Graduate education at Penn has a long and distinguished history, beginning with Penn's first Ph.D. program in 1870. The Graduate Division School of Arts & Sciences was established in 1882, and awarded its first Ph.D. in 1889.
 

Today, the Graduate Division of Arts & Sciences is one of nine graduate schools at Penn and, along with the Undergraduate College and the Division of Professional and Liberal Education, comprise the School of Arts and Sciences, the largest of the University's twelve schools. The Grad Division is home to more than thirty graduate groups and offers the degrees of Master of Arts (A.M.), Master of Science (M.S), Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

"The University of Pennsylvania offers graduate students the opportunity to study with preeminent scholars in an academic environment that prioritizes individual mentoring and professional development. We are a diverse and inclusive community with world-class libraries, laboratories, museums and archives. Our faculty is committed to collaboration and innovation and to training the next generation of scholars and global citizens."

- Beth S. Wenger, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies