Research in your discipline is an important skill you will develop throughout your program. The professional development skills in research that you gain in your degree program will be unique to your discipline. You will cultivate discipline-specific research skills through completing courses, degree requirements, research roles, and through more applied experiences like internships or field rotations.
Graduate students typically take research methods classes as part of their degree program at UB and have research requirements like producing a master's thesis, project or doctoral dissertation.
But, there are multiple skills to learn, disciplinary research and research skills beyond your discipline. How can you gain research skills or build upon your current skills?
Faculty with research grants or contracts hire graduate students as research assistants (RA). The RA assignment and funding are tied to the faculty member's work. Discuss research assistantships with your faculty mentor or director of graduate studies.
Any time you present your research you improve your communication skills. Present in your research group, at department talks, and to groups outside of your discipline. Each type of research talk is valuable to your professional development.
Every year in April the University at Buffalo hosts a campus-wide student showcase of research as part of the Celebration of Academic Excellence. Departments nominate graduate students to present their research posters for the showcase. Attend the showcase to learn about the research happening across the university and apply to present your research.
Take advantage of all the public research talks in and out of your department. Even if the research is not something you're familiar with, you can learn about the wider research in your discipline and pick up communication tips. Asking questions of experts and getting to network with the speaker and attendees is also important for professional development.
Through UB's Social Impact Fellows program, MBA and MSW students from the School of Management and School of Social Work, along with graduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences create social innovation in Western New York. Together, students collaborate, address pressing issues and make an impact.
Fellowships and scholarships are among the most valuable forms of aid you can receive during your college career and are designed to support students who have exceptional academic records and potential. Meet with the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships to discuss scholarship opportunities.
University Libraries offer an outstanding array of information resources, technologies, services and people to support the academic and creative achievements of our students.
Every Wednesday during the semester, the Graduate School emails the "Graduate Brief" to all graduate and professional students, which is a weekly selection of news and happenings within the Graduate School and its partnering offices. If you would like to be added to the mailing list, please contact grad@buffalo.edu.