Graduate Overview
Advance your scholarship in language, literature and culture
Graduate study in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University at Buffalo helps you grow as a scholar, researcher and teacher. You will work closely with faculty mentors, explore major ideas in your field and develop the research skills needed for advanced academic work. Whether you study French or Spanish, you will join a community that values thoughtful scholarship, global perspectives and intellectual curiosity.
At UB, graduate study is built on close mentorship and strong intellectual training. Faculty work directly with students to guide research, support teaching and help you grow as an independent scholar.
You will benefit from:
- close access to faculty mentors
- strong training in research and theory
- opportunities to teach and lead discussions
- collaboration with scholars across disciplines
- a supportive academic community
The department also takes a pan-Romance approach, meaning students explore connections across Romance languages and the cultures and regions where they are spoken.
Life in Buffalo
A city with energy, culture and room to grow
Buffalo offers the culture and opportunity of a major city without the cost or congestion. You get professional sports, a nationally recognized orchestra, a vibrant theater district and one of the country’s leading art museums, all in a city that is easy to navigate. Restaurants, coffee shops and local markets make it easy to settle in and feel at home.
Love the outdoors? Lake Erie, the Niagara River and nearby state parks offer hiking, skiing, skating, camping and beaches throughout the year. Winter is part of life here and so is the energy that comes with it.
Buffalo is affordable, connected and growing. Toronto is just 90 minutes away, and the region’s expanding economy means new ideas and opportunities are always within reach.
Photographer: Douglas Levere
RLL offers graduate programs in French and Spanish for students who want to pursue advanced study in language, literature and linguistics.
- MA in French: Advanced study in French and Francophone literature and French linguistics, culminating in a master’s project.
- MA in Spanish: Research-focused study in Peninsular or Spanish American literature or Hispanic linguistics, culminating in a master’s project.
- PhD in French: Original research in French or Francophone literary and cultural studies or French linguistics, culminating in a dissertation.
- PhD in Spanish: Advanced research in Hispanic literature or linguistics across Spain, Latin America and U.S. Hispanic communities.
Our doctoral programs prepare graduates for academic careers and advanced research roles. Alumni have gone on to teach at colleges and universities across the United States and beyond.
Interested in taking graduate classes but not ready to pursue a degree? Contact the department about non-degree study options.
Graduate students in RLL explore major debates and ideas in language, literature and culture. You will learn how scholarship in the field has evolved and how your own research fits into those conversations.
During the program you will learn to:
- analyze literary and cultural texts using critical theory
- understand major historical and intellectual movements in the field
- conduct independent research
- develop strong academic writing and communication skills
- teach language and culture at the college level
By the time you graduate, you will be prepared to contribute new ideas to the field and share your research with broader scholarly communities.
RLL faculty work closely with graduate students throughout their programs. They guide research projects, help students develop teaching skills and support professional development.
Faculty research reflects a pan-Romance perspective, emphasizing:
- connections across Romance languages
- cultural traditions in regions where these languages are spoken
- global and diasporic Hispanic and Francophone cultures
Graduate students complete their master’s projects and doctoral dissertations in a collaborative and intellectually active environment.
RLL is one of the most collaborative departments at UB. Faculty and graduate students regularly work with colleagues across the university.
Collaborating departments and programs include:
Faculty and students also work with campus centers such as the Poetics Program, Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Culture, School of Architecture and Planning and the Baldy Center for Law and Public Policy.
This interdisciplinary environment helps graduate students broaden their research and connect their work to other fields.
Graduate study in Romance Languages and Literatures prepares you for careers that require strong research, communication and cultural expertise. Many graduates pursue academic careers, while others apply their skills in fields that value global knowledge and analytical thinking.
RLL graduates work in areas such as:
Higher education and research
- university and college teaching
- academic research and publishing
- humanities and cultural scholarship
Language and cultural expertise
- translation and interpretation
- cultural consulting and international programs
- global education initiatives
Public and nonprofit sectors
- international cultural organizations
- community and educational nonprofits
- public humanities programs
Media, publishing and communications
- editing and publishing
- cultural journalism and media
- communications roles in global organizations
Many graduates also continue into advanced academic or professional study in fields such as literature, linguistics, cultural studies, international studies and education.
The research, writing and teaching skills you develop in graduate study travel well across industries. Employers value graduates who can analyze complex ideas, communicate clearly and work across cultures.
If you are ready to deepen your research and join an active community of scholars, UB’s Department of Romance Languages and Literatures offers the mentorship and intellectual environment to help you succeed.
