Current Graduate Students
Everything you need to stay on track
As a current RLL student at the University at Buffalo, you are part of an active scholarly community. This page collects key resources, policies and contacts you need to plan your coursework, meet program milestones and stay engaged in department life.
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Need to register for a course, declare your major, help getting involved or more?
PhD milestones
Doctoral students complete several major milestones before beginning the dissertation.
Usually taken in the 4th semester (3rd semester for post-MA students).
The exam is a 50 minute oral exam based on a reading list in either literature or linguistics. It evaluates:
- knowledge of literary history or linguistic scholarship
- critical analysis skills
- familiarity with key works in the field
Students taking the linguistics exam must also complete an approved research paper.
Usually taken in the 6th semester (5th semester for post-MA students).
The exam is a 60 minute oral examination based on a reading list developed with your advisor. The list typically focuses on:
- a historical period
- a literary genre
- a linguistic subfield
The exam begins with discussion of a question provided two days in advance and continues with discussion of the reading list and related scholarship.
Students are encouraged to prepare a dissertation proposal before or soon after this exam.
After completing:
- coursework
- the qualifying exam
- the preliminary exam
- approval of a dissertation topic
students submit an PhD Application to Candidacy to the Graduate School.
This confers ABD status (All But Dissertation).
After reaching candidacy, students begin dissertation research and writing under faculty supervision.
At the start of the 7th semester (6th semester for students entering with an MA), students submit an initial dissertation chapter of 20 to 50 pages.
Within one month, the student meets with the dissertation committee for a colloquium to discuss:
- the chapter
- the direction of the dissertation
- next steps in research and writing
The goal of this meeting is to evaluate progress and guide the completion of the dissertation.
Department Forms and Resources
Use the resources below to support your graduate studies in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures. Download the appropriate form, complete it and submit RLL forms to the department.
Forms
Use the forms below to request independent study, update advisor information and complete graduate degree milestones.
Thesis and Dissertation Resources
Preparing a thesis or dissertation? The Graduate School provides guidance and answers to common questions about the submission process.
Once you have completed your form, upload it using this submission form.
Graduate school is both academic training and professional preparation. The steps below can help you build skills, connections and career opportunities.
Know graduate school policies
Review the Graduate School policies and procedures to understand degree requirements and university regulations.
Departmental activities
Graduate students are encouraged to participate in the department’s honor societies and cultural organizations.
Graduate Student Association
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) supports graduate student life and organizes events throughout the year.
Professional organizations
Professional organizations help you share research and build academic networks, like the Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA).
Graduate School policies and student resources
Use the links below to access official Graduate School policies, scholarships and fellowships, international student guidance and degree-specific deadlines.
Graduate School resources
International student resources
Graduation and Commencement
Graduation (degree conferral) and participating in commencement are two separate steps.
Step 1: Apply for graduation
You must apply for graduation to have your degree officially awarded.
- Students pursuing a master’s degree, advanced certificate, AuD, DNP, DSW or EdD must apply for graduation in HUB.
- PhD students must submit a PhD Application to Candidacy.
Step 2: Register for commencement
After applying for graduation, you must separately register to participate in the commencement ceremony and walk in cap and gown.
When you place your order, you will be guided in selecting the appropriate regalia based on your academic discipline and degree.
Your Regalia Colors
Caps and Gowns
- Master's: Black
- Doctoral: UB regalia is blue.
Tassels: Blue and white
Hoods: Hoods are lined in blue and gold. The width of the velvet border varies by degree, while the color of the velvet border indicates the academic discipline; PhD hoods are trimmed in royal blue.
If you have questions about our programs, please contact:
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The Career Design Center helps you explore options, build practical skills and take action on your goals. Whether you are just starting to think about what comes next or actively preparing for jobs or graduate school, you will find clear guidance and real opportunities to move forward.
What you can do at the Career Design Center:
- Meet one-on-one with a career design consultant
- Get support with job and internship searches and graduate school planning
- Use online tools for resumes, interviews, networking and exploring real-world challenges
- Attend job + Internship fairs, skillshops and networking events
- Gain access to thousands of jobs + internship postings on Bullseye powered by Handshake.
- Explore the Career Design Studio any time to discover tools, resources and ideas that help you plan your path.
PhD students entering the academic job market often use:
- Modern Language Association Job Information List
- Chronicle of Higher Education job listings
- Beyond the Professoriate
- Interfolio to manage letters of recommendation and application materials
When requesting letters of recommendation, allow faculty at least one month to write your letter.
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