PhD in Social Welfare
Bring your intellect, curiosity, and creativity to tackling complex social challenges.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD) Program will transform you into a scholar well-equipped to identify and solve social problems – both close to home and around the world. Grounded in innovation and academic rigor, the SP2 PhD allows you to explore diverse perspectives and approaches to social work, social welfare research, social policy, social theory, and social justice.
The SP2 Difference
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A highly selective program for students with a proven record of academic excellence and strong potential to contribute to their field
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Instruction and mentoring from world-class faculty researchers and practitioners in multiple disciplines
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Four years of support in the form of tuition, fees, individual health insurance, and stipend
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Access to Penn’s vast institutional resources
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A diverse global alumni network in academia and industry, government, nonprofits, think tanks, and research institutes
World-Class Faculty
The PhD program faculty are here to help you shape your specific area of expertise, drawing on their own decades of scholarship, teaching, and experience in areas including mental health, queer studies, sex work, homelessness, incarceration, gerontology, foster youth, and more.
Curriculum
Coursework provides students with core knowledge and skills as well as the opportunity to develop a specific expertise area. Papers and projects in core courses, combined with strategically selected electives, ensure a broad understanding of the field as well as deep study in the theoretical and empirical aspects of a specific area.
Students work with their academic advisors to develop an individualized plan for five electives. Graduate-level electives can be taken in any Penn department. At least one of these electives must be an advanced methods course, such as advanced statistical methods or qualitative research methodology.
Full Time
Courses may be offered in varying order and year of program. Students are notified of such arrangements well in advance. Curriculum is subject to change.
First Year
- SOCW 8110: Social Theory
- SOCW 8520: Social Welfare Research Methods
- SOCW 9010: Proseminar
- SOCW 6300: Quantitative Reasoning/Social Statistics
- SOCW 8030: Advanced History and Philosophy of Social Welfare
- SOCW 8540: Introduction to Qualitative Research: Epistemology, Design, and Analytic Judgement
- SOCW 9010: Proseminar
- SOCW 8970: Applied Linear Modeling
Second Year
- SOCW 8610: Advanced Policy Analysis Research Methods or elective
- SOCW 9010: Proseminar
- Theory Course or Elective
- Advanced Methods Course or Elective
- SOCW 9010: Proseminar
- Theory course or elective
- Advanced methods course or elective
- Elective
Third & Fourth Years
- Dissertation research & writing
- Teaching practicum
Your Experience
Research
You’ll devote 15 hours per week to a research fellowship during your first year and 20 hours per week during your second through fourth years. You typically begin by working with your first-year advisor to identify research experiences that align with your skills and interests. To develop a broad range of methodological skills, we encourage students to work on multiple faculty projects as well as their own research.
Advising
Each student is assigned a doctoral advisor upon entering the program. At the end of their first year, students are encouraged to assess the arrangement and decide whether to continue with that faculty member or to choose another advisor from among the Graduate Group faculty. The advisor helps the student prepare an individual educational plan, choose courses, form a dissertation committee, and become familiar with SP2 and Penn’s wide array of educational resources. Students are responsible for initiating meetings with their advisors at regular intervals.
Please see University guidelines(opens in a new tab) for best practices around academic advising and building strong mentor relationships.
Exams
After completing all required coursework, typically at the end of the second year, students must take the Preliminary Exam.
After completing the required coursework and passing the Preliminary Exam, students defend their dissertation proposal. Upon a successful defense, students become PhD candidates.
A dissertation defense serves as the program’s final examination. Passing this defense completes all degree requirements.
Dissertation Committee
With assistance from their faculty advisor, students select a Dissertation Chair who advises them on selecting a Dissertation Committee. The Committee consists of at least three persons: two members of the Graduate Group in Social Welfare and one member of the standing faculty from another department/school of the University of Pennsylvania. The Dissertation Committee chair must be a member of the Graduate Group.
The Dissertation Committee is responsible for approving the candidate’s dissertation research plan and the format of the dissertation. The committee determines the acceptability of the completed dissertation.
Students are responsible for initiating regular meetings with their dissertation chair and committee members.
Advising
Please see University guidelines(opens in a new tab) and the Advisee and Advisor Guide for SP2 PhD Students for best practices around academic advising and building strong mentor relationships
Graduate Group in Social Welfare
Sara (Sally) Bachman, PhD
Dean, School of Social Policy & Practice
Yoosun Park, PhD
Chair, School of Social Policy & Practice
Millan AbiNader, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
LauraEllen Ashcraft, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Perelman School of Medicine
Joretha Bourjolly, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Kathleen Brown, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Penn Arts & Sciences, Department of History
Tamara Cadet, PhD, LCSW, MPH
School of Social Policy & Practice
Amy Castro, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Sanya Carley, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Stuart Weitzman School of Design
Wendy Chan, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Graduate School of Education
Ram A. Cnaan, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Jacqueline Corcoran, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Katherine Courtright, MD, MSHP(opens in a new tab)
Perelman School of Medicine
Dennis P. Culhane, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Meredith Doherty, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Malitta J. Engstrom, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Peter Frumkin, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Toorjo Ghose, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Roberto Gonzales, PhD(opens in a new tab)
School of Arts & Sciences, Sociology
Johanna Greeson, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Femida Handy, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Amy Hillier, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
ChiaKo Hung, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
John L. Jackson, Jr., PhD(opens in a new tab)
Annenberg School of Communication
Samantha Matlin, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Perelman School of Medicine, Public Health
Ioana E. Marinescu, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD, MPH, ML, MRA(opens in a new tab)
Perelman School of Medicine
Jisung Park, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Desmond Patton, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Jennifer Prah, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Rand Quinn, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Graduate School of Education
Sharon Ravitch, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Graduate School of Education
Abigail Ross, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Lisa Schwartz, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Perelman School of Medicine
Dominic Sisti, PhD(opens in a new tab)
Perelman School of Medicine
Phyllis L. Solomon, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Karen Tani, JD/Ph.D.(opens in a new tab)
Carey Law/Penn Arts & Sciences, Department of History
Allison Werner-Lin, PhD, AM, EdM, LCSW
School of Social Policy & Practice
Alice Xu, PhD
School of Social Policy & Practice
Career Success
Our PhD graduates go on to hold prestigious positions in academia, government, nonprofit organizations, think tanks, research firms, and more. Here are just some of the places where our recent graduates have found full-time employment:
- Columbia University, School of Nursing
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, School of Social Work
- Hong Kong University, Department of Social Work
- McGill University, School of Social Work
- New York University, School of Social Work
- Rutgers University, School of Social Work
- Temple University, Graduate School of Social Work
- University of Massachusetts, School of Public Policy
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
- University of Toronto, School of Social Work
- Yonsei University
- American Federation of Teachers
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- National Institute on Poverty
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Inspector General
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorney
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center to End Homelessness
Awards & Honors
Shana Merrill
- American Board of Genetic Counseling, up to $50,000
Alexandra Schepens
- Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31), National Institutes of Health, 9/1/2014 – 8/31/2017, $105,409
- Yoga Intervention for Substance Use and ART Adherence in Community Reentry.
Chelsea K. Brown, MSW, LCSW, PhD Anticipated Graduate ‘27
Awarded the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31) which provides
predoctoral individuals with supervised research training in specified health and health-
related areas leading toward the research degree (e.g., Ph.D.).
Michael L. Shier, PhD’15
- Received the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools (NAGS) for the Doctoral Dissertation Award for 2015-2016. Each year NAGS recognizes an outstanding dissertation that has been produced by a PhD candidate at one of its member institutions. The $1,000 award is presented at the annual meeting.
Staci Perlman, MSW’01, PhD’10
- Selected by the American Psychological Association Section on Child Maltreatment to receive the Early Career Award in the Field of Child Maltreatment. This award recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to the field within eight years of receiving a terminal degree and who have demonstrated the potential to continue such contributions. One award is made each year to a practitioner or researcher whose work has demonstrated an influence on the field of child maltreatment.
Sara Wiesel-Cullen, PhD ‘11
- Awarded honorable mention for the best dissertation from the Society for Social Work Research. Her dissertation chair was Professor Phyllis Solomon. Washington, DC: January 2012.
Joanna Bisgaier, PhD ’11
- Received the 2012 Student Research Award for Social Work Research from GADE (Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education). Shown are Jill Duerr Berrick, awards committee chair; Joanna Bisgaier; Karin Rhodes, Joanna’s dissertation chair; and Kia Bentley, Chair Elect of GADE. Washington, DC: January 2012.
The Hal Levin Award
Presented to a meritorious doctoral student who is continuing the process of completing coursework. All students enrolled in classes at the time of award nominations and who have passed their preliminary exams are eligible to be nominated. The recipient is chosen by nomination and voting of the SP2 faculty. Dr. Herman (Hal) Levin was a professor in the School of Social Work.
Recent Recipients
- 2025-2026: Tony Shaw
- 2024-2025: Joonhyeog Park
- 2023-2024: Husel Husile
- 2022-2023: Samaita Jana and Codi Smith
- 2021-2022: John Gyourko
- 2020-2021: Jessica Cho Kim
- 2019-2020: Michelle Mullen
- 2018-2019: Viviana Chiu-Sik Wu
- 2017-2018: Allison Russell
Gloria Chisum Fellowship
Recognizes promising new and continuing doctoral students from populations historically underrepresented in PhD education. Students are nominated and selected on the basis of their academic achievements and promise as future scholars in their field. The fellowship honors the legacy of Gloria Twine, PhD.
- 2025-2026: Sam Bello
- 2024-2025: Tony Shaw
Presidential PhD Fellows(opens in a new tab)
- Christopher Wodicka
- Sandhya Jha
- Sharon Zanti
- Jessica Kim
- Rebecca Pepe
- Mira Phillips
Fontaine Fellows
The Fontaine Society honors the legacy of former Penn Professor William Fontaine by supporting the academic development of PhD students whose background, research, and experiences demonstrate an interest and capacity to enhance Penn’s vibrant and welcoming learning community
- Abram Lyons
- Codi Smith (Fontaine Society Secretary)
- Chelsea Brown
- Ayana Colvin
- Tony Shaw
- Vanessa Kopp
- Sebastian Prandoni
- Sam Bello
Penn Healthcare Innovation Challenge
Frank R. Bruel Memorial Prize
Social Service Review recently announced that the 2022 Frank R. Bruel Memorial Prize has been awarded to Aaron Gottlieb and SP2 graduate Kalen Flynn MSW ’09, PhD ’18. The prize honors their article, “The Legacy of Slavery and Mass Incarceration: Evidence from Felony Case Outcomes.”
Featured Alumni
Rosemary (Rosie) Frasso, PhD ’11
“I spent many years working in healthcare and saw how social drivers of health lead to poor outcomes for so many people. I wanted training that would prepare me to have a greater impact. At SP2, I found my niche; I learned to use rigorous research approaches to amplify the voices of patients and communities, ensuring that interventions were informed by their perspectives and responsive to their needs.”
Eligibility & Admissions
SP2 seeks students from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate a commitment to social good and are prepared for graduate-level study. Review the eligibility requirements to determine which program track is right for you.
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare Program FAQs
Faculty and doctoral students at Penn SP2 conduct research across a wide range of areas relevant to social policy and practice. The program encourages interdisciplinary collaboration across Penn’s schools and research centers.
Admitted doctoral students in the PhD in Social Welfare program receive a multi-year funding package that includes tuition coverage, stipend, and health insurance.
Most students complete the PhD in Social Welfare in 4–5 years. The program includes two to three years of coursework followed by comprehensive exams and dissertation research. The program provides mentorship and milestones throughout to support timely completion.
PhD graduates typically pursue faculty positions at research universities and schools of social work, as well as research and policy leadership roles at government agencies, think tanks, foundations, and health systems. The program prepares graduates to produce rigorous scholarship and translate research into practice and policy.
PhD students receive training in a range of social theories and both quantitative and qualitative research methods both in-house and across the university. The program is designed to encourage students to take theory and methods courses and to draw upon faculty expertise in multiple disciplines.
Applicants submit an application through Penn’s graduate application system. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to attend an applicant information session offered during the Fall semester.
