About | The third sector

Course Syllabus, Schedule, Design and Assessment

We take you on a journey from the wider environment including the wider social and economic system in which third sector organisations operate in, before narrowing it down to the more day-to-day operations of organisations in the sector.

Unit 1: The environment in which third sector organisations operate in (60 minutes + 40 minutes of tasks)

1.1. Our beliefs and assumptions about the third sector (45 mins)

1.2. What does the sector look like and what does it do? (10 mins + 20 mins tasks)

1.3. Summary of the unit and reflection on its content (5 mins + 20 mins tasks)

Unit 2: Characteristics of third sector organisations (65 minutes + 50 minutes of tasks)

2.1. How are organisations run in the sector? (35 mins + 30 mins tasks)

2.2. The unique challenges of the sector (20 mins)

2.3. Summary of the unit and reflection on its content (10 mins + 20 mins tasks)

Unit 3: Working in the third sector (90 minutes)

3.1. Values-based sector (25 mins)

3.2. The downsides and benefits of working in the sector (45 mins)

3.3. Summary of the unit and reflection on its content (20 mins)

The table summarises the instructional design features of this course. Of note is that you do the course on your own, in your own time, and there are no formal summative assessments on this course, though you are encouraged to participate in the formative assessment tasks, some of which come with automated feedback.

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Course Description

This course explores the third sector (or charity, voluntary, nonprofit, or not-for-profit sector, or whatever name you know it by), allowing those taking this course to develop a basic understanding of some of the core features, functions and characteristics of the sector and the organisations operating within it. The course consists of video and written content that has been created from interviews with individuals who have engaged or continue to engage with the third sector. Therefore, the course allows participants to dip into the lived experiences of others, in addition to providing a more generic understanding about the sector.

Our primary target group is students who intend to engage with the third sector in some way, e.g. through their academic studies such as consultancy projects, or extracurricular activities such as internships, as a way of helping such individuals prepare for their work with the sector. This could be university, college or high school students. The secondary target group is professionals that wish to engage with the sector (e.g. academic staff who want to develop mutually beneficial relationships with third sector organisations, or others in wider society who want to provide consultancy for the sector). Finally, as the course aims to provide basic information for anyone interested in third sector activities and organisations, it is open for anyone who wishes to develop their understanding about this.

While the course is open for anyone, the original rationale for developing this course was to provide mainly university students, and mainly those from a business background (e.g. students at business schools, such as our Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow) with information that may help broaden their world view (e.g. business and management is not just for private sector industry), or help overcome potential biases about the sector (e.g. the sector is not just run by volunteers), or help develop a basic grasp of the challenges facing the sector and to increase confidence in engaging with the sector (e.g. there is no reason why management tools and techniques cannot be used in third sector organisations, but there may be some inherent challenges that make these more difficult to implement).

Course Aim and Intended Learning Outcomes

This course aims to provide a basic understanding of the third sector for audiences with little or no knowledge of the sector. It further aims to create a picture of the lived experiences of those within the sector.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Identify types of organisations in the sector
Describe the core characteristics of the sector, and recognize which attributes are common with and which differ to other sectors (mainly profit-generating businesses)
Recognise and discuss the needs and dynamics of the sector
Identify the possible challenges of working in the sector and evaluate your own capacity to do so

"It’s about having a core place to start, that makes students feel comfortable that they’ve got enough context, and it gives them the confidence to develop their own questions from that, and shows that it’s a really interesting and exciting area where they can make a difference."
Helen

Course description

Course Syllabus, Schedule, Design and Assessment

Course Description

Course Aim and Intended Learning Outcomes

"It’s about having a core place to start, that makes students feel comfortable that they’ve got enough context, and it gives them the confidence to develop their own questions from that, and shows that it’s a really interesting and exciting area where they can make a difference." Helen

"It’s about having a core place to start, that makes students feel comfortable that they’ve got enough context, and it gives them the confidence to develop their own questions from that, and shows that it’s a really interesting and exciting area where they can make a difference."
Helen