JD/MSW Dual Degree
Students studying in the Law Library in O'Brian Hall
As part of the JD/MSW program, you'll develop an in-depth knowledge of social and legal systems, so you can implement changes to improve the lives of individuals and communities.
Our curriculum statement articulates our commitment to the promotion of social justice, the protection of human rights, and the necessity of addressing structural oppression and inequities in power and resources.
Why UB for your MSW? [3:50]
Through our dual degree program, students earn a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the UB School of Law and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the UB School of Social Work. The collaborative program reduces the total time and credits compared to completing each degree separately. While there is a reduction in total credit hours for the dual degree program, you must meet all other requirements for both degree programs.
We offer two JD/MSW programs: Traditional and Advanced Standing.
Both JD/MSW course of study options are full-time and on-campus only and incorporate our signature trauma-informed and human rights perspectives.
Traditional JD/MSW Program
- For students with a bachelor's degree in any undergraduate major
- Full-time (4 years) and on-campus only
- 420 hour foundation field placement + law clinic that doubles as advanced field placement
- Students can choose to begin in the Law School or School of Social Work. However, we recommend that you begin the program in the School of Social Work, as this course sequence allows consistent contact with your law cohort in the last three years of the program.
Note that courses from Social Work that are counted towards the law degree cannot be online courses due to accreditation requirements from the American Bar Association.
This curriculum is effective Fall 2024. If you started your MSW program prior to Fall 2024, please follow the curriculum listed in the Student Handbook for the year in which you began your program.
First Year
Fall Semester
SW 500 Social Welfare History
SW 505 Theories of Human Behavior and Development
SW 510 Introduction to Social Work Research and Evaluation
SW 520 Interventions I
SW 550 Field Instruction I
Spring Semester
SW 502 Social Welfare Policy
SW 503 Diversity and Oppression
SW 506 Theories of Organizational Behavior and Development
SW 521 Interventions II
SW 551 Field Instruction II (4 credits)
Second Year
Fall Semester
LAW 500 Legal Profession
LAW 501 Civil Procedure
LAW 503 Contracts
LAW 509 Torts
LAW 515 Legal Analysis, Writing and Research I
Spring Semester
LAW 500 Legal Profession
LAW 505 Criminal Law
LAW 507 Property
LAW 511 Constitutional Law 1
LAW 516 Legal Analysis, Writing and Research II
Third Year
fall Semester
SW 542 Perspectives on Trauma and Human Rights
SW Advanced Intervention (Choose one)
SW Advanced Topic Analysis (Choose one)
LAW 564 Legal Ethics
LAW 892 JD/MSW Advanced Field Placement/Law Clinic (4 cr)
LAW 894 JD/MSW Colloquium (1 cr)
Spring Semester
SW Advanced Topic Analysis (Choose one)
LAW 612 Constitutional Law II
LAW 894 JD/MSW Colloquium (1 cr)
LAW 892 JD/MSW Advanced Field Placement/ Law Clinic (4 cr)
Law Electives
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
LAW Advanced Legal Analysis, Writing & Research or another LAW writing course
Law Electives (Choose four)
Spring Semester
LAW Seminar Requirement
Law Electives (Choose four)
JD/MSW Tuition Structure
JD/MSW students will be billed the MSW tuition rate during the semesters they are only taking social work courses.
During the semesters where students are taking all Law courses OR coursework from both departments, they will be billed the full-time Law tuition rate to cover all of their classes that semester.
