.) Students examine issues of why people organize, give, and donate time; theories of the sector; policy formulation in the sector, etc., with the objective of becoming “philanthropically literate.” The preferred first course in the M.A. program.
  • PHST-P 524 Civil Society and Philanthropy (3 cr.) The course explores the relationship of civil society to the state, how the nonprofit sector affects the state, and how the state regulates the sector. A continuing theme is how and whether the state and philanthropic institutions make civil investments in strengthening civil society.
  • PHST-P 527 Cross-Cultural Dimensions of Philanthropy (3 cr.) Examines cross-cultural research on philanthropy and pursues critical inquiry into the historical and cultural implications of philanthropy. The course focuses on the diverse system of giving and serving within philanthropy traditions in the United States and around the world.
  • PHST-P 530 Nonprofit Economy and Public Policy (3 cr.) Students examine the role of nonprofit organizations (universities, churches, hospitals, orchestras, charities, day care, research, nursing homes) in mixed economies. Public policy controversies such as regulation of fundraising, antitrust against universities, ‘‘unfair’’ competition with for-profit firms, and the tax treatment of donations are considered. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 Ethics and Values in Philanthropy (3 cr.) This course reflects an inquiry into the ethics and values of philanthropy rooted in a general understanding of philanthropy, as voluntary action for the public good, as an ethical ideal. Students consider philanthropic activity in light of this ideal. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 Community Foundations (3 cr.) This course will explore such areas as the role of and challenges facing community foundations and community philanthropy in Indiana and beyond; place-based giving in identity-focused groups, looking at Muslim community foundations and philanthropy; U.S. and comparative developments in the regulation and self-regulation of community foundations, including the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations; private and community foundation funding or the growth and diversity of the community foundation movement; challenges to community foundation from other economic and charitable actors; and other topics. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 Philanthropy Ethics–East and West (3 cr.) This course provides a graduate-level introduction to philanthropy ethics in comparative perspective, focusing on China and the United States. In addition to their in-person classes, students from Indiana University and Sun Yat-sen University will engage in discussion via Course Networking. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 Religion and Philanthropy (3 cr.) This course explores three relationships between people’s religious traditions and their philanthropic ideas and activities: 1) how diverse religious traditions have shaped distinctive philanthropic practices, 2) how political, economic and social forces have structured religious philanthropy, and 3) how competing visions of good lives and a good society have played out in the give and take of religious philanthropy. In examining the normative models of giving and service through a variety of religious traditions, we will analyze how religious narratives, practices, teachings and authorities have shaped people’s generosity and humanitarianism. In studying religious philanthropy in particular historical contexts, we will explore how religious philanthropy has been influenced by secular states and market economies, transforming religious traditions and communities along the way. In observing the tensions between the purposes of givers and takers, we will locate religious philanthropy in the world of social action so as to assess claims about the uniquely selfless, altruistic or civic nature of religious philanthropy. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 The Equity and Effectiveness of Philanthropy (3 cr.) What do we know about the experience of receiving help? What is it like for someone to walk in the door of a homeless shelter, a legal aid clinic, or a job training program and ask for help? How much do we really know about the experiences of those who motivate us to start a nonprofit, donate money, or volunteer time? While we have spent a lot of time studying those who give and the experience of those giving, we know far less about the experience of those receiving this help. This course draws on literature from anthropology, sociology, social psychology, and political science to examine the experience of receiving help. We will tease out when giving help is effective, why it’s often ineffective or less effective than it could be and then consider the implications for nonprofit management and public policy. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 Philanthropy and Public Policy: The German Context (3 cr.) The study-abroad program provides students with a first-hand learning experience in philanthropy and public policy. Students will have the opportunity to learn from German professors, researchers, policy-makers, and leaders from the nonprofit sector. Students will visit state and federal agencies, local nonprofit organizations, think tanks, and philanthropic foundations. Germany has one of the largest nonprofit sectors in the world. It provides a great model of philanthropy and public policy because most basic needs are met through its extensive social welfare policies, thus leaving philanthropic organizations to concentrate on community building and social innovation. At the center of debates surrounding globalization, environmental change, European integration and humanitarian aid, Berlin provides the opportunity to explore many global trends. After daily morning lectures on current European Public Policy issues, students take afternoon field trips to leading policy institutions, philanthropic organizations, and governmental agencies in Berlin. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 Altruism and Health (3 cr.) Does giving lead to better living? Or is caring wearing? What are the psychological and physical health consequences of prosocial versus more self-interested traits and behaviors? This course examines how extremes of self and other-focus affect both psychological and physical health outcomes. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 530 Diversity and Culturally-Responsive Philanthropy (3 cr.) This course will cover giving traditions of various ethnic groups and examine current practices in the philanthropic field through a culturally-responsive lens. A deep dive into the histories of these groups and their struggles for representation, validation, and justice will undergird our journey through relevant literature and scholarly works. May be repeated once for credit with a different course topic.
  • PHST-P 534 Gender and Philanthropy (3 cr.) This course provides a broad overview and deeper understanding of giving and volunteering by gender from multiple perspectives, and how this knowledge can be applied across the nonprofit sector today. As the 21st century unfolds, nonprofit practitioners – whether CEO, fundraiser, board member, or volunteer – and donors must recognize that neither philanthropy nor fundraising follow a one-size-fits-all format. Woven throughout this curriculum are examples of how women exercise their power and influence in philanthropy.
  • PHST-P 535 Law of Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.) This seminar examines aspects of the legal regulation of nonprofit organizations. Topics include the formation, operation, and governance of nonprofit organizations, duties and liability of officers and directors, charitable solicitation, tax-exempt status for public benefit and mutual benefit organizations, charitable contributions, political activities, foundations, membership organizations, and religious organizations.
  • PHST-P 556 Grant Making and the Role of Foundations (3 cr.) This course explores questions of legitimacy, effectiveness, and accountability among U.S. philanthropic foundations. Students will explore the role of foundations in society, how roles are successfully fulfilled, how role fulfillment is measured, and what current trends in foundation philanthropy might mean for the future of local and global philanthropy.
  • PHST-P 558 Principles and Practices of Fundraising (3 cr.) The course covers the salient aspects of the fundraising process as organized carried out by nonprofit organizations – its base of core values, preparing a case for philanthropic support, relevant techniques and strategies, assessing potential sources of support, effective engagement of human resources, and process management. The course includes relevant theory to undergird practice, examination and analysis of current practice, proposal of practice standards, and discussion and examination of ethical problems in fundraising.
  • PHST-P 590 Internship/Directed Off-Site Study (3 cr.) A course for the advanced student of philanthropy. Students work 10 hours per week for a nonprofit organization, applying knowledge gained in earlier courses to practical situations. Requirements include a journal and a substantial paper.
  • PHST-P 600 M.A. Thesis in Philanthropic Studies (3 or 6 cr.)
  • PHST-P 602 Qualitative Methods in the Third Sector (3 cr.) This course will introduce students to qualitative inquiry. The readings and assignments are designed to introduce the key issues social scientists must consider when employing qualitative methods to understand complex social phenomena.
  • PHST-P 662 Historical and Cultural Perspectives of Philanthropy (3 cr.) The course introduces students to the history of philanthropy in the United States in a comparative perspective. The course focuses on developments from the Poor Laws in England through the modern nonprofit sector.
  • PHST-P 664 Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations in Society I (3 cr.) This course is the first half of a two-course sequence, followed by PHST P665. These required courses provide a broad overview of core findings about philanthropy and nonprofit organizations from the various social science and management disciplines, along with more focused examination of selected active research topics. Students whose doctoral minor and intended thesis topic lie in the humanities will enhance their crossand multi-disciplinary literacy. The goal for these students is to prepare them to teach a broad range of courses in future academic employment. Others will receive an overview, with selected topics covered in depth, designed to prepare them for a career conducting and/or using social scientific and/or management research.
  • PHST-P 665 Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations in Society II (1-3 cr.) This course is the second half of a two-course sequence intended to prepare students for research, teaching, and service in the third sector. Students will read foundational literature and current research from economics, political science, sociology, and pyschology that will inform their doctoral studies and help identify a research project that has the potential to further knowledge in the field. In addition to the content of the course, the assignments are intended to support students’ development as critical scholars in the inter-disciplinary field of philanthropic studies. This includes learning how to evaluate empirical research, how to write for a variety of audiences, and how to leverage disciplinary perspectives to pose new questions.
  • PHST-P 690 Quantitative Behavioral Research Methods (1-3 cr.) P: One semester of M.A. course work. Quantitative research is a process that involves collaboration, inspiration, creativity, wit, logic, concentration, flexibility, and perseverance. In this course, we will review how and why quantitative behavioral research is conducted, practice and develop research and writing skills, and learn how to work closely with others. May be repeated once with approval by the chair of philanthropic studies.
  • PHST-P 790 Research Seminar in Philanthropic Studies (3 cr.) This course provides an overview of research methods, issues, and tools, synthesizes the ways of knowing, and assesses forces that affect the conduct and use of knowledge in philanthropic studies. Multiple disciplinary perspectives and contemporary theoretical foundations of philanthropic studies are used to design and critique potential research projects. Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods approaches to research design are examined. The end goal is for the student to prepare her/his research prospectus.
  • PHST-P 890 Doctoral Dissertation (1-12 cr.) Research and writing dissertation.
  • PHST-P 660 Ethical, Moral, and Religious Aspects of Philanthropy (3 cr.) This doctoral seminar focuses on the major ethical and moral texts that explain and justify philanthropy. Emphasis is placed on the philosophy of philanthropy in comparative perspective, world traditions of social and religious conditions, and moral issues raised in philanthropic practice.