CSWE-accredited DSWDSWPhDPrivate nonprofitSchool of Social Policy & Practice
What Social Work Doctorates Does Penn Offer?
Penn in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania offers 2 social work doctorates: Doctor of Clinical Social Work (DSW) and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD), taught hybrid and on campus. CSWE lists the practice doctorate as accredited. DSW tuition: 2026-27: $7,575 per course unit plus $162 per course unit online services fee. The PhD is funded, with tuition covered and a stipend or assistantship.
Five-day immersion on the Philadelphia campus at the start of the first semester (late August/early September) and a four-day residency in the fall of year two
Credits
12 course units
Length
Typically three years; can be earned in as little as two years
Final project
Dissertation (traditional chapter-style or two publishable articles) and dissertation defense
Degree you need
Master's degree in social work from an accredited social work degree program
Practice experience
Three years of post-MSW practice experience
GRE
Standardized tests are not required
Start terms
Fall
Tuition
2026-27: $7,575 per course unit plus $162 per course unit online services feeProgram tuition, per credit, 2026-27. Source: sp2.upenn.edu, reviewed October 10, 2026.
CSWE status
AccreditedCSWE practice doctorate directory, September 30, 2026.
Comprehensive exams and dissertation defended before a dissertation committee
Degree you need
Master's degree in social work or a relevant field
GRE
Standardized tests are not required
Funding
Four years of support in the form of tuition, fees, individual health insurance, and a ten-month research and teaching stipend
Tuition
2026-27: years 1-2 tuition $46,540 plus $4,268 general fee and $770 clinical fee per year; dissertation status years 3-4 tuition $5,818 plus $1,064 general fee and $770 clinical fee per yearProgram tuition, per year, 2026-27. Source: sp2.upenn.edu, reviewed October 10, 2026.
Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
How Penn Compares
Doctor of Clinical Social Work (DSW) asks for 3 years of post-master's practice, against a median of 2 among DSWs that state a figure.
Penn states that its PhD students are funded, like 46 of the 77 social work PhDs on this site.
Is Penn's DSW CSWE-Accredited?
CSWE lists Penn's practice doctorate as accredited in its directory (captured September 30, 2026). Of the 38 DSW programs on this site, 4 hold full CSWE accreditation.
CSWE doesn't accredit research doctorates, so the PhD carries no CSWE status; PhD programs are covered by the university's institutional accreditation.
Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 44.0701) count 16 social work doctorates awarded by Penn in 2022-23. By research doctorates, that places it 8th of 80 schools on this site that awarded any. These are awards conferred, not graduates or outcomes, and newer programs show none yet.
More Social Work Doctorates in Pennsylvania and Bordering States
CSWE lists Penn's practice doctorate as accredited in its directory (captured September 30, 2026). Of the 38 DSW programs on this site, 4 hold full CSWE accreditation.
Can You Earn Penn's DSW and PhD Online?
No. Doctor of Clinical Social Work (DSW) and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD) are taught hybrid and on campus: five-day immersion on the Philadelphia campus at the start of the first semester (late August/early September) and a four-day residency in the fall of year two.
How Much Does Penn's DSW and PhD Cost?
Doctor of Clinical Social Work (DSW): 2026-27: $7,575 per course unit plus $162 per course unit online services fee. Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD): 2026-27: years 1-2 tuition $46,540 plus $4,268 general fee and $770 clinical fee per year; dissertation status years 3-4 tuition $5,818 plus $1,064 general fee and $770 clinical fee per year.
Is Penn's PhD in Social Work Funded?
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD): Four years of support in the form of tuition, fees, individual health insurance, and a ten-month research and teaching stipend.
What Do You Need to Apply to Penn's DSW and PhD?
Doctor of Clinical Social Work (DSW): Master's degree in social work from an accredited social work degree program. Three years of post-MSW practice experience. Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD): Master's degree in social work or a relevant field.
Does Penn Require the GRE?
Doctor of Clinical Social Work (DSW): Standardized tests are not required. Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD): Standardized tests are not required.
How Long Does Penn's DSW and PhD Take?
Doctor of Clinical Social Work (DSW): Typically three years; can be earned in as little as two years (12 course units). Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD): Typically 4-5 years.
Every program on this site was checked on the school's own website in October 2026. CSWE status for practice doctorates comes only from the Council on Social Work Education's own directory, and program size from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS) doctoral completions. Sponsored listings are labeled as ads and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs