um thesis submission

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Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

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• Electronic Thesis & Dissertation (ETD)

The Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) database submission program is a joint effort between the Graduate School and the University of Miami Libraries. Master's theses and dissertations/doctoral essays are stored in electronic form in the Scholarship@Miami  digital archive and are made available online for worldwide retrieval. All graduating doctoral (Ph.D./Ed.D./D.M.A.) students with a dissertation/doctoral essay/lecture recital essay requirement and all graduating master’s students with a thesis requirement at UM are required to submit an electronic copy of their dissertation/doctoral essay/lecture recital essay or Master's thesis for inclusion in the ETD institutional repository.

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University of Miami Theses and Dissertations

University of Miami Libraries hold approximately 9,100 theses and dissertations submitted from 1943 to the present. They can be searched by author and title via Richter’s  Library Online Catalog . The collection is in print format and it is kept at our Off-Campus Storage Facility.

Please request circulation copies of the theses and dissertations by using the “Request” function in the catalog or ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk. Non-UM users may request an item by contacting Access at [email protected] . It will take a day or two for the library to retrieve items from the off-site facility.

Archival copies of the theses and dissertations are managed by the University Archives.  We will not serve patrons with archival copies unless circulation copies are unavailable.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The University of Miami Libraries have digitized over 4,000 theses and dissertations created since 1961 presented by the University of Miami Graduate School, which supports masters-level and doctoral programs on the Coral Gables campus, at the Miller School of Medicine, and at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science.  Please go to Scholarship@Miami to access them in PDF format by title, author, and publication year.

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Undergraduate Honors Theses Collection contains theses written by University of Miami undergraduate students from 1989 to 2010.  University Honors ( summa cum laude, magna cum laude  and  cum laude ) are determined by a minimum GPA unique to the school or college from which the student is graduating. University honors only applies to undergraduate students.

Please visit the Undergraduate Honors Theses collection to research them by title, author, and publication year. The collection is in print format, and it is served at the Special Collections Reading Room.

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Thesis and practicum examinations and MSpace submission

When you have finished writing your Master’s or Ph.D. thesis or practicum, it must be examined and passed by your examining committee before being revised, if necessary, and submitted to MSpace, the university’s digital repository, where it will become available worldwide.

On this page

Thesis submission deadlines and requirements, submitting your ph.d. thesis for examination, thesis examination process, submitting your thesis or practicum to the mspace digital repository, thesis and practicum submission checklist, archiving of your thesis and practicum.

Procedures for the submission and examination of Master’s theses and practica may vary between programs and are carried out at the unit level. For details, please consult the program’s supplementary regulations .

Doctoral theses must be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies office via the Graduate Studies Hub (University of Manitoba account login required) to initiate the written examination process. The Ph.D. thesis examination process is carried out by the Faculty of Graduate Studies; please see below for details.

Students are strongly encouraged to submit their theses and practica well in advance of the relevant deadlines outlined in the table below to ensure that they will be able to graduate in their intended graduation period (May, October, or February).

Timelines for completing thesis examinations and satisfying outstanding requirements can vary significantly; students who leave the distribution of their theses and practica until the deadline often have difficulty getting their work approved in time to meet graduation deadlines. Failing to meet these deadlines will result in delays to your convocation.

Table notes:

1 The “Approval to Proceed to Thesis Examination” form verifies that each member of the advisory committee has read the complete version of the thesis and has provided the candidate with a detailed review and comments including any necessary revisions. Please contact your unit/department for internal procedures and deadlines regarding review of your thesis by the internal examiners.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements are delivered to the Faculty of Graduate Studies office by the deadline noted.

• Students cannot be added to the potential graduand list after the final deadline listed in the table above.
• When a submission date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Before submitting your thesis to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for examination, your advisory committee must verify that they have read the complete thesis and provided you with a detailed review and comments, including any necessary revisions, by signing the Approval to Proceed to Ph.D. Thesis Examination form (PDF available on the Faculty of Graduate Studies Forms page ). This form must be signed by all parties and submitted by the student alongside the thesis. Signing the Approval to Proceed form does not constitute a formal evaluation of the thesis.

The thesis will be eligible for examination if:

• No more than one (1) member of the advisory committee indicates on the Approval to Proceed to Ph.D. Thesis Examination form that they do not support proceeding to the formal examination of the thesis; and
• The department/unit indicates on the Approval to Proceed to Ph.D. Thesis Examination form that they do support proceeding to the formal examination of the thesis.

Once the Approval to Proceed to Ph.D. Thesis Examination form is signed by all parties and the thesis is ready for examination, you must submit it, your thesis, and any related files (if applicable) to the Faculty of Graduate Studies via the Ph.D. Thesis Submission Form on the Graduate Studies Hub (University of Manitoba account login required). Below are complete instructions on how to submit your thesis to the committee and for what to expect after your thesis has been submitted.

Graduate Studies Hub

Note on advisors, co-advisors, and internal examiners from outside of the University of Manitoba Individuals who do not have a UMNetID and University of Manitoba email address (e.g., faculty from the University of Winnipeg who do not have an appointment at the University of Manitoba) must be added to the University of Manitoba's Microsoft user directory in order to access the Graduate Studies Hub and the administrative processes hosted on that site, including the Ph.D. thesis examination process. For additional details, please see the External Users page on the Graduate Studies Hub site (University of Manitoba account login required).

Those who hold adjunct appointments or are otherwise eligible to claim a UMNetID must claim their UMNetID to be able to access the Graduate Studies Hub and other University of Manitoba services and systems. For additional information, please visit the Claim UMNetID page on the University of Manitoba website.

If your Advisor, Co-Advisor, and/or examining committee members do not have an appointment (including adjunct) at the University of Manitoba, they must be granted access to the Graduate Studies Hub before you submit your thesis for examination.

Submission instructions

The Ph.D. thesis examination process is located on the Graduate Studies Hub Sharepoint site, which is accessible to all faculty, staff, and students. This is the method Ph.D. students must use to submit their thesis for examination.

To access the thesis submission form, you will need to:

• If you accessed the login page from a link to the Graduate Studies Hub, you will be directed to the Graduate Studies Hub home page once you have logged in using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). If you were already logged into your account in your web browser, you will not be prompted to log in again.
• If you accessed the login page from another link (e.g., portal.office.com), you can navigate to Sharepoint from the Apps waffle menu in the top left-hand corner of your screen. Once you are on the Sharepoint homepage, search for the Graduate Studies Hub using the search bar at the top of the screen. For more information on navigating Sharepoint, please visit the Microsoft website .
• From the Graduate Studies Hub home screen, select the “Ph.D. Thesis Examinations” button or navigate to the page from the navigation toolbar at the top of the screen (under “Program Requirements”).
• Read the “Before you begin” section on the Ph.D. Thesis Examinations page for details about submission requirements. Ensure that you have all of the proper documents and information available before navigating to the submission form.
• Once you are ready to submit your thesis, select “Submit your Ph.D. thesis for examination”. This link is available in multiple places along the right-hand side of the screen and will open in a new tab in your web browser upon selection.
• Preamble (eligibility for examination and anticipated graduation date)
• Student Information (student name, number, email address, program)
• Thesis Information (title, abstract, PDF thesis file, Approval to Proceed to Ph.D. Thesis Examination Form, supplementary file(s) and/or descriptions of revisions, if applicable)
• Examining Committee Information (for each examiner: name, email address, role, department/unit)
• Review all information entered for accuracy before proceeding to the next section and ensure that the correct documents are uploaded. When you are ready to submit the form, select the “Submit” button at the bottom of the screen. You will receive a confirmation email shortly after the thesis has been submitted.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] .

As per University policy, students are required to check their @myumanitoba.ca email account regularly as continuous information is emailed to students throughout the examination process.

The Ph.D. thesis examination process consists of the examination of the written thesis by an examining committee comprised of the Advisor/Co-Advisor, internal examiners, and an external examiner selected by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. If the thesis is passed at the written examination stage, it will be permitted to proceed to the oral examination.

The Ph.D. thesis examination process begins with the submission of the Ph.D. Thesis Submission Form (including the thesis and Approval to Proceed form). Once this form has been successfully submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies:

• The student will receive an email confirming that their thesis has been received.  
• The thesis submission number and student number (included in the email notification);
• The Advisor (and Co-Advisor, if applicable) name and email address;
• Full name, email address, department/unit, and University
• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing their scholarly publications, research activities, and Ph.D. student supervision/examination experience in Word or PDF format;
• A short statement explaining the rationale for the nomination; and
• Acknowledgements of each of the eligibility requirements with room to elaborate, if necessary.  
• If there is a Co-Advisor, they will receive an email asking them to approve the nominations. This email will contain instructions for submitting their approval or rejection.  
• The external examiner will be chosen and invited to serve by the Faculty of Graduate Studies Associate Dean and will remain anonymous until the external examiner’s report is received.  
• The student and Advisor/Co-Advisor informing them that the thesis examination has begun. They are reminded that while the thesis is undergoing review, no communication is permitted with examining committee members regarding the thesis until all internal and external examiner reports have been received
• Internal and external examiners providing them with a link for accessing a .pdf copy of the candidate’s thesis (and supplementary files if applicable) and instructions for submitting their report. Internal and external examiners are requested to submit their detailed reports via the appropriate Report Form within four (4) weeks. Automated reminders will be sent one (1) week before the report deadline and one (1) day after the deadline. The Faculty of Graduate Studies will contact examiners who have not submitted their report by one (1) week after the deadline.  
• Once all examiner reports are received, they will be reviewed by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and sent via email to the Advisor/Co-advisor, internal examining committee members and the Department/Unit Head. The Advisor/Co-Advisor will be asked to share the reports with the student. If the written examination is passed, they will also be provided with information concerning scheduling the Ph.D. Oral Examination at this point.

Please see the Faculty of Graduate Studies Academic Guide for policies and regulations regarding the Ph.D. thesis examination process.

The Ph.D. oral examination Please visit the Ph.D. oral examination page for details about Ph.D. oral examination scheduling and procedures.

If both the written and oral examinations are passed, the final copy of the thesis (including any necessary revisions) must be submitted to MSpace.

All theses and practica are submitted electronically to MSpace, the University of Manitoba digital repository. Here they become searchable and available to a worldwide audience.

You must submit your thesis or practicum to the Faculty of Graduate Studies by the deadlines indicated in the Academic Schedule in the Graduate Calendar to be eligible for graduation for a specific graduation period. The Faculty of Graduate Studies does not provide extensions for thesis or practicum submissions beyond these final deadlines.

You submit your thesis or practicum to MSpace following the approval of the work by the examining committee and the completion of any revisions required by that committee. The digital copy is required for the University of Manitoba library and remains the property of the University of Manitoba.

To be eligible to receive your parchment and official transcripts, you must pay all outstanding university fines and fees (library, parking, tuition, etc.) and your file must not be on hold.

Learn more about MSpace

Benefits of mspace.

Having your thesis or practicum in the university's digital repository has a number of advantages.

Global exposure and self-promotion

Your thesis/practicum can be read from anywhere in the world in full text by prospective employers, researchers, colleagues, friends and relatives. You can promote your thesis/practicum by adding its MSpace URL to your CV and your home page.

Faster and wider accessibility

Your thesis/practicum will be processed quickly and will be accessible from MSpace, Google, Google Scholar, the UM Libraries’ catalogue, and elsewhere. 

URLs and accompanying files (including multimedia files)

You can add URLs with active links within your e-thesis. You can also add audio or video or other accompanying files to MSpace as separate files.

Lower costs and less paper

You save money and trees by providing everyone with the MSpace URL to your thesis/ practicum.

Before you submit your thesis or practicum

Please review these points to ensure you are prepared to submit your thesis or practicum. 

Log in to MSpace

You log in to MSpace using your UMNetID user name and password.

Prepare your thesis/practicum PDF

• You must submit the electronic version of your thesis (”e-thesis”) in portable document format (PDF). 
• Convert your electronic thesis into a single unsecured (not password protected) PDF file with fonts embedded. The PDF file must remain unsecured for full text indexing and processing. For help, please see the Libraries’ Depositing Help page .
• Name the PDF file as your last and first name.  For example: doe_jane.pdf
• Remove signatures and personal information. Make sure your thesis does not contain any personal contact information (e.g., addresses, email addresses, and/or telephone numbers).
• Any signatures on scanned letters or forms should be removed before sending your thesis to the printer (if stipulated in your program’s supplementary regulations) and submitting to MSpace.

Information to have on hand

Before posting your thesis, please review  What you need before you deposit  

Submitting additional files

Please review What you can deposit .

Submit an electronic thesis

• Submit one electronic copy of your thesis or practicum according to the instructions on the MSpace website. Ensure there are no missing pages in your document. Submit additional files separately.
• You will be asked to agree to the MSpace license before your submission can be completed.

Submit to the Faculty of Graduate Studies:

• Master’s students: The original Thesis/Practicum Final Report form. This is signed by your examining committee after you have successfully defended and/or completed your thesis and practicum revisions.
• PhD students: The Faculty of Graduate Studies provides the Chair Report Form to the Chair of the Ph.D. oral examination. These forms must be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies by the Chair and Advisor/Co-Advisor, respectively, following the oral examination.

Other Requirements:

• The Thesis Release form – this is a copyright license declaration form that you must complete in MSpace when you submit your thesis
• A copy of the Ethical Review Board approval letter (if applicable) received from the Research Ethics Board and any other pertinent access approval forms (if applicable).

It is your responsibility to provide copies of your thesis or practicum to your department if required in the supplementary regulations for your program.

Please see  Expectations and obligations in a deposit for more information.

Delay before your thesis appears on MSpace

After you post your e-thesis, it goes into the MSpace submission pool, and the status will appear as “Awaiting Editor’s Approval”. Your e-thesis will appear in MSpace after a Graduate Studies staff member has reviewed and accepted it.

For help and information about submitting electronic theses, please see Depositing help & FAQ .

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Thesis Submission & Examination

Your thesis is the culmination of your research studies with us. It is essential to follow the guidance regarding deadlines and submissions.

How to submit

To submit your thesis for examination you must submit an electronic copy of the thesis to the Research Degrees Office in the approved format (a digital (PDF) file) by email to  [email protected] . The email submitting the thesis must be received in the RDO by  23:59  hours on the thesis submission deadline.  

The thesis may be submitted by email to  [email protected]    

If the file is too large you may send us a link to a shared OneDrive file. Please email  [email protected]  letting us know that you have done this. If you have any issues please contact us.   

Please complete the  PGR Thesis Submission Form (RD02) [DOC 39KB]  and attach this to your email to RDO.  

The two bound copies of the thesis are  NOT  required. The thesis must be submitted as a single combined document, preferably PDF. Appendices must not be submitted as separate documents. If you have any questions or need to submit additional material with your thesis, e.g. digital material, please contact   [email protected]   so that we can advise.  

The date of thesis submission recorded on MySIS is the date on which the electronic copy of the thesis is submitted to RDO.  

Thesis submission deadline

The thesis submission deadline is determined by programme length and whether a student is studying full-time or part-time. Please see the table below for general guidance.

Students who have changed their mode of study from full-time to part-time (and vice versa), interrupted their studies, or have been granted an extension to their period of registration will have a different thesis submission deadline to the guide above. A student’s thesis submission deadline is published in the  MySIS  Research Student Data view on the student’s home page. The submission deadline date is shown in the “Thesis” section.

Please contact the  Research Degrees Office (RDO)   to confirm the thesis submission deadline. 

How to submit your thesis

Thesis submission .

The formal entry for examination is the submission of the thesis to the Research Degrees Office before the thesis submission deadline. 

You must also submit a completed   PGR Thesis Submission Form (RD02) [DOC 39KB]   with the electronic copy of your thesis. The electronic copy of the thesis can be submitted by email to   [email protected] , or you can also use the   Queen Mary 'Collect' file transfer service  for files up to 2GB. Please ensure that the maximum time limit for download is chosen.  The date of thesis submission is recorded on MySIS by the Research Degrees Office. 

Once the Research Degrees Programmes and Examinations Board has approved your examiners (please see our page on the   nomination of examiners   for more information about this process), the Research Degrees Office will formally invite your examiners to act.  Once the examiners have accepted the formal invitation, RDO will send the thesis to them electronically.

Your thesis will not be sent until both examiners have accepted the formal invitation.

The two bound copies of the thesis will not be required . The thesis must be submitted as a single combined document, preferably PDF. Appendices must not be submitted as separate documents. If you have any questions or need to submit additional material with your thesis, e.g. digital material, please contact    [email protected]   

Embargo your thesis

If you do not wish your thesis to be available online, you will be able to indicate it on the online form when you submit the final version of the thesis to the library (post-viva).

Presentation of the thesis

The thesis must be presented in the format set out in the notes on   PGR Presentation of Thesis Notes Apr 23 [PDF 122KB] .   Bound copies of the thesis are not required unless the examiners request a paper copy. Please see the above guidance about thesis submission.

Queen Mary policy on editorial assistance for research degree theses

Please note that only a pdf of the thesis is required

Word limits.

The thesis must not exceed the following word limits:

• PhD – 100,000 words
• MPhil – 60,000 words
• MD(Res) – 50,000 words

[The bibliography is excluded from the word count; footnotes are included within the word count; appendices are excluded from the word count and should only include material which the examiners are not required to read in order to examine the thesis, but to which they may refer if they wish.]

Your supervisor is responsible for arranging the viva and keeping you and the Research Degrees Office informed of these arrangements. If you have any queries about the viva, please speak to your supervisor in the first instance.

Research degree oral examinations may be held remotely with all participants attending online or face-to-face on a Queen Mary campus, in line with health and safety and travel guidance in place on the day of the viva. All participants must agree the format of the viva. One examiner can attend remotely if the student and other examiner can attend in person together. The student’s supervisor is responsible for organising the viva and will contact the examiners to liaise with them about these arrangements. This is subject to change according to Government guidelines.

PGR Exam Guidance Notes August 2023 [DOC 67KB]

You must not contact the examiners yourself. You or your supervisor must not send the thesis to the examiners.  Your examination may be declared invalid if you do.  Please ensure that you or your supervisor(s) make it clear if your thesis needs to be printed and a hardcopy is to be dispatched to the examiner.  

Acknowledging support

Students who have received financial support from external funding bodies such as Research Councils should acknowledge this according to the format stipulated by their funding body. Research Councils require the following to be included on the appropriate page:

This work was supported by the [NAME of funding body]  [grant NUMBER, if applicable]

Multiple grant numbers should be separated by a comma and a space. Where the research was supported by more than one agency, the different agencies should be separated by a semi-colon, with "and" before the final funder. 

For example:

This work was supported by the [NAME of funding body] [grant NUMBERS e.g.1234, 11223344]; the [NAME of funding body] [grant NUMBER, 12345]; and the [NAME of funding body] [grant NUMBER 000]

Examination outcomes

After the viva, your examiners will inform the Research Degrees Office of the outcome. They are required to do this within two weeks of the viva. They may inform you of the outcome of the examination at the end of the viva, but are not required to do so. There are eight possible outcomes:

• Pass subject to minor amendments to be completed and checked by one or both examiners within six months;
• Pass subject to major amendments to be completed and checked by both examiners within nine months.
• Not pass, but the candidate is allowed to revise the thesis and resubmit it within 18 months (for the PhD and MD(Res) degrees) or 12 months (for the MPhil degree);
• Not pass, but the candidate is allowed to take a written paper or practical examination;
• Not pass, but the candidate is allowed to submit to a second oral examination on the same thesis and by the same examiners within 18 months;
• [If entered for a PhD] Fail PhD but the candidate is deemed to have met the requirements for an MPhil (with or without minor amendments) or should be allowed to resubmit a revised thesis for the MPhil degree within 12 months;
• Fail outright: no re-entry permitted.

The Research Degrees Office will write to you to formally notify you of the outcome of the examination and advise you of the post-viva procedure. The RDO will send you a copy of the examination outcome form, a copy of the examiners’ report on the examination, and a list of amendments required by the examiners, unless you have passed outright or have already been provided with a list of amendments. You are responsible for submitting the revised thesis to the examiner(s) responsible for checking your amendments by the date stipulated on the examination outcome form. Please ensure that you keep your personal details up-to-date in  MySIS  to ensure that you receive this correspondence.

The outcome will need to be ratified by the Research Degrees Progression and Examinations Board which is held once a month. 

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Find out more about our frontline services for Research students.

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Finding Theses

Copies of all University of Malaya PhD and Masters theses are held in the Minda Hall, Level II of the Main Library. All theses are catalogued and have an entry in Pendeta Discovery.  UM Students' Repository - Provides an online archive for the written work of University of Malaya students such as academic exercises, dissertations and theses.

• Theses & Dissertations : PhD
• Theses & Dissertations : Master

Looking for a Thesis & Dissertation ? How to search for a Thesis & Dissertation?

• Searching Result
• Understanding Searching Result
• Browse the library collection of theses from this libguide. OR
• Go to Pendeta Discovery to search for the library catalog. Type the title, author, subject or any keyword and dissertation note (Faculty) of the theses that you are looking for in the box. 
• Limit your search result by Author, Format, Language,Material Type, Library, Publication date and Subject.
• Make sure you select Theses & Dissertation under Material Type. 

Tick the record of theses underneath Format on the left OR click on the title

Once you have identified the theses that you are looking for in the displayed list, click the title to get item details as shown above.

• Which library has it? 
• Material type of the Thesis 
• Are you ready to check out (Internal used only)? Write down the call number. Take the item on the shelf and go to the counter for internal borrowing.
• Is the theses AVAILABLE? If not, there will be a due date
• This thesis is unavailable for hold

• Next: Academy of Islamic Studies >>
• Last Updated: Mar 9, 2022 4:14 PM
• URL: https://umlibguides.um.edu.my/c.php?g=930083

In this section

• Graduate Program-Specific Contacts
• Doctoral Dissertation Policies and Procedures
• Master’s Thesis Policies and Procedures
• Thesis and Dissertation Release and Embargo Options

Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guidelines & Deep Blue Archiving

• Graduate Studies Forms
• Three Minute Thesis Competition
• Graduate Student Appreciation Week

The purpose of these Formatting Guidelines is to make all dissertations and theses legible, accessible, preservable, and uniform in presentation. The steps you take now to format your dissertation and thesis will improve the file for future readers.

See The Mardigian Library’s  Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word  for video tutorials designed to help you get most of the formatting of your thesis correct the first time. It is recommended that you use the dissertation/thesis template available in this guide which has most of the guidelines already incorporated.

For questions about formatting beyond what is covered in these resources, please check with your dissertation or thesis advisor.

File Format

• Submit the dissertation or thesis as a PDF file

Structure/Accessibility

Techniques for creating accessible documents, including adding alternative text for images, can be found on this  website.

Set Document Title:  Set the document title (note: this is a document property, not the filename) as your dissertation or thesis title.

Set Document Language

Set the Language of Parts (Quotations, Sections) That Are Different from the Main Language (required if applicable)

Use Correct Headings:  Use appropriate heading levels for section and subsection titles. Use “Heading 1” for main section titles (e.g. a Chapter), “Heading 2” for subsection titles (e.g. a Chapter section), and so on.

Create Lists, Columns, and Other Structures by Using the Appropriate Structural Element.  Do not use space bar, tab, or enter to arrange text in apparent tables, lists, or columns.

Images, Figures, Tables, Media

• Include descriptive alt text for all images and figures to convey the meaning and context of a visual item in a digital setting (do not use images of tables.)
• Use at least 2-inch top margin on the Title Page.
• Use 2-inch top margin on the first page of every chapter and major section (Acknowledgements, List of Figures, Bibliography, etc.…)
• Use at least 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, right) on all pages. 

Text, Fonts, Color, Spacing

• Use a legible font, size 12 point, black color for all body text. Recommended fonts include Times or Times New Roman (serif fonts) or Arial (sans-serif font). Images and text within images may be in color.
• Headings may be visually different than body text (bigger, bold) and no bigger than size 16 point.
• Font size for footnotes, endnotes, captions, tables, figures, and equations may be smaller than the body text and no less than 9 point.
• Text in the Front Matter that links to a location within the dissertation or thesis (from the Table of Contents, for example) should not be underlined or outlined as hyperlinks.
• Use embedded fonts to ensure all font information in your document is secured in your PDF.
• Use either 1.5-line or double-line spacing throughout for all body text. 
• Use single-line spacing for text in tables, lists, footnotes/endnotes, figure/table legends/captions, and bibliographic entries (with a blank line between each citation or entry). 

Numbering and Page Numbering

• Number chapters consecutively and name them as follows: Chapter [#] [Title of Chapter]. For example, Chapter 1 Introduction. 
• Include the chapter number and name as a heading on the first page of chapter and in the Table of Contents.
• Number all tables, figures, appendices, etc. consecutively and name them as follows: Table [#] [Caption/Title/Legend]. 
• Tables, Figures, etc. may be numbered simply using whole numbers throughout the document (Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3) or by combining the chapter number and table, figure, etc. number per chapter (Figure 2.1, Figure 2.2, Figure 3.1). Choose one system from an appropriate style guide and use it consistently.
• Include a List of Figures, List of Tables, etc. in the front matter if the dissertation or thesis includes more than one figure, table, illustration, appendix, etc. (required if applicable)
• List of Figures (or List of Tables, List of Illustrations, List of Appendices, etc.) includes the title of each, its caption/title/legend, and page number on which it begins.
• Include page numbers in the front matter, centered in the footer, using lowercase Roman numerals, beginning on page ii (the first page after the Identifier/Copyright page).
• Include page numbers in the dissertation text and following sections, centered in the footer, using Arabic numerals, beginning on page 1.

Components of the Dissertation and Thesis

Include the following components, in the following order. All required components must be included.

Use the page numbering conventions given below. Every section below starts on a new page with 2-inch top margin.

Title Page (required)

No page number. No page count.

• See the section below for details of component requirements.

Frontispiece (Illustration or Epigraph) (optional)

Identifier/Copyright Page (required)

• No page number. Start page count here.
• See section below for details of component requirements.

Dedication (optional)

• Page numbers required. Start lowercase Roman numerals (starting with ii) here.
• Acknowledgments (optional)

Page numbers required. Lowercase Roman numerals.

Preface (optional)

Table of Contents (required)

List of Tables, List of Figures, etc. (required if applicable)

• List of Tables required if there is more than one table, etc.

List of Illustrations/Photos (required if applicable)

List of Appendices (required if applicable)

List of Abbreviations, List of Acronyms, List of Symbols (optional)

Abstract (required)

Dissertation or Thesis Text (required)

• Page numbers required. Start Arabic numerals here.
• Appendices (optional)

Bibliography or Reference section(s). (required)

Page numbers required. Arabic numerals. Insert at the end of each chapter, or the end of the dissertation/thesis, in the format preferred by the discipline.

Title Page Components

Include the following components on the title page, in the following order. Begin each item on a new line.

• At least 2 inch top margin on Title Page. 
• Complete dissertation  or master’s thesis title, centered, and capitalized in title case. 
• Your author name should match your legal name or preferred name in Wolverine Access
• You may use initial(s) for middle name(s).
• The following text, including line breaks, centered and single line-spaced. 

A dissertation (thesis) submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Name of Degree (Name of Program) in The University of Michigan-Dearborn YEAR

• The text, “Doctoral Committee  or Master’s Thesis Committee:” left justified. 
• List chair or co-chairs first (in alphabetical order by surname if more than one) with “Chair” or “Co-Chair” after their titles and names.
• List other committee members in alphabetical order, by last name.
• Professor rank (e.g., Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Emeritus Professor) or title (e.g., Dr.)
• Complete full name
• Affiliation, if not affiliated with University of Michigan (e.g., name of university, college, corporation, or organization)

Identifier/Copyright Page Components

Include the following components on the identifier/copyright page, in the following order. Begin each item on a new line, centered.

• Your full legal name (Required)
• Your @umich.edu email address (Required)
• Your ORCID iD (required only for PhD candidates)

ORCID iD is a unique digital identifier that you control and that distinguishes you from other researchers.

• ORCID iD profile URL (Recommended)
• Copyright notice. (Recommended)

Copyright notice notifies readers that you hold the copyright to this work and when it was established.

Use the following format: © Full Name YEAR

Final Formatting Checks

Before submission, double-check the following:

• All numbered series (pages, chapters, tables, figures, etc.) are consistently formatted and consecutive throughout the document.
• All entries in the table of contents and lists match contents as titled/ordered in the dissertation text.
• References/Bibliography entries are complete and match the formatting preference of your discipline.

Thesis or Dissertation Embargo

The thesis or dissertation is submitted as public evidence of your scholarly research and accomplishment. A thesis or dissertation and abstract is normally made publicly available upon degree conferral when it is deposited electronically in Deep Blue. If a student wishes to postpone public release of the final product, also called an embargo, the student should discuss this option with his or her faculty advisor. It has always been the university's expectation that every dissertation and abstract will be released upon conferral of the degree. Only in specific circumstances may release of a thesis or dissertation be deferred, and then only for a limited period of time. The student is responsible for requesting an embargo.

Embargo forms can be found at:  "Thesis and Dissertation Release and Embargo Options”

Deep Blue Archiving 

Required for doctoral dissertations and highly recommended for Master’s Thesis. The final pdf document of your dissertation or thesis must be submitted electronically to the Mardigian Library. This digital PDF will be the copy of record and will be archived in  Deep Blue . Deep Blue is a digital repository that is part of the University of Michigan Library. 

To submit your document, you need to provide:

• Your ORCID iD  
• Keywords that describe the subject, concepts, theories, and methods used in your document, to help others find and retrieve your document
• A copy of your thesis or dissertation in PDF format
• Optional – up to two supplementary files (no larger than 50 MB each), such as an audio file, spreadsheet, or a software program

To maintain the usability and appearance of your document, please review the  Best Practices for Producing High Quality PDF Files , available on Deep Blue.

If you have supplemental materials (such as data) that should also be made publicly available and associated with your dissertation or thesis, consider reaching out to  [email protected]  for help determining whether these should be deposited into one of the Deep Blue repositories.

Once your document is submitted to Deep Blue by the library, you will receive an email containing the DOI and a URL to access the document. It will also be added to the Mardigian Library catalog and made available on Google Scholar. If no embargo is requested, it may take three to four weeks for your document to become available.

Submit Final Thesis/Dissertation to Deep Blue

More support.

• Library Guide to  Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word  and Video Tutorials.
• UM IT accessibility guide for  creating accessible documents .
• Guide for  embedding all fonts in PDFs generated with LaTeX or PDFLaTeX .

Contact your  subject librarian  for assistance on a wide range of topics including literature searching, citation management, and much more.

Download the Formatting Checklist

Office of graduate studies.

• Faculty of Science
• [email protected]
• 03-79674200

Thesis/Dissertation Submission Workflow

Last Update: 24/11/2021