Admissions

BA/MSW Joint Degree Program

Program Overview and Advantages

  • The BA/MSW Program offers students a unique opportunity to complete the BA/MSW in 5 years. (Three undergraduate and two graduate/professional)
  • The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
  • Students must major in Health and Human Services within the UB Interdisciplinary Degree Program of the College of Arts and Sciences.
  • Select students are eligible to apply to the MSW program for their senior year.
  • Students graduate with a joint BA/MSW degree. It is fully equivalent to the MSW degree.
  • This is a highly competitive program to prepare motivated students for advanced practice in Social Work.

Undergraduate Requirements

  • Students must complete a minimum of 93 undergraduate credits.
  • Students must apply as majors in the Interdisciplinary Degree Program in the UB College of Arts and Sciences.
  • Students complete a total of 11 of 15 required UB IDP-HHS courses.
  • General education program must be completed.
  • Undergraduate GPA must be 3.0 or greater.
  • Applicants are required to have significant employment or volunteer experience in a human service setting.
  • Students must have completed 24 credits in liberal arts coursework  and a course in Human Biology (see MSW admission requirements).

MSW Graduate Curriculum Requirements

First Year Fall Semester:

SW 500 Social Welfare History and Policy 
SW 505 Theories of Human Behavior and Development
SW 510 Scientific Methods in Social Work
SW 520 Interventions I
SW 550 Field I & First Year Practicum 1 Seminar

Spring

SW 503 Diversity and Oppression
SW 506 Theories of Organizational Behavior and Development
SW 514 Evaluation in Social Work
SW 521 Interventions II
SW 551 Field II & First Year Practicum 2 Seminar

Second Year Fall Semester:

SW 542 Perspectives on Trauma and Human Rights
SW *** Advanced Interventions (choose one)
SW *** Advanced Topic Analysis (choose one)
SW 552 Field III

Spring

SW *** Advanced Topic Analysis (choose one)
SW *** Professional Development Seminar
SW *** Electives (9 credits total)
SW 553 Field IV

  • Course descriptions, curriculum, and application details can be found through the MSW Program home page.
  • The MSW program is a 60 credit hour program completed in two years fulltime.

Application Process

  • Potential applicants must first meet with the Director of the UB IDP-HHS program to confirm undergraduate requirements will be met before starting graduate coursework.
  • The Director of the UB IDP-HHS program will complete and forward a letter of candidacy eligibility to the MSW program.
  • Applicants must complete an online application, then gather and submit together all additional application requirements;
    1. Three letters of reference
    2. A personal statement essay
    3. All official undergraduate transcripts (except UB)
    4. An application fee
  • Applications must be completed and submitted to the School of Social Work by March 1.

For questions related to undergraduate requirements please contact:

Lee Dryden, Director
Interdisciplinary Degree Program
College of Arts & Sciences
203A Clemens Hall
Buffalo, NY  14260
716-645-2245
dryden@buffalo.edu

For questions related to the MSW program and graduate application process please contact:

Kathryn Kendall
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment
School of Social Work
685 Baldy Hall
Buffalo, NY  14260
716-645-1265
kkendall@buffalo.edu

Brochure

BA/MSW Dual Degree Program Brochure