Education. Action. Impact.
PRACTICE AND RESEARCH FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
FACTS AND FIGURES
Committed to inclusion, excellence, and impact.
250k
Number of hours spent in field placements, 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
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.
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.
Alumni Leaders
Amber Hikes, MSW’08
Amber Hikes (they/she) is a social justice advocate, community organizer, TED Talk speaker, and unapologetically queer and Black. As the ACLU’s deputy executive director for strategy & culture, Amber serves as chief counselor and principal partner to the executive director, overseeing the critical functions of organizational strategic planning and programmatic priority setting.
Student Stories
Jessica Aldrich Strassman, MSW, LCSW, Doctorate in Clinical Social Work ’22
The qualitative study of Jesse’s dissertation, a cross-disciplinary study between SP2 and Penn’s history department, explores how trauma narratives from a World War II population experiencing expulsion, flight, and immigration are experienced by subsequent generations.
Research Areas
We’re conducting groundbreaking, transdisciplinary research that explores the root causes of oppression and inequality – and works to produce innovative, effective solutions.
Events
04/28
NPL Student-Led Nonprofit Leadership Retreat
NPL students will enjoy a spring day at the Morris Arboretum! Lunch will be provided. After soaking up the natural wonders of the arboretum, participants will head over to Triple […]
Events
04/29
AI: Turning Things Towards Social Good in an Era of Fast-paced Change- Virtual Workshop
Matt Williams, born and raised in Philadelphia, is dedicated to working on data-based projects and enterprises. He serves as the Chief Technical Officer of Technical Difficulties AI. Matt and Keith […]
News
Faculty & Research
04/23
Exploring sustainable development & the human impact of natural disasters
What factors allow people to prepare for and recover from natural disasters? Dr. Chenyi Ma, a research assistant professor at Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), conducts interdisciplinary research that investigates the role of inequality in disasters’ impact and points to policy solutions.