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Yes, attendance at the orientation is a requirement and not optional- for all graduate students no matter how long they have been with our department. Crucial information, some of it new each semester, is always shared at both the general and the course-specific orientation meetings.

New graduate students must arrive for the orientation week ready to participate full-time in orientation activities, which start the Monday morning before the first week of classes each semester. The University's academic calendar can be accessed on the CU-Boulder Regristrar's academic calendar website.

After proctoring the final exam, grading exams, uploading final grades, and turning in grade books and exams to the Coordinator. The final exam calendar is published a semester in advance and can be accessed on the CU Boulder Registrar's Final Exam Schedule.

Returning TAs and GPTIs should plan to return each semester in time for the orientation meeting (Fall: 9:00 am the Thursday before classes start; Spring: 9:00 am the Friday before classes start).

University calendars are planned out three years in advance and the first and last day of classes for each semester can be consulted on the CU-Boulder Registrar's academic calendar.

There is also a final exam schedule posted on the CU-Boulder Registrar's Final Exam Schedule at the beginning of the semester.

CONSULT THESE CALENDARS BEFORE BUYING ANY AIRPLANE TICKETS.

THE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT SEND OUT NOTICE OF THESE DATES EACH SEMESTER.

Yes, but not at any time. You can request course transfers after you have completed 6 credits of course work at CU. MA candidates can transfer up to 9 credits and Ph.D candidates can transfer up to 21 credits. Credits will be considered if they were graduate credits and were not part of any other degree already awarded (i.e. if you took more credits than needed in your MA somewhere else, those credits cannot be transferred).

See the Transfer of Credit Request form here for more details and procedure.

The only classes that count at graduate level are those numbered 5000 or 7000 and are taught by a member of University of Colorado graduate faculty. Cross-listed classes count as graduate credits only if  they fulfill both of the aforementioned conditions.

No 3000 or 4000 level classes count. Students can take them, but in addition to the normal load.

The only exceptions to this rule are language classes (within or outside the department), taken to fulfill the graduate language requirement. (See Language FAQ below for more information).

The seminar load is three per semester, except during the exam semester, in which you are allowed to take two seminars. If you are a TA/GPTI, this load is mandatory, regardless of the number of credits that you have accumulated.

Absolutely. Make sure to discuss this option with you advisor, so that the additional course load does not hinder your exam preparation, your teaching, or your overall performance.

You should make every effort to take classes outside the department, in order to develop a truly interdisciplinary/comparative outlook, enhance your intellectual horizons, hone your language skills, and increase your competitive edge in the labor market.

Yes. One 3 credit Directed/Independent Study course is allowed (and encouraged).

Keep in mind the following provisions:

(1) the timing, goals and outcome have to be approved by the Associate Chair (a grade will nor be given without a clear indication that the goals have been reached (i.e. that the Proposal have been approved by the Dissertation Committee).
(2) it cannot be taken to substitute a class, or fulfill an area requirement.
(3) it cannot be taken concurrently with a seminar taught by the same professor under which you will be taking the Directed Study.
(4) Only one Directed Study will be allowed throughout the degree.

Contact your advisor and/or the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies for reading lists.

An MA/Ph.D. advisor must be selected no later than the beginning of your second semester of study.

For MA Linguistics students the advisor will be either, Esther Brown, Tracy Quan, or Javier Rivas.

For first semester MA Literature or Teaching Spanish; and Ph.D. students your advisor will be the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

Yes.

Your graduate committee must be set by the end of your third semester of study. Your Committee Chair must be selected by the second semester of study.

You will work with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies to set your committee and inform the Program Coordinator in advance of your exams.

Yes, if it is consistent with your academic goals. You should discuss this with your advisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

Yes, if it is consistent with your academic goals. You should discuss this with your advisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

Students who are taking MA and PhD exams can choose not to teach up to two sessions of class during the week of exams.

Students must arrange for substitutes for these classes.

Students must communicate to the course coordinator (at least one week prior to the start of exams)

1. Which days will be missed.
2. Who will substitute the class.

All other duties (i.e. Mesa Española, tutoring, RAs) remain in place during the week of exams.

MA Comprehensive Exams

• The Chair of your committee meets with you to discuss the time and date of your exam and the subject areas which will be covered on which days. The agreed upon sequence of questions will be forwarded by the committee chair to the Graduate Program Coordinator.
• All exams are held during the week listed on Important Dates and Deadlines. MA Exams are held in McKenna 103. 
• MA exams are held on two of three days, i.e., Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 8:00-10:00 am each day.
• You need to inform the Graduate Program Coordinator of which days you want to take your exam and whether or not you will need a laptop. (Only laptops supplied by the department are acceptable – no personal laptops allowed.)

The MA Comprehensive Oral Exam is scheduled by your Committee Chair in consultation with your committee and with the Program Assistant.

The Graduate Program Coordinator needs a minimum two-week notice prior to scheduled oral exam.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams

• The Chair of your committee meets with you to discuss subject areas which will be covered on which days. The agreed upon sequence of questions will be forwarded by the committee chair to the Program Coordinator.
• All exams are held during the week listed on Important Dates and Deadlines and are take-home.
• The questions must be sent to the Program Coordinator by the Committee Chair, 48 hours prior to the exam, with specific instructions about the order. The Program Assistant will e-mail the questions to the students, in the following sequence:
• Monday Morning by 8:00 am. To be returned by the student via e-mail to the Program Coordinator on Wednesday morning (no later than 8:00 am).
• Wednesday Morning by 8:00 am. To be returned by the student via e-mail to the Program Coordinator on Friday morning (no later than 8:00 am).
• Friday Morning by 8:00 am. To be returned by the student via e-mail to the Program Coordinator on Monday morning (no later than 8:00 am).

The Ph.D. Comprehensive Oral Exam is scheduled by your Committee Chair in consultation with your committee and with the Program Coordinator.

The Program Coordinator needs a minimum two-week notice prior to scheduled oral exam.

PhD Defense

• The student and the Committee Chair meet to discuss a time, date and location.
• The oral defense is a minimum of two hours.
• The Committee Chair consults with the Program Assistant on room availability.
• There is a minimum two week lead time from schedule to defense date.

The Program Coordinator needs a minimum two-week notice prior to scheduled oral exam.

Yes, they must be reserved with the Program Coordinator one week prior to the scheduled exam.

Each graduate student is assigned a copy code. Please see Shannon for assistance.

Yes. The Business Manager (Christine Ralston) grants you access to McKenna and the copier in MKNA 127 within the first week of classes as long as you have a valid .

MA students have 4 semesters of support as long as they remain in good standing.

Ph.D. students have 10 semesters of support as long as they remain in good standing.

Master's Students:

Students who need to leave CU-Boulder for a period of time may apply for a for up to one year.  Participation in the Time Out Program does not extend the student’s time limit, but may be used as a reason to request an extension, should that become necessary.

Ph.D. Students:

Students who need to leave the University for a period of time may apply for a  for up to one year.  Doctoral students who are required to maintain continuous registration* may petition for an exception in order to participate in the Leave of Absence program for parental leave or other extenuating circumstances.  Participation in the Leave of Absence program does not extend the student’s time limit, but may be used as a reason when applying for an extension, should that become necessary.

Students whose residence at CU-Boulder is interrupted by military service may apply to the Dean of the Graduate School for an extension of time.

A Leave of Absence is not required for summer semester; graduate students not taking summer classes are still considered active students.

How to Apply

1. Graduate students must apply for a leave of absence if they withdraw from or do not enroll in classes for a fall or spring semester. Graduate students who do not apply for a leave of absence will be discontinued and must reapply to the university in order to return to CU Boulder.
2. The leave of absence form must be filled out and then signed by your faculty advisor.  After obtaining that signature, please e-mail the form to the Graduate Student Services office to obtain the signature of the Dean of the Graduate School at graduate.school@colorado.edu.
3. Doctoral candidates who have passed their comprehensive examinations and concurrent bachelor's/master's degree students are not eligible, with the exception of parental leave. Students with questions or extenuating situations may contact the Graduate School for further guidance.

Students requesting reasonable accommodations and/or services must submit documentation of a disabling condition to verify eligibility under the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Disability Services’ own guidelines.

Please contact Disability Services for more information/guidelines or to schedule an appointment.

The graduate student lounge is in Office Building 1, across University Avenue to the North.

The door is on the lowest level, accesible by a door facing east. It is accessible by a key that is kept in a lockbox just outside the door. Please see the front office for the lockbox code.

The McKenna 30 workspace is for Spanish & Portuguese Graduate students only. Please see room usage policies here.

To request a time limit extension on your program, please read carefully the Graduate School's guidelines and fill out the online form here

There is one laptop available for checkout by graduate students in extenuating circumstances. The laptop checkout policy and form, including resources for help purchasing or renting equipment from the university, can be found on the "Faculty Resources" portion of this website.

The Anderson Language and Technology Center (ALTEC ) has a variety of language learning resources, academic discussions of language learning, and classes to improve integration of technology in a language classroom. Through its Foreign Language Technology Program (FLTP), ALTEC provides training on the pedagogically-appropriate use of many different forms of technology, and certificates are also awarded to those completing the requirements of the program. ALTEC supports the language learning community at the University and in the state of Colorado. ALTEC's offices and classrooms are located on the main Boulder campus on the south end of the Quad in the Hellems building.

The  (GTP) is a division of the . The GTP's vision is to serve as a graduate and professional student development program and its mission is to create excellent learning experiences for undergraduates by training graduate student teachers and supporting departments and to prepare graduate students so they may thrive in higher education or the private sector as professionals once they graduate.

The GTP works with graduate students from all departments in all schools and colleges on the Boulder campus. It offers comprehensive college teacher training, support research skill development, and provides academic and nonacademic career preparation opportunities through conferences, workshops, and individual consultation.

Two doctoral students in our Department serve as Leads and Liaisons with the GTP. During the AY 2024/2025 they are Rocío Gavira Domínguez and Maria Vazquez.