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PhD Dissertations

Dissertations from 2022 2022.

British Empire, Land Tenure and the Search for an Ideal Proprietor: 1868-1875 , Preetmohinder Singh Aulakh

The old people are the song, and we are their echo: resurgence of w̱ sáneć law and legal theory , Robert Justin Clifford

A Critical Approach to the Regulation of a Public Corporation's Purchase of Its Own Shares on the Open Market: Lessons from The Transatlantic Comparison , Alper Cohaz

The Norm Life Cycle Theory and The Role of INSOL International in Shaping the Uncitral Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency , Anthony Ikemefuna Idigbe

Judicial Depictions of Responsibility and Risk: The Erasure of State Accountability in Canadian Sentencing Judgments Involving Indigenous People , Sarah Jane Nussbaum

Regulating the Corporation from Within and Without: Corporate Governance and Workers’ Interests , Vanisha Hemwatie Sukdeo

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Just Greening the Gulf: Sustaining Justice for Migrant Workers , Asma Atique

Ongoing crimes and the unlikelihood of punishment - Syria as a case study , Ghuna Bdiwi

Lawyering from Below: Activist Legal Support in Contemporary Canada and the US , Irina Ceric

Measuring Access to Civil Justice: An Empirical Study of Ontarios Reform Initiatives , Matthew Dylag

Refugee Camps: In Search of the Locus of the Accountability of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Under International Law , Zachary Lomo

Epistemological Justice in Strategic Challenges to Legislation under Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms , Dana Erin Phillips

The Potential for a Family Law Tribunal , Patricia Lynn Robinson

Settling the Law: An Empirical Assessment of Decision-Making and Judicial Review in Canada's Refugee Resettlement System , Pierre-Andre Theriault

The Regulation of Paralegals in Ontario: Increased Access to Justice? , Lisa Danielle Trabucco

How Will I Know? An Epistemology of Lawyering , Emanuel Raul Tucsa

Regional Economic Community Courts and the Advancement of Environmental Protection and Socio-economic Justice in Africa: Three Case Studies , Rahina Bukar Zarma

Dissertations from 2020 2020

A Corporative Theory of Corporate Law and Governance , Phillip Granville Bevans

Re-Visiting the 'Resource Curse': Law and Mining Governance in Southern African Developmental States , Sara Ghebremusse

Mining Conflict, Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Justice: The Case of Phulbari Coal Project in Bangladesh , Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan

The Transnational Mining Justice Social Movement: Indigenous Right to Consultation & Right to Remedy Law Reform Activism in Canada and Latin America From 1999-2019 , Charis Kamphuis

Hryniak, the 2010 Amendments, and the First Stages of a Culture Shift?: The Evolution of Ontario Civil Procedure in the 2010s , Gerard Joseph Kennedy

A Comparative Study of Judicial Safeguards in Relation to Investor-State Dispute Settlement , Pavla Kristkova

Disability's Encounter with Legislation and Governance: Long-Term Care Homes in Ontario , Po Land Lai

The Nexus Standard and its Implications for International Tax Competition and Soft Law , Huaning Li

Towards Development Justice: Re-Visiting the Accountability of the World Bank and the IMF from a Right to Development Perspective , Maxwel Owuor Miyawa

Assessing Canada's Copyright Law in the Digital Context: Digital Locks, Open Licenses, and the Limits of Legislative Change , Justice Ifeonukwu Ogoroh

Regulatory Transgression? Drivers, Aims and Effects of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Regulation in Pakistan , Ahmed Sanaa

Resisting Obsolescence: A Comprehensive Study of Canada's Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and the Office's Efforts to Innovate While Strategically Asserting Greater Independence , Ian Norris Kellner Stedman

Dissertations from 2019 2019

Narrowing the Gap between Tax Law and Accounting , Humayun Rashid Chaudhary

Artificially Intelligent Copyright: Rethinking Copyright Boundaries , Aviv Hertzel Gaon

Beyond the Habitual: Legal Argument Upon the Use of Force and During the Conduct of Hostilities , David Michael Hughes

The Right to Support: Severely Disabled Children & Their Mothers , Sheila Kathleen Jennings

Attracting Foreign Investments for Green Energy Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa: Climate Change Policy & Innovation in International Legal Compliance , Leslyn Ann Lewis

Recognizing the Assemblage: Palestinian Bedouin of the Naqab in Dialectic with Israeli Law , Victor Nasser Rego

If You Love Something, Set it Free? Open Content Copyright Licensing and Creative Cultural Expression , Giuseppe Roberto Tarantino

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Intersectional Human Rights at CEDAW: Promises Transmissions and Impacts , Amanda Barbara Allen Dale

International Criminal Law and Limits of Universal Jurisdiction in the Global South: A Critical Discussion on Crimes Against Humanity , Nergis Canefe

Translating Trademarks: Towards the Equal Treatment of Foreign- Language Marks , Ung Shen Goh

The Pomegranate Tree has Smothered Me: International Law, Imperialism & Labour Struggle in Iraq, 1917-1960 , Ali Hammoudi

Law, Autonomy, and Local Government: A Legal History of Municipal Corporations in Canada West/Ontario, 1850-1880 , Mary Margaret Pelton Stokes

The Transnational Judicial Dialogue of the Supreme Court of Canada and its Impact , Klodian Rado

Is Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT) a Viable Alternative to the Utility Patent for the Protection and Promotion of Innovation in Genetically Engineered Agricultural Seeds? , Joseph Rosenblat

Law, Culture, and the City: Urban Legal Anthropology, the Counterhegemonic Use of Hegemonic Legal Tools, and the Management of Intangible Cultural Heritage Spaces Within Toronto's Municipal Legal Frameworks , Sara Gwendolyn Ross

Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Role of Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism in Shaping Anti-Terrorism Law in Comparative and International Perspectives: Case Studies of Egypt and Tunisia , Fatemah Alzubairi

Re-Imagining Local Governance: The Landscape of "Local" in Toronto , Alexandra Elizabeth Flynn

'Pyrates' of the Lyceum: Big Pharma, Patents, and Academic Freedom in Neoliberal Times , James McGillivray

The Place of Private Property in Land Use Law: A Relational Examination of Ontario's Quarry Conflicts , Estair Suarez Van Wagner

Dissertations from 2016 2016

When Insider Trading and Market Manipulation Cross Jurisdictions: What Are the Challenges For Securities Regulators and How Can They Best Preserve the Integrity of Markets? , Janet Elizabeth Austin

Geographical Indications and Development in the Third World: Towards a Strategic Approach of Intellectual Property Rights in Jamaica - The Case of Blue Mountain Coffee , Marsha Simone Cadogan

The Rules of Engagement: Self-Defense and the Principle of Distinction in International Humanitarian Law , Tracey Leigh Dowdeswell

The Limits of Regulation: A Case Study of Virtual and Intangible Harm , Nachshon Goltz

Mandated Ethics: Regulatory Innovation and its Limits in the Governance of Research Involving Humans , Igor Gontcharov

Confronting (In)Security: Forging Legitimate Approaches to Security and Exclusion in Migration Law , Angus Gavin Grant

Legal Anarchism: Does Existence Need to Be Regulated by the State , Sirus Kashefi

Having a Say: Democracy, Access to Justice and Self-Represented Litigants , Jennifer Ann Leitch

Social Protests as Constitutional Interpretation , Domingo Andreas Lovera-Parmo

The Nature and Value of Access to Information Laws in Canada and the EU: Ideals, Practices and Perspectives , Irma Spahiu

The Colliding Vernaculars of Foreign Investment Protection and Transitional Justice in Colombia: A Challenge for the Law in a Global Context , Marco Alberto Velasquez

Dissertations from 2015 2015

Rethinking the Law of Interrogations and Confessions in Canada , Fariborz Davoudi

Governing Water in Canada: The Legislative Experiments in New Governance , Patricia Hania

Changing Our Tune: A Music-Based Approach to Teaching, Learning, and Resolving Conflict , Linda Marie Ippolito

Reputational Privacy and the Internet: A Matter for Law? , Elizabeth Anne Kirley

Unionization at Justice Canada: A Case Study , Andrij Roman Kowalsky

Tracking Queer Kinships: Assisted Reproduction, Family Law and the Infertility Trap , Stewart Donnell Marvel

Through The Looking Glass: Transparency in the WTO , Maria Panezi

Increasing Innovation in Legal Process: The Contribution of Collaborative Law , Martha Emily Simmons

False Universalism of Global Governance Theories: Global Constitutionalism, Global Administrative Law, International Criminal Institutions and the Global South , Sujith Xavier

Dissertations from 2014 2014

Creating a Cultural Analysis Tool for the Implementation of Ontario's Civil Mental Health Laws , Roby Dhand

Rights and Responsibilities: What are the Prospects for the Responsibility to Protect in the International/Transnational Arena? , Carolyn Helen Filteau

Unanimous Shareholder Agreements , Nicolas William Juzda

Coercing Justice? Exploring the "Aspirations and Practice" of Law as a Tool in Struggles Against Social Inequalities , Karen Schucher

Adjudicating Human Rights in Transitional Contexts: A Nigerian Case-Study, 1999-2009 , Basil Emeka Ugochukwu

Safe Havens or Dangerous Waters? A Phenomenological Study of Abused Women's Experiences in the Family Courts of Ontario , Lois Shereen Winstock

Dissertations from 2013 2013

Securities Regulation of Ontario Venture Issuers: Rules or Principles? , John Pearson Allen

What it is-What it Should Be: An Empirical Analysis of the Effect of Procedures and Substantive Arguments on Adjudicative Tribunal Resource Allocation Decisions , Lydia Christine Stewart Ferreira

"The Rise and Fall of Welfare Health Legislation in 20th Century Chile: A Case Study in Political Economy of Law" , Jaime Llambias-Wolff

Exemptions for the non-performance of contractual obligations in cisg article 79 and the quest for uniformity in international sales law , Peter J. Mazzacano

"That Indispensable Figment of the Legal Mind": The Contract of Employment at Common Law in Ontario, 1890-1979 , Claire Isabel Mummé

Law, the American Corporation, and Society , Fenner Leland Stewart Jr.

Dissertations from 2012 2012

The Art of Persuasion: International/Comparative Human Rights, The Supreme Court of Canada and the Reconstitution of the Canadian Security Certificate Regime , Graham Hudson

"I smooth'd him up with fair words": Intersocietal law, from fur trade to treaty , Janna Beth Promislow

Dissertations from 2001 2001

The Constitution of Canada and the Conflict of Laws , Janet Walker

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Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

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To submit an Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD), visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies' How to Submit page.

Please contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies directly with any questions regarding ETDs.

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Academic writing: a practical guide

Dissertations.

• Academic writing
• The writing process
• Academic writing style
• Structure & cohesion
• Criticality in academic writing
• Working with evidence
• Referencing
• Assessment & feedback
• Reflective writing
• Examination writing
• Academic posters
• Feedback on Structure and Organisation
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• Feedback on Writing Style and Clarity
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Dissertations are a part of many degree programmes, completed in the final year of undergraduate studies or the final months of a taught masters-level degree. 

Introduction to dissertations

What is a dissertation.

A dissertation is usually a long-term project to produce a long-form piece of writing; think of it a little like an extended, structured assignment. In some subjects (typically the sciences), it might be called a project instead.

Work on an undergraduate dissertation is often spread out over the final year. For a masters dissertation, you'll start thinking about it early in your course and work on it throughout the year.

You might carry out your own original research, or base your dissertation on existing research literature or data sources - there are many possibilities.

What's different about a dissertation?

The main thing that sets a dissertation apart from your previous work is that it's an almost entirely independent project. You'll have some support from a supervisor, but you will spend a lot more time working on your own.

You'll also be working on your own topic that's different to your coursemate; you'll all produce a dissertation, but on different topics and, potentially, in very different ways.

Dissertations are also longer than a regular assignment, both in word count and the time that they take to complete. You'll usually have  most of an academic year to work on one, and be required to produce thousands of words; that might seem like a lot, but both time and word count will disappear very quickly once you get started! 

Find out more:

Key dissertation tools

Digital tools.

There are lots of tools, software and apps that can help you get through the dissertation process. Before you start, make sure you collect the key tools ready to:

• use your time efficiently
• organise yourself and your materials
• manage your writing
• be less stressed

Here's an overview of some useful tools:

Digital tools for your dissertation [Google Slides]

Setting up your document

Formatting and how you set up your document is also very important for a long piece of work like a dissertation, research project or thesis. Find tips and advice on our text processing guide:

University of York past Undergraduate and Masters dissertations

If you are a University of York student, you can access a selection of digitised undergraduate dissertations for certain subjects:

• History  
• History of Art  
• Social Policy and Social Work  

The Library also has digitised Masters dissertations for the following subjects:

• Archaeology
• Centre for Eighteenth-Century Studies  
• Centre for Medieval Studies  
• Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies  
• Centre for Women's Studies  
• English and Related Literature
• Health Sciences
• History of Art
• Hull York Medical School
• Language and Linguistic Science
• School for Business and Society
• School of Social and Political Sciences ​​​​​​​

Dissertation top tips

Many dissertations are structured into four key sections:

• introduction & literature review

There are many different types of dissertation, which don't all use this structure, so make sure you check your dissertation guidance. However, elements of these sections are common in all dissertation types.

Dissertations that are an extended literature review do not involve data collection, thus do not have a methods or result section. Instead they have chapters that explore concepts/theories and result in a conclusion section. Check your dissertation module handbook and all information given to see what your dissertation involves. 

Introduction & literature review

The Introduction and Literature Review give the context for your dissertation:

• What topic did you investigate?
• What do we already know about this topic?
• What are your research questions and hypotheses?

Sometimes these are two separate sections, and sometimes the Literature Review is integrated into the Introduction. Check your guidelines to find out what you need to do.

Literature Review Top Tips [YouTube]  |  Literature Review Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]

The Method section tells the reader what you did  and why.

• Include enough detail so that someone else could replicate your study.
• Visual elements can help present your method clearly. For example, summarise participant demographic data in a table or visualise the procedure in a diagram. 
• Show critical analysis by justifying your choices. For example, why is your test/questionnaire/equipment appropriate for this study?
• If your study requires ethical approval, include these details in this section.

Methodology Top Tips [YouTube]  |  Methodology Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]

More resources to help you plan and write the methodology:

The Results tells us what you found out . 

It's an objective presentation of your research findings. Don’t explain the results in detail here - you’ll do that in the discussion section.

Results Top Tips [YouTube]  |  Results Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]

The Discussion is where you explain and interpret your results - what do your findings mean?

This section involves a lot of critical analysis. You're not just presenting your findings, but putting them together with findings from other research to build your argument about what the findings mean.

Discussion Top Tips [YouTube]  |  Discussion Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]

Conclusions are a part of many dissertations and/or research projects. Check your module information to see if you are required to write one. Some dissertations/projects have concluding remarks in their discussion section. See the slides below for more information on writing conclusions in dissertations.

Conclusions in dissertations [Google Slides]

The abstract is a short summary of the whole dissertation that goes at the start of the document. It gives an overview of your research and helps readers decide if it’s relevant to their needs.

Even though it appears at the start of the document, write the abstract last. It summarises the whole dissertation, so you need to finish the main body before you can summarise it in the abstract.

Usually the abstract follows a very similar structure to the dissertation, with one or two sentences each to show the aims, methods, key results and conclusions drawn. Some subjects use headings within the abstract. Even if you don’t use these in your final abstract, headings can help you to plan a clear structure.

Abstract Top Tips [YouTube]  |  Abstract Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]

Watch all of our Dissertation Top Tips videos in one handy playlist:

Research reports, that are often found in science subjects, follow the same structure, so the tips in this tutorial also apply to dissertations:

Other support for dissertation writing

Online resources.

The general writing pages of this site offer guidance that can be applied to all types of writing, including dissertations. Also check your department guidance and VLE sites for tailored resources.

Other useful resources for dissertation writing:

Appointments and workshops 

There is a lot of support available in departments for dissertation production, which includes your dissertation supervisor, academic supervisor and, when appropriate, staff teaching in the research methods modules.

You can also access central writing and skills support:

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• Last Updated: Jul 1, 2024 6:09 PM
• URL: https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/academic-writing

Traduction Française Indisponible

Writing & publishing guides, grants, theses, writing & publishing: selected guides for graduate students, general guides, preparing a literature review, finding theses, thesis proposals/statements, grants available, writing a grant proposal.

• Discipline Specific Guides
• Guide to selecting an open access journal
• Open Access Publishing Discounts (i.e., Article Processing Charge discounts)
• Predatory Publishers
• Increasing visibility of your work through the YorkSpace repository
• Open Access Resources

Conference Proposals/Presentations

• Post Your Research/Publications in YorkSpace

Directories & Blog Aggregators

• Getting Started with Academic Blogging

Preparing the Thesis/Dissertation

York Specific Guidelines:

• Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines . Faculty of Graduate Studies. York University.

The following are selected books from York University Libraries' collection. Use the links below to get details about each one including their call numbers and the library at which they are located:

• Dunleavy, Patrick. Authoring a PhD : how to plan, draft, write, and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation . New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2003
• Lunenburg, Frederick C. Writing a successful thesis or dissertation : tips and strategies for students in the social and behavioral sciences . Thousand Oaks, CA : Corwin Press, 2008.
• Mauch, James E. Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation : a handbook for students and faculty . 4th ed. New York : M. Dekker, 1998.
• Paul, Oliver. Writing Your Thesis . 2nd ed. Los Angeles ; London : SAGE, 2008.
• Roberts, Carol M. The dissertation journey : a practical and comprehensive guide to planning, writing, and defending your dissertation. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin Press, 2010.
• Thomas, R. Murray. Theses and dissertations : a guide to planning, research, and writing. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA : Corwin Press, 2008.

Note some of the resources below are web guides, while others are books at York University Libraries:

• How to Write a Literature Review . Guide Prepared by The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It. University of Toronto.
• Review of Literature. University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Ridley, Diana, Dr. The literature review : a step-by-step guide for students . London : SAGE, c2008.
• Writing the Literature Review . University of South Australia Online Learning Environment.
• Finding Theses and Dissertations A comprehensive guide on how to find York theses as well as these from other universities. Features links to key databases.
• Creating a Thesis Statement . The OWL at Purdue.
• Developing a Working Thesis . SPARK.
• Developing a Thesis Statement . Hunter College Reading/Writing Center.
• Rozakis, L. Schaum's quick guide to writing great research papers [e-book] . 2nd ed. New York : McGraw-Hill, 2007. Has a chapter about how to write a thesis statement.
• Thesis Statement Basics . Writing Center. Sierra College.

Securing Research Funding & Preparing Funding Proposals

• Student Funding Information. Faculty of Graduate Studies. A very useful resource from the Faculty of Graduate Studies outlining research funding opportunities (both internal and external research funding opportunities) for students at York.
• GrantsNet Online Database From Next Wave and Science Magazine . GrantsNet is a searchable, continuously updated, database of funding opportunities in biomedical research and science education. It contains programs that offer training and research funding for graduate and medical students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty, as well as programs in science, math, engineering, and technology for undergraduate faculty and students
• Locke, L.F. Proposals that work : a guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals . 5th ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage Publications, 2007.
• Miner, J.T. Proposal planning & writing . 2nd ed. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2008.
• New, C.C. How to write a grant proposal . Hoboken, N.J. : John Wiley & Sons, 2003.

Writing at Graduate Level: General Guide

• Casanave, C.P. Learning the literacy practices of graduate school : insiders' reflections on academic enculturation . Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, 2008 Has information about writing competencies and tasks associated with graduate level education.
• Craswell, G. Writing for academic success : a postgraduate guide . London ; Thousand Oaks : SAGE Publications, 2005.
• De Gruchy, J.W. The emerging researcher : nurturing passion, developing skills, producing output. Cape Town : UCT Press, 2007. Talks about how graduate students can develop writing skills.
• Silvia, P.J. How to write a lot : a practical guide to productive academic writing . Washington, DC : American Psychological Association, 2007.

Discipline Specific Writing Guides

• Writing Guides by Discipline/Subject Points students to key writing guides, for a wide range of different disciplines/subjects, available at York University Libraries

Disseminating/Publishing Research

• Academic writing and publishing : a practical handbook . London : New York : Routledge, 2008.
• Huff, Anne Sigismund. Writing for scholarly publication . Thousand Oaks : Sage Publications, 1999.
• Moxley, J.M. Writing and publishing for academic authors . 2nd ed. Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1997.
• Becker, H.S. Writing for social scientists : how to start and finish your thesis, book, or article . 2nd ed. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2007.
• Kupfersmid, J. An author's guide to publishing better articles in better journals in the behavioral sciences . Brandon, Vt. : Clinical Psychology Pub. Co., 1994.
• Mackenzie Owen, J. S. The scientific article in the age of digitization . Dordrecht, Netherlands : Springer, 2007.
• Volokh, Eugene. Academic legal writing : law review articles, student notes, seminar papers, and getting on law review . 4rd ed. New York, N.Y. : Foundation Press, 2010.
• Wager, E. How to survive peer review . London : BMJ, 2002.
• Writing for social scientists : how to start and finish your thesis, book, or article . 2nd ed. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2007.
• Getting it published : a guide for scholars and anyone else serious about serious books .Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2001.
• Books in the digital age : the transformation of academic and higher education publishing in Britain and the United States. Cambridge : Polity, 2005.
• Becoming Conference Savvy: Preparing to Present a Paper The University Writing Center. University of Central Florida.
• Conference Paper Guide . Writing Center. Claremont Graduate University.

Posting Your Research Publications in YorkSpace

YorkSpace is York University's repository of research. It is a platform that enables York community members to post, organize and preserve their research online in an institutional context. The YorkSpace repository is an ideal dissemination platform as it promotes and facilitates discovery of research online through its standards-based architecture. Learn more, including how to make submissions or contact Andrea Kosavic , Digital Initiatives Librarian at York University.

Academic Blogging: Recommended Resources

• Academic Blog Portal
• Academic Matters: Recommended Blogs
• Inside Higher Ed: Recommended Blogs
• Nature Network
• Planet York: Blogs at York University
• Research Blogging
• ScienceBlogs
• Stanford Blog Directory

Getting Started with Academic Blogging:

Thinking about starting your own academic blog? Here's a tutorial on getting started: Blogging 101

Here are some articles, with some interesting thoughts and pointers:

• The Negative Myths About Academic Blogging , Daniel Lemire
• Why Academics Should Blog , Hugh McGuire.
• Science Blogging: The Future of Science Communication and Why You Should Be Part of It , Daniel D. Brown.

Thesis and Dissertation Prizes

The Faculty of Graduate Studies will award a maximum of six (6) thesis prizes for exceptional theses defended in a given year ( i.e. , calendar year January 1 to December 31). Normally three (3) of these will be awarded for Master's theses and three (3) for Doctoral dissertations.

• The value of the awards will be $2,000.00 for Doctoral dissertations and $1,000.00 for Master's thesis.
• The deadline for nomination, which must include a report from the nominating program, will be February 1.
• Only one Master's thesis and one Doctoral dissertation may be nominated by a program in any one year.
• The thesis or dissertation must have been recognised by the examining committee at the defence as being outstanding before it may be nominated.

Normally a decision of the examining committee to nominate a thesis or dissertation should be unanimous. Where a decision is not unanimous, but the committee wishes to nominate the thesis or dissertation, the written letter of nomination must represent the division of opinion and indicate why, notwithstanding the division of opinion, the thesis or dissertation should be nominated.

It is the responsibility of the Graduate Program Director to prepare the nomination. The submission must include:

• a statement from the examining committee expressing support of the thesis or dissertation as being outstanding;
• the report of the external examiner where applicable;
• a statement from the Chair of the committee, supported by the examining committee, detailing those elements of the thesis or dissertation which make it exceptional; and
• a statement from the Graduate Program Director.

The statement from the Graduate Program Director should include:

• the criteria used by the program in making its nomination;
• the reasons why this particular thesis or dissertation rather than some other thesis or dissertation was chosen;
• where applicable, a comparison of the thesis or dissertation nominated this year with previous nominations; and
• where a Graduate Program Director nominates a thesis or dissertation for a prize and the recommendation from the examining committee is not unanimous, the statement from the examining committee should be included as detailed in item 5 above.

The Awards Committee of the Faculty of Graduate Studies may seek advice from other members of the University before reaching their decisions.

The decisions of the Awards Committee will be final. The results will be announced at the Spring Convocation each year when the recipients will receive the awards.

Nominations for the Thesis and Dissertation Prizes will be also be considered, if applicable, for nomination for external thesis and dissertation awards such as the CAGS/UMI Distinguished Dissertation Awards and the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools dissertation and thesis awards.

Policy approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies Council, January 7, 1993; updated and approved by Faculty Council March 6, 2014

Graduate programs submit nominations via email for these prizes, including all supporting documentation, to the Coordinator, Faculty Governance , acting on behalf of the FGS Awards Committee. Please note that the submission of bound copies of theses and dissertations is no longer required, as the Awards Committee may access electronic copies via FGS or the Library. Please submit documentation as one pdf document. Finally, please note that the statement from the examining committee referenced above refers to the Oral Examination Report where the thesis or dissertation is identified as outstanding and may be considered for this prize.

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The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is a terminal degree reflecting independent mastery of a specialized field of knowledge, and the successful pursuit of original research. The PhD effort requires academic discipline together with a significant commitment of time and effort. It involves highly focused study in a particular area of interest culminating in an original research effort which adds to the general body of knowledge in the field.

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Finding Dissertations

• Finding NYU Dissertations
• Finding Dissertations from Other Institutions
• International Resources
• Library Hours & Locations
• Library Tutorials &  Classes
• Comments / Suggestions

Introduction

Nyu dissertations.

The Division of Libraries maintains a non-comprehensive collection of doctoral dissertations completed at New York University. Many of the dissertations available in our collection are cataloged in the Library Catalog .  Recent dissertations completed at NYU can be found in the database  Dissertations and Theses Global .   Guidance on the use of both resources is included in this guide.

Non-NYU Institutions' Dissertations

NYU holds very few dissertations completed at other institutions. For those dissertations which are not in our collection this guide also provides guidance on how to acquire or borrow copies.

Information for Dissertation Authors

• Dissertation Authors Research Guide
• NYU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Doctoral Dissertation Submission Guide
• Steinhardt Doctoral Dissertations Formatting Guidelines
• NYU Wagner Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines
• Information for Silver School of Social Work Ph.D candidates Doctoral dissertation formatting and submission guidelines available in the Ph.D student manual.

Search the NYU Libraries Catalog

Search for books, journals, videos, etc. in our local libraries and special collections.

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• Last Updated: Jul 9, 2024 6:20 PM
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Thesis & dissertation.

  Understanding Deadlines and Requirements

The final requirement in earning a graduate degree is the completion and defense of the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Understanding the steps and associated deadlines in the thesis/dissertation submission and degree conferral process is necessary to establish a successful plan and realistic timeframe.

2024 Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School Deadlines:

• For May 26, 2024 conferral, deadline is May 1.
• For August 31, 2024 conferral, deadline is August 1.
• December 31, 2024 conferral, deadline is December 1.

See our  Planning Timeline  for more detailed information.

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The Graduate School offers several writing resources to help you get started, meet your goals, and complete your thesis/dissertation on time. 

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Once you have submitted your draft thesis/dissertation to your committee you are ready to defend. This involves scheduling and taking your final exam (“B” exam), an oral exam/dissertation defense for Ph.D. candidates, or (“M” exam), an oral exam/thesis defense for Master’s candidates.

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Policy requires the thesis/dissertation be submitted within 60 days of the final exam. The Graduate School uses a service called ProQuest to administer the electronic thesis/dissertation (ETD) submission and committee approval process. Once you have made any necessary revisions and the thesis/dissertation is final, you are ready to begin the approval and submission process.

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Welcome to White Rose eTheses Online

White rose etheses online.

Welcome to White Rose eTheses Online, a shared repository of electronic theses from the University of Leeds, the University of Sheffield and the University of York.

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If you are unsure if this is the right place for you, check the FAQs .

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What is White Rose eTheses Online?

This repository gives access to theses awarded by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. The available repository content can be accessed for free, without the need to log on or create an account, as per the instructions of the depositing author. We also make the content available through aggregator sites via harvesting mechanisms.

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Dissertations

• Yildirim, B. 2001. The reliefs from the Roman civil basilica at Aphrodisias in Caria. New York University: PhD Dissertation.

Download the complete current Aphrodisias Bibliography 2023 (.pdf)

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Copyright © 2023 aphrodisias excavations project.

All content belongs to the Aphrodisias Excavations project and cannot be used without express written authorization. Enquiries and requests for images email to: [email protected]

University of Oxford Ioannou Centre for Classical & Byzantine Studies 66, St. Giles’, Oxford. OX1 3LU

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• NATURE BRIEFING
• 17 July 2024

Daily briefing: The poetry hidden in PhD thesis acknowledgements

• Flora Graham

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Ice-core containers are stacked high at the US National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility in Denver, Colorado. Credit: Curt LaBombard

Ancient-ice archive gets ‘future-proofed’

The refrigeration system that houses the largest collection of climate-tracking ice cores is about to slash its environmental footprint by switching away from banned ozone-harming coolants. The US National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility will transition from outdated hydrochlorofluorocarbon refrigerants to more efficient ‘transcritical’ CO 2 , which can behave as a liquid and a gas simultaneously.

Nature | 5 min read

Can bird flu spread through cow sneezes?

Cows can get infected with H5N1 avian influenza through the air— but this mode of transmission is probably not driving the current outbreak in the United States. Cows exposed to virus-laden mist through a mask produced neutralizing antibodies against the virus, confirming that they were infected. But the infected animals didn’t shed high levels of the virus in their airways, so experts don’t think it’s a major source of spread. “Udder-to-udder transmission still seems most likely to be the major route at present,” says virologist Thomas Peacock.

Reference: bioRxiv preprint (not peer-reviewed)

Dogs’ emotional sensitivity is baked in

Centuries of co-evolution seem to have led to dogs being able to sense our emotional states. When dogs were played the sounds of people crying or humming, they appeared more stressed by the sad sounds than by the neutral one. And they’re not just learning from being around us. Pet pigs — who were also raised alongside people but whose species played a very different role in human societies — seemed to find the humming more upsetting.

Nature | 4 min read

Reference: Animal Behaviour paper

Trump’s VP choice is a climate skeptic

Former US president Donald Trump’s choice of running mate in the presidential election, Senator J. D. Vance, is a strong backer of the oil and gas industry, has opposed support for renewable energy and electric vehicles and says he is skeptical of climate change . Like his view on Trump — which has changed from vocal critic to die-hard loyalist — it has not always been this way. “We have a climate problem,” said Vance in 2020. Last year, after seeking Trump’s support during his 2022 campaign for the senate, Vance criticized climate legislation as “green energy daydreams”.

The New York Times | 5 min read

Features & opinion

Don’t ignore alternatives to animal research.

It’s been more than a year since the law in the United States changed to allow alternatives to animal research when testing drug candidates — but many scientists aren’t aware of the options, notes a Nature editorial. More studies using human tissue — induced pluripotent stem cells, organoids and tiny tissue samples taken from biopsies — could improve the outlook for researchers, patients and animals alike.

Nature | 6 min read

Thanks for everything

Science writer Tabitha Carvan is enchanted by the found poetry hidden in the acknowledgement sections of PhD theses . “They feel like they’ve been drafted a hundred times in the head of the author, but then put down on the page in a hurry,” writes Carvan. “Like they’re trying to tell you the most important thing they’ve ever said — at the very moment the ship is pulling away from the dock.” In this delightfully interactive feature, Caravan takes us on a tour of some of her favourites.

Australian National University College of Science | Leisurely scroll

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“we have become concerned that we have been teaching to the wrong test, that our support is reinforcing an existing system of recognition and prestige tied to circumscribed paths of scientific inquiry.”.

By supporting projects more likely to get NIH funding, the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) found it was sidelining research to improve care, reduce disease or boost the impact of proven interventions, write DDF chief Sam Gill and medical-research lead Sindy Escobar Alvarez. ( Issues in Science and Technology | 8 min read )

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02362-0

Leif Penguinson, is that you? Even the stars seem to be a hiding place for our penguin friend in this image from the James Webb Space Telescope .

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UB Awards 314 Biomedical Science Degrees; 18 Earn PhDs

Commencement 2023.

A graduate pays homage to her parents with words translated from Spanish meaning “For my parents, who arrived with nothing and gave me everything” on her mortarboard. 

By Bill Bruton

Published June 1, 2023

Eighteen doctoral, 70 master’s and 226 baccalaureate candidates were eligible to receive degrees in biomedical science fields during the May commencement ceremony.

2023 Commencement Video

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Three graduate students and 10 senior undergraduates were singled out for special honors, including two graduates who received a Chancellor’s Award, the highest State University of New York undergraduate honor.

Graduates completed work in 14 departments or programs of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences :

• biochemistry
• biomedical engineering
• biomedical informatics
• biomedical sciences
• biotechnical and clinical laboratory sciences
• genetics, genomics and bioinformatics
• medical physics
• microbiology and immunology
• natural sciences interdisciplinary
• neuroscience
• nuclear medicine technology
• pathology and anatomical sciences
• pharmacology and toxicology
• physiology and biophysics

Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, UB’s vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School, congratulates the Class of 2023.

Graduates also completed the following programs offered in alliance with the  Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Graduate Division : cancer prevention and control, cancer sciences, cell and molecular biology and molecular pharmacology and cancer therapeutics.

Allison Brashear, MD, MBA , UB’s vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School, congratulated the graduates for their achievements.

“Despite hardships that all of us have faced the last few years, you have shown great resilience, determination and perseverance in your academic pursuits, qualities I am certain will enable you to make your mark in your respective industries,” Brashear said.

“You are the next generation of leaders, professionals, scientists and researchers,” Brashear added. “Your work will positively impact research aimed at ensuring equitable health outcomes across diverse patients and populations, while supporting the Jacobs School’s ongoing commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.”

Brashear emphasized the importance collaboration has had on their studies, and will continue to have in their careers.

“While your training may differ, at UB you learned that teamwork is essential, and that a diverse group working together can leverage its strengths and expertise to institute change,” Brashear said. “It is that type of collaboration that is fueling medical breakthroughs and the faster development of treatments and medications that impact patients’ lives.”

She spoke about how medical innovations — including artificial intelligence — will transform health care.

“This is only the beginning. The coming years will usher in a revolution in patient-centered care with the digitization of medical records, the development of biometric technology, and advancements in biology and life sciences,“ Brashear said. “While the industry is changing at a record speed, your UB degree has prepared you for a diverse job market and to remain versatile as scientists.”

“Your creative and critical thinking will continually push the bounds of scientific discovery and new technologies. It has been my honor to watch you grow and thrive, make new discoveries, and shape your goals to change the world,” Brashear added. “I applaud each and every one of you on achieving this next step in your journey and I wish you all the best in your bright futures.”

A. Scott Weber, PhD, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, conferred the degrees during the May 21 event at UB’s Center for the Arts.

“Your UB education has prepared you to be flexible and responsive to the shifting needs and opportunities, and to meet the challenges we face head on, however vast they may seem,” Weber said.

“You’ve impacted our local and global communities through enhanced learning and engagement opportunities. Throughout your time at UB, you have proven that you are talented, compassionate, dedicated and strong. These truly are the attributes that will enable your future success,” Weber added.

Outstanding Graduates Recognized

Biochemistry graduate student research achievement award.

Doctoral graduate Christopher Campomizzi was honored for research that received national or international recognition and for being selected to give an oral presentation at a major national or international meeting.

Dissertation: “19F NMR Studies of CYP121 from Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Illustrate the Importance of the Protein Dimer”

Mentor: D. Fernando Estrada, PhD , associate professor of biochemistry

Roswell Park Graduate Division Award for Excellence in Research

Doctoral graduate Sarah Rose Chamberlain was the recipient of this award for outstanding research for her dissertation titled “Novel Approaches of Photodynamic Therapy for Lung Cancer”

Mentor: Gal Shafirstein, DSc , professor of oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Dean’s Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research

Doctoral graduate Murat Can Kalem was the winner of this award that recognizes demonstrated excellence in research.

He was honored for his dissertation: “Arginine Methylation and the Control of RNA-Binding Proteins in Cryptococcus neoformans”

Mentor: John C. Panepinto, PhD , professor of microbiology and immunology

The Microbiology and Immunology Award for Excellence in Dissertation Research in Memory of Dr. Murray W. Stinson

Doctoral graduate Murat Can Kalem was honored for his dissertation “Arginine Methylation and the Control of RNA-Binding Proteins in Cryptococcus neoformans”

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence

Haeni Lee and Richard Pasternack were recognized with the Chancellor’s Award. It recognizes students for their integration of academic excellence with other aspects of their lives that may include leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, entrepreneurship or career achievement.

Lee graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical sciences with a public health minor. Lee is an international student from South Korea and a University Honors College Scholar.

She has been a senator in the Residence Hall Association, teaching assistant, research assistant and intern in several laboratories and a company. She has worked in the UB Maternal and Child Health program, contributing to work on helping pregnant women quit smoking and studying maternal substance use related to pandemic.

Pasternak, a native of Alden, New York, graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical sciences. He is a recipient of UB’s Excellence in General and Organic Chemistry Awards and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Pasternack works as a research aide studying bicarbonate transport and is a medical assistant for an endocrinology practice. He volunteers at the Pediatric and Adolescent Urgent Care of WNY and is a board member for the Alden Community Scholarship Foundation.

Undergraduate Outstanding Senior Awards

The following awards honor high academic performance and involvement in the campus community and external organizations:

Biochemistry Kevin Bowman

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Biomedical Informatics Luna Liu

Biomedical Sciences Lily Freeman-Striegel

Biotechnology Fredrick Earl

Medical Technology Faith Dwyer

Neuroscience Colin Schupbach

Nuclear Medicine Technology Aja Holland

Pharmacology and Toxicology Jordan Richardson

Commencement speaker Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, tells the graduates they will play important roles in their research careers.

Infectious Disease Specialist is Speaker

Commencement speaker Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, distinguished professor and chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University, told the graduates they will play an important role in shaping the world.

“I have a very simple message for you. You are humanity’s best insurance policy, and that makes you the most important scientific generation in the history of science,” Casadevall said. “This is no hyperbole, because you are graduating at a time of great challenges to our species.”

He went on to explain that when he got his degree, DNA sequencing was still a novelty, the life expectancy of someone with AIDS was a matter of months, the cause of cervical cancer was unknown, organ transplantation was rare and carried huge risks of organ rejection and infection, while ulcers were attributed to acid secretion and a type A personality.

Today, he said, DNA sequencing is commonplace, you can know your genetic ancestry for a few dollars, HIV is a treatable disease, there is a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, organ transplantation is a routine procedure, and ulcers were found to be caused by bacteria and can now be treated with antibiotics.

“This progress was made possible because of new scientific knowledge. Basic science combined with clinical research to make discoveries that translated into new therapies,” Casadevall said. “To get here we needed new knowledge that in turn required approaching problems with the tools of science.”

The speaker also related that when he was 19, his father didn’t think he was going anywhere in life and insisted that Casadevall go to school to get a pest control operator license.

The classes were held at night in a community college in Brooklyn.

He still has that diploma proudly displayed in his office.

“Why am I telling you this? Because I want to make the point that life has many branch points and that the road to this podium was by no means straight or assured. In fact, I feel very lucky to have gotten as far as I have,” Casadevall said. “In medicine, I specialized in infectious disease and my research is in killing microbes. Hence, I am indeed in the business of killing bugs, and you could argue that I did take my father’s advice but just kept going.”

He offered hope to the graduates as they continue on in their research.

“I believe a day will come when one of you will give a commencement address, and you will tell the graduates that you remember a terrible time when many cancers were incurable, when many elderly individuals developed dementia, and when we feared that climate change was irreversible,” Casadevall said. “When that day comes, I hope you will reinforce the message that the way forward is to continue to generate knowledge to ensure an even better world built with the tools of science and ethics, on the wings of curiosity and the human spirit.”