WHY SP2?
The passionate pursuit of social innovation, social impact, and social good.

Excellence & Rigor
SP2 brings together top-ranked social work degrees with innovative policy and leadership programs that dig deep into social innovation, big data, and other trends reshaping social policy and practice. Our faculty are highly respected practitioners conducting groundbreaking research in areas like homelessness and restorative entrepreneurship. They are equal parts scholar, teacher, and mentor, and are dedicated to working for fairness and impact.
Transdisciplinary Collaboration
When it comes to charting a course that’s truly your own, nothing compares to the University of Pennsylvania. Our Ivy League ecosystem encompasses 12 different professional schools. That means unique dual degrees, certificate programs and specializations, and interdisciplinary collaborations within and outside of Penn.
Practicum Education
Bringing classroom knowledge out into the real world is a key part of SP2 experience, and there’s no better place to do it than our home base of Philadelphia. Our students grapple with a range of real-world challenges in nonprofits, hospitals, and social service agencies doing important, innovative work through practicums, internships, and research collaborations.
A Welcoming Community at Our Core
Throughout its history, SP2 has been committed to understanding and embracing differences. As a school, we are dedicated to combatting discrimination in our educational programs; interactions with colleagues, students, and external partners; and school culture.

Events
04/11
Accepted Students Open House (On-Campus)
This open house will be an excellent opportunity for accepted students to hear from our faculty, staff, program directors, and the Dean. Accepted students will also have the opportunity to […]
Events
04/16
4th Annual Art@SP2 Exhibit: Practice & Possibility
Practice & Possibility is a participatory art exhibition that centers the lived experiences shaping our commitments to social policy and practice at SP2. Featuring photography and artwork from students, faculty, and […]
News
Faculty & Research
04/09

Equipping Students and Nonprofits for Impact: A Q&A with Dr. ChiaKo Hung
In this Q&A, SP2 Assistant Professor Dr. ChiaKo Hung reflects on what makes teaching at SP2 meaningful, the impact his research aims to have, and his favorite way to spend time in Philadelphia.