Education. Action. Impact.
PRACTICE AND RESEARCH FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
FACTS AND FIGURES
Committed to inclusion, excellence, and impact.
250k
Number of hours spent in internships and practicums each year
500+
Number of available field placements, internships, and practicum sites
#8
U.S. News & World Report ranking for Best Grad School Social Work Program
98%
Percentage of students who applied for & received financial assistance
7.8k+
SP2 alumni network
News
Faculty & Research
01/07
SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton to deliver keynote at SSWR conference with 40+ SP2-led sessions
Collaboration as innovation will be the theme of an address by Keynote Speaker Dr. Desmond Upton Patton of Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) 2025 Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington.
News
Faculty & Research
12/20
Journey to Joy
In a joint class within SP2 and the Annenberg School for Communication, Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor Desmond Upton Patton invites students to seek fulfillment in less tangible forms and dream big in Journey to Joy: Designing a Happier Life.
News
Faculty & Research
12/17
Paper on philanthropic strategies wins editors’ prize for three SP2-affiliated authors
The first author of the paper is Dr. H. Daniel Heist, a graduate of SP2’s PhD in Social Welfare Program. He is joined by SP2 Professor Ram Cnaan and fellow SP2 PhD graduate Dr. Megan M. Farwell.
Student Voices
Perspectives from our student community.
Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (NPL)
Master of Social Work (MSW) & Master of Science in Social Policy (MSSP)
Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (NPL)
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Pursue Your Passion
Master’s PROGRAMS
Our diverse master’s programs equip you with the theoretical skills and practical experience you need to make a lifetime of impact.
DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
Prepare to make your mark as an advanced social work scholar or practitioner through our rigorous PhD and DSW programs.
Dual degree PROGRAMS
We partner with other schools from across Penn to offer dual degrees in a range of different disciplines.
certificate PROGRAMS & specializations
Enhance and deepen your SP2 experience by digging deep into a specific sub-specialty or area of interest.
interdisciplinary partnerships
Unique partnerships with organizations at Penn and around the world provide novel opportunities for transdisciplinary collaboration.
GIVING
Support SP2
When you give to SP2, you ensure our faculty, students, and alumni have the resources they need to be driving forces for positive change in child welfare, homelessness, mental health, public health policy, racial and gender equity, and more.
INCLUSION
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Our commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression, intersectionality, and social justice is at the core of everything we do.
Research Areas
We’re conducting groundbreaking, transdisciplinary research that explores the root causes of oppression and inequality – and works to produce innovative, effective solutions.
Alumni Leaders
Naimat Chopra, MSSP+DA ’22
Ms. Naimat Chopra has a decade of extensive experience collaborating with prominent international organizations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, GIZ, OECD, and UNDP. Her expertise lies in providing strategic knowledge leadership, designing effective business strategies, and executing on-the-ground assignments across Asia and Africa.
Student Stories
Sandhya Rani Jha, MPP, MDiv
Sandhya Jha is a PhD student at the School of Social Policy and Practice and a Presidential Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. Their areas of interest include the impact of grassroots social movements on public policy and engaging the intersection of race and class in developing models of deep democracy and governance.