Non Profit Management (M.A.)
DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Non Profit Management is offered as an elective specialisation within DIPLOMA Hochschule's part-time Sozialmanagement Master of Arts. The programme combines social-science perspectives with business administration, law and management knowledge for the professional leadership of social institutions, associations, independent providers and non-profit organisations.
Students learn to manage financing, personnel, organisational development, quality, projects, contracts and strategic decisions in the social economy. The Non Profit Management specialisation adds leadership in non-profit organisations, development of social network services, volunteer management and a research-based development project.
The programme is designed for graduates of social work, social pedagogy, childhood education, sociology, health and social management, social economics or a related discipline. Teaching and examinations can be completed online, with the option of taking examinations at a DIPLOMA examination centre.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Social management, social governance and policy consultation
- Empirical methods, research design and research-based learning
- Project management and project controlling
- Legal foundations of the social economy
- Organisational development and team development
- General business administration, personnel management and quality management
- Financing of independent providers and social enterprises
- Contract management, service management and negotiation
- Leadership competencies in non-profit organisations
- Development of social network services
- Volunteer management
- Research workshop and presentation of a development project or product
- Social-area management and social-economy ethics
- Master's thesis
- Master's colloquium
Curriculum
The 120 ECTS curriculum combines social-sector governance, research, law, business administration, finance, organisational leadership and social-area management. Students select one 16 ECTS specialisation, with this page following Non Profit Management, before completing a 24 ECTS master's thesis and colloquium.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semesters 1–2 | 5 modules | Sozialmanagement | 12 | 42 ECTS |
| Empirische Methoden und Forschendes Lernen | 8 | |||
| Projektmanagement und -controlling | 8 | |||
| Rechtliche Grundlagen der Sozialwirtschaft | 6 | |||
| Organisation und Teamentwicklung | 8 | |||
| Semesters 2–3 | 3 modules | Allgemeine BWL, Personal- und Qualitätsmanagement | 10 | 22 ECTS |
| Sozialwirtschaftliche Finanzierung | 6 | |||
| Kontraktmanagement und Verhandlungsführung | 6 | |||
| Semesters 3–4 | 3 modules | Sozialraummanagement | 8 | 32 ECTS |
| Sozialwirtschaftsethik | 8 | |||
| Non Profit Management | 16 | |||
| Semesters 4–5 | 1 completion module | Master-Thesis und Kolloquium | 24 | 24 ECTS |
| Total | 10 core modules, 1 specialisation module and 1 completion module | 120 ECTS | ||
Career outcomes
- You develop the leadership skills needed to manage non-profit organisations, welfare associations, social institutions and independent service providers.
- You learn how to make non-profit services financially sustainable through funding management, controlling, contract management and strategic planning.
- You gain practical expertise in volunteer management and social network development, preparing you to coordinate employees, volunteers and community partners.
- You can progress into roles such as programme manager, project manager, department head, facility manager, association manager or organisational-development specialist.
- You build research and evaluation skills that help you design services, measure social impact and present evidence-based recommendations to funders and public authorities.
- The internationally recognised Master of Arts supports progression to senior management, specialist consultancy and further academic study.
Employability rate
Using the official 2025 German labour-market rate for university graduates as the closest published benchmark, graduates can be associated with an employability rate of about 96.7% and an unemployment rate of 3.3%, while social services were among the fields contributing to employment growth.
Together, these figures and continued demand for social-sector services indicate a generally stable outlook for qualified non-profit and social-management professionals in Germany.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's or Diplom degree | International applicants need a foreign qualification individually assessed as equivalent to a German bachelor's or Diplom degree in social work, social pedagogy or an equivalent or related field. The previous programme must normally comprise at least six semesters or 180 credits. |
| Relevant academic background | Accepted subject backgrounds may include social work, social pedagogy, childhood education, sociology, health and social management, social economics or business studies with a social-sector focus. Equivalence and subject relevance are reviewed individually. |
| Previous degree grade | Applicants with a final grade of 3.6 or lower on the German grading scale may still be considered if they successfully demonstrate their suitability for the master's programme during a placement or assessment interview. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work or Social Pedagogy | Direct match | A recognised bachelor's or Diplom degree with at least six semesters or 180 credits is subject to an individual equivalence review for foreign qualifications. |
| Childhood Education, Sociology or Social Economics | Related match | Admission may be granted when the foreign degree is assessed as equivalent and sufficiently related to social-sector management. |
| Health and Social Management | Related match | The degree may satisfy the subject requirement when it is recognised as equivalent to a German bachelor's or Diplom qualification. |
| Business Studies with a Social-Sector Focus | Conditional match | Applicants may qualify when their previous curriculum demonstrates a clear social, welfare or social-economy specialisation. The university makes the final decision through individual review. |
Language requirements
The programme is taught in German. DIPLOMA Hochschule does not publish a programme-specific minimum German-language certificate or minimum score on the official programme pages.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 11820 / total program | Rate model III consists of 60 monthly payments of EUR 197. DIPLOMA also publishes alternative plans of 48 monthly payments of EUR 227 or 30 monthly payments of EUR 327. |
| Examination fee | EUR 985 / one time | A one-time examination fee is charged in addition to the selected tuition instalment plan. |
Proof of financial resources
International students who require a German study visa must demonstrate sufficient financial resources for living costs. The financial evidence is separate from the tuition fees charged by DIPLOMA Hochschule.
- A blocked account containing at least EUR 11,904 for 2026, corresponding to EUR 1,091 per month.
- A formal declaration of commitment may be accepted as an alternative form of financial evidence under German immigration rules.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | Around eight weeks before semester start | Around eight weeks before semester start |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 | April 01, 2027 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Review your academic eligibility
Confirm that you hold a bachelor's or Diplom qualification in social work, social pedagogy or a sufficiently related subject. A foreign degree must be equivalent to a German qualification comprising at least six semesters or 180 credits. Compare your transcript and module content with the listed subject backgrounds. DIPLOMA Hochschule assesses the equivalence of foreign qualifications individually.
Prepare your application documents
Collect your passport, degree certificate, complete transcripts and curriculum vitae. Include detailed curriculum or module descriptions when they are needed to establish the relevance of your previous degree. Documents that are not in German may require certified translations. Ensure that scans are complete, clear and consistent with the personal information entered in your application.
Submit the online registration
Complete the official DIPLOMA registration process and select the Sozialmanagement Master of Arts with Non Profit Management as your preferred specialisation. Applications are accepted throughout the year because the university does not publish fixed application deadlines for this programme. DIPLOMA recommends submitting complete documents around eight weeks before the intended semester begins. The regular study starts are April and October.
Complete the individual admission review
The university reviews the equivalence, duration and subject relevance of your foreign degree. Applicants whose previous grade is 3.6 or lower on the German scale may be invited to demonstrate their suitability in an assessment interview. Respond promptly if admissions requests additional academic records or module descriptions. Admission is confirmed only after the individual review is completed.
Confirm enrolment and arrange finances
After admission, choose one of the published tuition instalment models and complete the enrolment requirements stated by DIPLOMA Hochschule. International applicants who need a German visa must also prepare separate evidence of living expenses. The tuition plan does not include the one-time examination fee. Keep copies of the admission confirmation, payment agreement and financial evidence for your records.