Humane Leadership Curriculum
When choosing an educational program, it can be tempting to find one that focuses solely on the area of interest. While that may reinforce your passion, it can lead to tunnel vision. At Duquesne University, our programs focus on the right blend of core courses and those that match your personal interests and goals. In the Humane Leadership program you complete:
University Core Curriculum - 33 credits designed to provide a solid, diverse educational foundation
School of Leadership Core Curriculum - 9 credits designed to build the leadership skills that apply in any setting
Humane Leadership Courses - 36 credits (see below for course descriptions) designed to provide the industry-specific knowledge and skills needed to succeed
Electives - 42 credits designed to give you the opportunity to explore other areas of personal interest
Humane Leadership Courses
First Strike: Cruelty to Animals and Interpersonal Violence
During the past two decades, the relationship between cruelty to animals and interpersonal violence—once a subject of common anecdotal knowledge—has been substantiated by a significant body of work in social science. Participants in this course will gain a fundamental knowledge of this connection; examine both qualitative and quantitative studies and case histories of the correlation between cruelty to animals, child abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse, and teen violence; and explore the broad terrain of community level partnerships involving humane societies, social service providers, and law enforcement agencies. Participants will learn how to recognize the at-risk or offending populations.
Studies in Humane Education
This course will examine the history and theory behind the teaching of kindness to animals, and explore some of the most important topics in contemporary studies of humane education. These include the development of empathy and the theory of transference, the relevance of gender differences in attitudes and conduct toward animals, the challenge of correlation or blending and the evaluation of humane education’s impacts and outcomes. What is the relationship between humane education and character education?... between humane education and environmental education?
Animal Health and Behavior in Shelter Environment
This course examines basic health and behavioral management issues involving shelter animals. Topics include epidemiology, shelter design and sanitation, immunization and vaccination policy, management of data, disease treatment protocols, the basic principles of nutrition and feeding, and collaboration with public health agencies.
Animal Protection as a Social Movement
In the past four decades, the modern animal protection movement in the United States has worked to improve the lives of animals by providing shelter and safety, winning local, state and national policy protections, and transforming social attitudes and human behavior. Drawing on both sociological and political science literature on social movements, the course explores the ideas, activists, issues and organizations that comprise the animal protection movement and the diverse set of strategies employed by the movement, including public education, protest, lobbying, litigation, direct service, and elections.
Compassion Fatigue
This course, designed especially for animal care and control professionals and other animal advocates, will provide students with the expertise to assess the signs and symptoms of compassion stress, and to utilize appropriate strategies to prevent compassion fatigue and its related stresses, traumas, and illnesses.
Humane Leadership: Special Topics
Courses include Wildlife in Shelters, Animal, Advocacy and Corporate Change, and Animals, and Public Policy.
Fundraising Basics and Financial Management
This course covers the key financial management principles and skills that are relevant for nonprofit organizations. The class will include discussions on and exercises in a variety of topics, including: preparing and analyzing financial statements; budget development and management; managing endowments and grants; cash flow analysis; financial planning and forecasting; tax issues for nonprofit organizations; preparing for an audit review.
Fundraising, Philanthropy and Resource Development
This course will cover the basics of fundraising for nonprofit organizations. The class will include: how to establish and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy; how to establish positive relationships with current and potential donors; different approaches for fundraising from individual and institutional donors; the roles played by nonprofit boards, staff and volunteers in the fundraising effort; best practices in nonprofit fundraising.
Nonprofit Board of Directors
As the governing body of any nonprofit organization the Board of Directors is responsible for the running of the institution and every aspect of its well being. This course will examine the duties and responsibilities of the Board and how the senior staff can help them to understand and discharge those duties. We will review sample nonprofit organizations and their board structure and will investigate and promote best practices of organizations which have been cited as leaders in the area of board effectiveness. In building and developing the board, we will explore techniques that can help ensure the right members can be identified and cultivated to serve. Students will be provided with tools and skills to help in their understanding of how senior staff can effectively assist in building a strong, active and committed board of directors.
Strategic Planning and Organizational Effectiveness
Nonprofit organizations operate in a dynamic environment in which many other agencies compete for resources while serving the same constituency by providing a variety of services. Skilled leaders know how to assess an organization's current level of performance, and then move the organization toward even greater effectiveness. This course will teach leaders to think strategically in such a context as they plan for the organization's future success. They will learn how to link mission with strategy and to develop operational plans that maximize the organization's impact on its target constituency in its community. Emphasis will be placed on strategy formulation as a participatory process that engages those who will execute an organization’s strategy by having them help shape it. Ways to combine skilled management practices with inspiring leadership will be discussed.
Human Resource and Volunteer Management
In this course students will consider the strategic importance of employees in helping an organization fulfill its mission goals. They will learn about best practices in recruitment and hiring, placement and orientation, staff development, environmental health and safety, labor relations, employee recognition, and compensation and benefits. The importance of understanding HR policy, employment agreements, fair employment practices, documentation, and labor law will be stressed. The course will adopt the perspective of the HR generalist who must also learn where to go when additional expertise is needed.
Marketing and Public Relations
The use of strategies and tactics to generate public awareness, change public policy, or otherwise influence attitudes and conduct is fundamental. Public relations communications concepts and marketing techniques will be examined with respect to building relationships with the media and external constituencies. Emphasis is on practical application of public relations concepts and marketing strategies. The course relies in part on case studies and tactics that aid in developing a marketing and PR plan for the nonprofit organization.