MBA/MSW Application Process

For ALL program tracks

• Bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) in any discipline from an accredited institution. 
• Minimum of 24 credits of undergraduate liberal arts coursework. Of those 24 credits:
  • 6 must be in the social or behavioral sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science).
  • 6 must be in the arts or humanities (e.g., history, English, foreign languages, philosophy, ethnic/gender studies).
  • 12 credits may be made up with any combination of the above or with courses from the natural sciences or mathematics.
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 preferred.
• Human biology undergraduate course (3 credits) must be completed prior to the advanced year MSW curriculum, if not fulfilled at the time of application.
• All applicants are required to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the GRE. For information on the GMAT, please visit the MBA website. Information on the GRE is available through ETS.

It's easy to apply to the University at Buffalo using GrAdMIT, our electronic graduate application system.

Be sure to read the drop-down list of application options thoroughly, since each track has a different application form. Make sure to select the MBA/MSW application.

On the application form, you will be asked to provide contact information for three professional references who are best able to assess your potential for graduate-level academic work and for the profession of social work. This includes:

• Faculty
• Classroom instructors
• Academic advisors
• Current or past employers, supervisors or professional colleagues

Do not use personal friends, relatives, friends of the family or other personal relationship sources. In addition, do not use clients or individuals you provide services to, or therapists or other individuals you receive services from.

Copies of transcripts should be uploaded to the GrAdMIT application portal. You must provide transcripts for all previous schools attended at the undergraduate and graduate levels, regardless of whether a degree was received.

If accepted to the degree program, you will be required to submit final official transcripts from all educational institutions you have attended (except from the University at Buffalo). Official transcripts can be mailed to:
University at Buffalo 
School of Social Work- Admissions
685 Baldy Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260-1050

This is a key component of your application. Your essay should reflect strong technical writing and critical thinking skills. Write a full essay answering ALL questions in the Guidelines for Writing the Personal Statement. 

1. Describe your short-term and long-term career objectives. Be specific about the types of positions and responsibility levels to which you aspire. Describe how earning the UB MBA will help you achieve your goals. (700 words)
2. Submit a response to one of the following three topics: (700 words)
   • Describe a time when you were leading a group that faced a significant problem. How were you able to resolve it in a positive manner?
   • Describe a time when your ethics were challenged. How did you deal with the situation and what did you learn from it?
   • Describe a time when you had a significant misunderstanding with someone from a different background or culture. How did you resolve the understanding?

Submit a résumé showing relevant education and work experience. Be sure to include your full name (identical to that used on the application site).

• All applicants to the School of Management are required to take the GMAT or the GRE and have the results reported to this university. The GMAT/GRE are aptitude tests designed to measure capabilities important to the study of management at the graduate level.
• For more information regarding the GMAT test, dates and places of administration, see the GMAT website. The GMAT institutional reporting code for the full-time MBA program is K6RQX67.
• The GRE is also accepted for the full-time MBA program. The reporting codes for GRE are 4201 (department code) and 2925 (institutional code).

Once you submit your application, you will receive an email containing a secure e-pay link, allowing you to pay the non-refundable application fee by credit card or e-check.

The MBA/MSW application fee is $100.