MS in Social Policy
Program Description
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The MS in Social Policy is an 11 month program spanning three semesters of study, although some students may elect to extend the program over a longer period of time. Courses in the full-time MS in Social Policy program begin in September and continue through July. The content of the 10 credit unit (CU) program is divided between: a) required courses (6 CUs); b) two thematic electives related to the student’s choice of a specialized area of social policy analysis (2 CUs); and a two-semester Capstone Seminar (2 CUs) which will culminate in the preparation of a graduate-level Capstone Seminar Report (CSR) on a social policy topic of specialized interest to the student. Connected to the Capstone is an advanced social policy internship of at least 15 hours per week, over a 6-8 week period, in an organization linked to the student’s area of specialized study in social policy (0 CU).
When appropriate, students are encouraged to take their thematic elective courses beyond the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), in other University of Pennsylvania departments and schools.
In every case, the student’s progress in meeting the program’s requirements will be guided by a written Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) developed jointly by the student and the student’s academic advisor.
