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Mar 24, 2026
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2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog
Health and Human Services BA - Social Gerontology Concentration/Social Work MSW
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 Return to: Majors and Combined Degrees
“How can I help people in my community live better and healthier lives? How can I be an advocate for others who don’t have a voice? What can I do to challenge systemic barriers and create a more just society for all?” These are just a few of the questions that Health and Human Services majors seek to answer.
The Health and Human Services, Social Gerontology concentration is designed for students with an interest in the aging process and health care issues as they pertain to older adults. Students explore the physical, social, and psychological impacts of aging by focusing on issues and conditions that impact the elderly.
Visit the Health and Human Services academic program page for more information about the academic experience, who you will learn from, opportunities outside of class and what you can do with this degree.
Visit the Social Studies Interdisciplinary department page for contact information, a brief overview of the department and the curricular options
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Health and Human Services Core (6 credits)
One Statistics Course (4 credits)
One Research Methods Course (3 credits)
One Biological Sciences Course (3 credits)
Two Intermediate Courses (6 credits)
Eight Social Gerontology Concentration Courses (24 credits)
Graduate Courses
- SW 500 - Social Welfare History
- SW 502 - Social Welfare Policy
- SW 503 - Power, Privilege, & Oppression
- SW 505 - Theories of Human Behavior and Development
- SW 506 - Theories of Organizational Behavior and Development
- SW 510 - Introduction to Social Work Research and Evaluation
- SW 520 - Interventions I
- SW 521 - Interventions II
- SW 542 - Trauma and Human Rights
- SW 550 - Field Instruction 1
- SW 551 - Field Instruction 2
- SW 552 - Field Instruction 3
- SW 553 - Field Instruction 4
- SW 555 - Field Seminar (taken twice)
- Advanced Interventions elective (One course)
- Advanced Topics electives (Two courses)
- Social Work electives (Three courses)
Notes
*Continuation in the major will be contingent on completing PSY 101 and SSC 103 with a minimum grade of C in each. **No more than two SOC courses may be taken. Total Credits Required for Undergraduate Major: 46
Additional Undergraduate Degree Requirements Include:
- Additional coursework to fulfill UB Curriculum requirements
- At least 11 undergraduate elective credits
Total Undergraduate Credits Required: 90
Total Credits Required for Graduate Degree: 60
Total Credits Required for Graduation: 150
Total Credit Hours Required represents the minimum credits needed to complete this program, and may vary based on a number of circumstances. This should not be used for financial aid purposes. Academic Requirements
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 in the undergraduate major. All courses taken by a student that are included in the Health and Human Services- Social Gerontology curriculum will be used in calculation of the major GPA. For example, if a curriculum requires a student to select two courses from a particular section and the student completes three courses from that section, all three courses would be used to calculate a student’s major GPA. Admission to the graduate portion of the degree is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Students in the combined degree program are required to take BIO 129 to meet the biological sciences requirement for the undergraduate portion of the degree. Students must also have related work experience, an extensive volunteer background, or an internship administered through an academic program to be a viable candidate for admission to the MSW portion of the degree For students not continuously registered at UB or who are newly admitted transfer students, courses taken more than 10 years prior to the date of admission or readmission to the University may constitute no more than 20% of the Health and Human Services-Social Gerontology major. Students who have more than 20% of course work over 10 years old will be required to complete additional courses in the major Curricular Plan
A Curricular Plan provides a roadmap for completing this academic program and the UB Curriculum on time. Your actual plan may vary depending on point of entry to the university, course placement and/or waivers based on standardized test scores, earned alternative credit and/or college transfer credit. All students are encouraged to use this plan in conjunction with other academic planning resources such as your academic advisor, the HUB Academic Advisement Report, My Planner and Path Finder tool. In addition to following this course roadmap, all other admission and academic requirements of this major as listed in the Undergraduate Catalog must be met in order to successfully complete this degree.
YEAR 1
Fall Semester Total Credits: 15 or 16 Spring Semester Total Credits: 16 or 17
YEAR 2
Fall Semester Total Credits: 15 Spring Semester Total Credits: 16
YEAR 3
Fall Semester - Concentration Course Credits: 3
- Concentration Course Credits: 3
- Concentration Course Credits: 3
- Concentration Course (internship strongly recommended) Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
Total Credits: 15 Spring Semester Total Credits: 12
YEAR 4
Fall Semester - SW 500LEC - Social Welfare History Credits: 3
- SW 505LEC - Theories of Human Behavior and Development Credits: 3
- SW 510LEC - Introduction to Social Work Research and Evaluation Credits: 3
- SW 520LLB - Interventions I Credits: 3
- SW 550LEC - Field Instruction 1 Credits: 3
- SW 555SEM - Field Seminar Credits: 0.5
Total Credits: 15.5 Spring Semester - SW 502LEC - Social Welfare Policy Credits: 3
- SW 503LEC - Power, Privilege, & Oppression Credits: 3
- SW 506LEC - Theories of Organizational Behavior and Development Credits: 3
- SW 521LEC - Interventions II Credits: 3
- SW 551 LEC - Field Instruction 2 Credits: 4
- SW 555SEM - Field Seminar Credits: 0.5
Total Credits: 16.5
YEAR 5
Fall Semester - SW 542SEM - Trauma and Human Rights Credits: 3
- SW 552LEC - Field Instruction 3 Credits: 4
- Advanced Interventions Elective Credits:3
- Advanced Topics Elective Credits:3
Total Credits: 13 Spring Semester - SW 553LEC - Field Instruction 4 Credits: 3
- Advanced Topics Elective Credits:3
- Social Work Elective Credits: 3
- Social Work Elective Credits: 3
- Social Work Elective Credits: 3
Total Credits: 15
TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED: 150 Note: Some classes may count toward both a major and UB Curriculum requirement. Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of all requirements, students will have the ability to: - Identify a range of health and human service professions and their characteristics; understand typical human service problems and client needs; understand the theoretical foundations of human service intervention.
- Understand the foundational principles of social science disciplines critical to human service intervention.
- Understand the methodology of and be able to critically evaluate social science research; propose a research project that would answer a significant research question.
- Recognize the effect of human values and cultural diversity on the provision of health and human services; understand key concepts such as patient/client autonomy and informed consent within the health and human services fields.
- Develop writing, oral presentation, and interview skills necessary in human service fields.
- Demonstrate personal characteristics, professional skills, and knowledge of ethical guidelines associated with human service positions.
For information on the skills and competencies required for certification and acquired through completion of this joint degree please see the Graduate School of Social Work webpage.
(HEGIS: 49.03 HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCI, CIP: 45.0101 Social Sciences, General) |
Return to: Majors and Combined Degrees
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