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
02/10
Making Secondary Data Work for You: Innovative Methods for Leveraging National Violent Death Data
Secondary data offers powerful opportunities for research—but it also comes with constraints. How can scholars push beyond these limitations? Join experts Millan AbiNader, PhD, MSW, Laurie Graham, PhD, MSW, and Julie Kafka, PhD, MPH for a dynamic discussion on innovative methods for analyzing intimate partner violence-related fatalities using the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS).
Events
02/17
![Petersen.m[final]](https://sp2.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Petersen.MFinal-496x271.jpg)
The Art of Successful Fundraising: Stories and Strategies That Lead to a YES
Are you thinking about a career in fundraising – or know that it will be part of your future nonprofit role? Imagine starting this work with the real-world insights most […]
News
Faculty & Research
01/28
Planning ahead in an age of longevity
Tamara J. Cadet of the School of Social Policy & Practice discusses strategies for preparing—financially and physically— for an extended lifespan.