Developed in 1986, the Buffalo Niagara Summer Institute offers an intensive combination of single and multi-day workshops, as well as one-credit MSW elective courses that can be taken on a degree or non-degree basis.
The Buffalo Niagara Summer Institute workshop topics include trauma, addictions, child and adolescent mental health, and more. Workshop presenters are regional, national and international experts who strive to inform and inspire new ways of thinking about social work therapies, techniques and client approaches.
CE Workshop:
A workshop is a non-credit training which does not provide university graduate credits and it cannot be used toward a college or university degree. For workshop participants handouts are provided the first day of the training. Additional readings may be recommended but not required.
MSW Credit:
Credit courses are credit-bearing university courses. The ones offered in our Summer Institute are graduate courses, which means that you must have a bachelor’s degree to enroll. Credit courses are graded by the instructor and there are readings, homework, exams and/or papers required.
Join us for our 39th annual Summer Institute! Our online catalog allows you to view workshops, access trainer information, and register for upcoming workshops. Space is limited so early registration is strongly encouraged!
UB School of Social Work students: Register through the Hub Student Center the same way you register for all other classes. For details on our summer semester course offerings, visit our Summer 2025 MSW Credit Course Electives
Are you a student outside of the UB School of Social Work? Non-Degree or Non-Matriculated Students: Apply for non-degree status, which must be completed prior to registration. This may require proof of immunization status if not already on file at UB.
Field Educators with SUNY Tuition Waivers may use the waivers to pay for tuition costs. Waivers do not cover standard course fees or the nondegree application fee. For more information, call the Field Education Office at 716-645-1234 or email sw-field@buffalo.edu.
For more information visit the SUNY Tuition Waiver page.
If you have another form of tuition waver, for example, ACCESS VR, Seigal Educational Award, or GI Bill, please contact the financial aid office for eligibility via the Contact Us form or by phone at 716-645-8232.
For questions about the Summer Institute, email us or call 716-829-5841.
Participants should plan on arriving prior to the start of the training to allow time for sign-in, registration, and training introductions. Full participation is required, no partial credit is given for partial attendance. Late arrivals or early departures will not be granted a certificate of completion.