MS in Nonprofit Leadership

Juris Doctor

The Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership/Juris Doctor (NPL/JD) is a joint program sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania Law School (Penn Law) and the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) at the University of Pennsylvania. The NPL/JD prepares students who aspire to assume positions of leadership in law and nonprofits. Students leave the program with the skills needed to transform nonprofits, social enterprises, and international NGOs. Additionally, the program’s graduates learn how to use new thinking and innovative approaches to address long-term challenges across the social impact sector enabling them to be change-makers in their organizations and ultimately to lead social change. Students build a foundation in leadership, philanthropy/fundraising, and social innovation which complements their legal work.

Program Sequencing

The joint degree is best earned when Year 1 is spent at the Law School, completing the standard and required 1L curriculum. Years 2 and 3 are spent in residence at the Law School but taking courses in both SP2 and Law.

There may be an opportunity for students to complete NPL course work in the Spring Semester of the 1L year (in lieu of the Law School’s 1L “general elective”) and during the summer between Years 1 and 2.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Students pay tuition to Penn Law. However, students will be responsible for tuition for courses taken in Social Policy & Practice over and above the four courses that are countable toward the JD degree. If summer courses are arranged, students will pay tuition directly to SP2 for those courses.

Financial aid decisions are made independently by each school, but with consultation as necessary to fairly steward University resources.

Contact Us

Adam Roth-Saks, MSEd

Administrative Director, MS in Nonprofit Leadership

215 573 2390 

Renee Post

Director of Admissions, Law School

rpost@upenn.edu

For currently enrolled students: Amanda S. Aronoff

Associate Director of Cross-Disciplinary Programs at Penn Law

aramanda@law.upenn.edu