ADMISSIONS

No separate application is required.

Applicants to the Master of Social Work (MSW) or Master of Science in Social Policy (MSSP) must apply by December 1. Applicants to the Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (NPL) program must apply by December 15.

The online application for all master’s and doctoral programs opens in mid to late September of the year prior to your first term at SP2. You can read more about how to apply to SP2 here or access the online application here.

To be eligible for consideration, the applicant must have:

• Applied by the priority deadlines below to one of SP2’s three master’s degree programs: Master of Social Work (MSW), Master of Science in Social Policy (MSSP), or Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (NPL)
• Demonstrated financial need
• Demonstrated an interest in and capacity for social justice leadership

Preference will be given to candidates who:

• Self-identify as BIPOC 
• Graduated from a historically Black college or university (HBCU) or a minority-serving institution (MSI)

SP2 welcomed the first cohort of Social Justice Scholars in the fall of 2021 and the second cohort in the fall of 2022.

A transformative $12.5 million commitment in support of SP2 announced in June 2022 will support the Social Justice Scholars Program and endow a new scholarship program focused on social innovation to be announced in spring of 2023. The commitment will fund 12 full-tuition scholarships annually in social justice and social innovation.

The support includes a $7.5 million commitment from an anonymous donor, one of the largest gifts ever made to SP2, to increase scholarships for graduate students who are committed to social innovation and social justice, including those from historically underrepresented backgrounds. This support is combined with an additional $5 million in matching funds from the University.

The resources propel SP2’s mission and the heart of social justice at Penn, providing unprecedented support to produce the future leaders our world needs in social work, social policy, and nonprofit leadership, in an era in which inequities have been exacerbated.

SP2 is aiming to train the next generation of leadership that will create new pathways in social policy and practice. SP2 firmly believes that the knowledge, experience, and perspectives of a more diverse student body can help to forge new ways of approaching social problems and challenge the status quo. In today’s complex world, where injustice and inequity remain deeply entrenched, the need for passionate social change agents is more urgent than ever.

Donors who make gifts in increments of $500,000 can take advantage of a dollar for dollar match to name and endow from one to five Social Justice Scholars. Additionally, term gifts can be made in any amount to support both the scholarship and programming for this initiative. Contact Kristen de Paor or click here to learn more about giving to SP2.