Social Work (Traditional) MSW

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Unique to our highly ranked MSW program, is an integrated trauma-informed and human rights perspective, offering a transformational lens to focus your social work policy and practice. The traditional program enrolls students from a wide variety of educational backgrounds.

Required Core (42 Credits)

Human Biology pre-req must be complete.

SW 500LEC - History and Policy Credits: 3
SW 503LEC - Diversity and Oppression Credits: 3
SW 505LEC - Theo of Human Beh & Dev Credits: 3
SW 506LEC - Theo of Org Behv & Dev Credits: 3
SW 510LEC - Scientific Methods in SW Credits: 3
SW 514LEC - Evaluation in Social Work Credits: 3
SW 520LLB - Interventions 1 Credits: 3 *
SW 521LEC - Interventions II Credits: 3 *
SW 542SEM - Perspectives in Trauma and Human Rights Credits: 3
SW 550LEC - Field Instruction 1 Credits: 3
SW 551LEC - Field Instruction 2 Credits: 4
SW 552LEC - Field Instruction 3 Credits: 4
SW 553LEC - Field Instruction 4 Credits: 3
SW 555SEM - Field Seminar Credits: 0.5 (taken for 2 semester, 1 credit total)

Advanced Interventions (3 credits)

Select 1 from:

SW 522LEC - Case Mangmt Intervention Credits: 3
SW 523LEC - Soc Action Comm Change Credits: 3
SW 524LEC - Interventions with Children and Adolescents Credits: 3
SW 525LEC - Interventions in Intimate Relationships Credits: 3
SW 526LEC - Interventions W/Families Credits: 3
SW 527LEC - Interventions W/Groups Credits: 3
SW 528LEC - Interventions W/Adults Credits: 3
SW 530LEC - Interventions with Organizations Credits: 3
SW 531LEC - Crisis Intervention Credits: 3

Advanced Topics (6 credits)

Select 2 from:

SW 560LEC - Natur/Treat-Alc/Drug Prob Credits: 3
SW 561LEC - Dual Disorders Credits: 3
SW 563LEC - Advan Policy Dev/Analys Credits: 3
SW 564LEC - Administ/Managemt Credits: 3
SW 566LEC - Soc. Serv Child/Youth/Fam Credits: 3
SW 568LEC - Serious Illness Care Credits: 3
SW 569LEC - Community Social Work Credits: 3
SW 570LEC - Health & Disability SW Credits: 3
SW 572LEC - Mentl Hlth & Disability SW Credits: 3
SW 576LEC - Child Abuse/Neglect Credits: 3
SW 706LEC - Aging Population & Family Credits: 3

Electives (9 credits)

(12 credits must be Clinical Courses- noted below with an *)

Select 9 credits not previously taken from:

SW 543LEC - Professional Development Seminar Credits: 1
SW 554LEC - Motivational Interviewing Credits: 3 *
SW 555LEC - Women and Justice Credits: 3
SW 556LEC - Forensic Social Work Credits: 3 *
SW 557LEC - Evi-Based Ment Hlth Prac Credits: 3 *
SW 558LEC - Use of Self in SW Credits: 1
SW 559LEC - Trauma Theory & Treatment Credits: 3 *
SW 568LEC - Serious Illness Care Credits: 3 *
SW 573LEC - Solution Focused Practice Credits: 3 *
SW 577LEC - Schema Focused Therapy Credits: 1
SW 578LEC - Gender Issues Credits: 3
SW 580LEC - Psychopathology Credits: 3 *
SW 581LEC - Family Law Credits: 3
SW 582LEC - Multicultural Issues in SW Credits: 3
SW 583LEC - People with Developmental Disabilities Credits: 3
SW 584LEC - Personality Disorders Credits: 3 *
SW 586LEC - Responding to Refugees and Immigrants Credits: 3
SW 587LEC - Addiction and the Family Credits: 3 *
SW 588LEC - SW Practice W/Glbt Pop Credits: 3 *
SW 589LEC - Survivors of Sexual Abuse Credits: 3 *
SW 590LEC - AIDS & Communicable Diseas Credits: 3
SW 591LEC - Spirituality in SW Credits: 3
SW 592LEC - Chldhood Stress,Risk,Resil Credits: 3 *
SW 593LEC - Emdr Credits: 3 *
SW 595LEC - Agency Grant Writing Credits: 3
SW 596LEC - Community Devlpmnt & Chng Credits: 3
SW 597LEC - Play Therapy Credits: 3 *
SW 598LEC - Behav Disorder of Childhd Credits: 3 *
SW 599LEC - Public School Social Work Credits: 3 *
SW 701LEC - Dev MH/Su Treat Systems Credits: 1
SW 702LEC - Motivational Interviewing for Client Behavior Change Credits: 1
SW 704LEC - Solution Focused Approaches to Difficult Client Situations Credits: 1
SW 705LEC - Assessing Lethality Credits: 1
SW 706LEC - Aging Population & Family Credits: 3 *
SW 707LEC - HLP Chld Fam Cope W Loss Credits: 1
SW 708LEC - Responding to Disasters with Social Work Interventions Credits: 3 *
SW 710LEC - Loss and Grief Across the Life Course Credits: 3 *
SW 714LEC - International Social Work Credits: 3
SW 715SEM - Advanced Seminar in Trauma Credits: 3
SW 716LEC - Professional Writing and Documentation for Social Work Pracitce Credits: 3
SW 717LEC - Human Sexuality for Social Workers Credits: 3
SW 718LEC - Core Concepts in Child and Adolescent Trauma Credits: 3 *
SW 719LEC - Additional Field Experience Credits: 2
SW 720LEC - Vet and Military Family Care Credits: 3 *
SW 972LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 973LEC - Topics Credits: 1
SW 974LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 975LEC - Topics Credits: 1
SW 976LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 977LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 978LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 979LEC - Topics Credits: 1
SW 986LEC - Topics Credits: 1
SW 987LEC - Topics Credits: 1
SW 988LEC - Special Topics Credits: 3
SW 989LEC - Topics Credits: 1
SW 990LEC - Special Topics Credits: 1
SW 991LEC - Special Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 992LEC - Topics Credits: 3
SW 993LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 994SEM - Sp Topics Credits: 2
SW 994LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 995LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 996LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 997LEC - Topics Credits: 1 - 3
SW 998LEC - Special Topics Credits: 1 - 3

Total Credit Hours: 60

3.0 Degree GPA required

Instruction Method

In Person (100 percent of courses offered in person)
Online (100 percent of the degree requirements can be fulfilled online) for the Part Time Online MSW program only

Full/Part Time Options

Full Time
Part Time

Credits Required

60 Hours

Time-To-Degree

2 Years (Full Time)
3 Years (Part Time or Online)

Application Fee

$75
$100 (Online program)

Program Contact

Lauren McGowan
685 Baldy Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260
Email: swinfo@buffalo.edu
Phone: 716-645-1254

SED Statement

This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).

Online programs/courses may require students to come to campus on occasion. Time-to-degree and number of credit hours may vary based on full/part time status, degree, track and/or certification option chosen. Time-to-degree is based on calendar year(s). Contact the department for details.