MPH/MSW Application Process
To be a dual-degree student, you must submit two separate applications and be admitted to both the UB School of Social Work and the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
Watch our application process and timeline video for an overview [3:42]
Advanced Standing MSW Prerequisites
The criteria below applies to applicants beginning spring 2026 and later.
Please note that the criteria below is very strict and there are no exceptions. If you do not meet all the prerequisites, then you must apply to the Traditional MSW program instead.
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited program, with no more than six years between BSW conferral and start date of the MSW program.
- Minimum overall social work major GPA of 3.0 required.
- Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 preferred.
- 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.
- 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 above advanced standing eligibility criteria must be met at time of application and at time of bachelor degree completion.
All application components (including recommendations) must be received by the deadline in order to be considered.
Apply to the University at Buffalo School of Social Work using our electronic graduate application system.
Be sure to select the "MPH/MSW (Public Health/ Social Work)" program option from the drop-down menu, since this indicates to us that you are also applying to the School of Public Health and Health Professions for dual-degree consideration. If you do not see the program listed, it means that it is not currently open. Check our deadlines page for information about when program applications open and close.
On the application form, you will be asked to send electronic recommendation requests to 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.
When you send the requests, your recommenders will receive an email with a link to complete the brief evaluation form and upload their letter of recommendation for you electronically. You will receive a notification email when a recommendation has been received.
Plan ahead to give your references enough time to submit their recommendations before the deadline.
Copies of transcripts should be uploaded to the application portal. Please note:
- You must provide a transcript from each and every previous school attended at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- Transcripts must be from the original school you earned the credits from. Transfer credits listed on another school’s transcript are not sufficient.
- You must provide all transcripts regardless of the number of credits earned, how long ago you attended, or whether or not a degree was earned.
- Transcripts must include your name, the institution name, all courses taken with semesters, grades received, overall GPA, degree conferral date (if applicable) and transcript key if available (often printed on the back).
- Do not upload advising reports or degree evaluations from your student portal.
If you prefer to send official transcripts instead of uploading copies, you may do so. Note that official transcripts will take longer to arrive, so be sure to request them well in advance of the deadline. All transcripts MUST be received in the School of Social Work admissions office by the posted application deadline.
If accepted to the program, you will be required to submit final official transcripts from all schools attended (except from the University at Buffalo) if you have not already.
Official transcripts must be mailed to:
University at Buffalo
School of Social Work- Admissions
685 Baldy Hall
205 Founders Promenade
Buffalo, NY 14260-1050
or sent via secure and official electronic delivery to: swinfo@buffalo.edu.
Many schools also use Parchment to send transcripts electronically. Please select "UB-Grad and Prof Programs" so that it reaches our office in a timely manner.
After you submit your application form, you will be redirected to your status portal, where you will be able to upload your application essay to your application checklist. 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 Application Essay Guidelines.
After you submit your application form, you will be redirected to your status portal, where you can find the secure payment link, allowing you to pay the non-refundable application fee by credit card or e-check.
The MPH/MSW application fee is $100.
You are required to complete a separate MPH application through the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
Questions?
Email us!
swinfo@buffalo.edu
New York Residency
To qualify for the in-state tuition rate, admitted students must provide proof of New York State residency. Visit the accepted student information page for details.
Felony Disclosure
If you have a previous felony or criminal conviction, please read our felony disclosure statement before applying.