Dissertation and Thesis

To ensure that theses/dissertations are formatted correctly, each thesis/dissertation must undergo a format check by the staff of the Graduate School prior to the submission of final copies. You must electronically submit your manuscript for a format check to the Graduate School's ProQuest ETD Administrator website ON OR BEFORE the published format check deadline for the term in which you expect to receive your degree.

• May degree conferral format check deadline: March 1st
• August degree conferral format check deadline: June 1st
• December degree conferral format check deadline: October 1st

On or before the format check deadline, please also submit the following items as supplemental pdf files to ProQuest ETD Administrator (do not submit them by email):

• One electronic copy of your completed, formatted manuscript
• Formatted approval sheet, with your director's name and space for their signature. You will ultimately replace this file with a scanned copy that's been signed by the director after the defense and after all final edits have been made. This form acts as confirmation that your director has read and approved the final copy.
• Extra title page, formatted as described in the Manual
• One extra abstract, formatted as described in the Manual

Once your dissertation has been defended, formatted correctly, and approved by your committee, you will need to electronically submit your final copy to the Graduate School for approval. You will also need to replace the Approval Sheet with a scanned copy that has been signed by your director.

Your final electronic submission must be uploaded ON OR BEFORE the published final electronic copy deadline for the term in which you expect to receive your degree. The final electronic copy deadlines are as follows:

• May degree conferral final electronic copy deadline: April 1st
• August degree conferral final electronic copy deadline: July 1st
• December degree conferral final electronic copy deadline: November 1st

If your materials are complete or inaccurate, the Graduate School will contact you with a list of required corrections. If required corrections are too extensive or take too long to complete, you may not graduate and the Graduate School will not confer your degree. For this reason, please make every effort to format your manuscript correctly, include all of the materials listed above, and to meet the published deadlines. Also, please keep in mind that a dissertation or thesis is only one of your degree requirements, and that the Graduate School will not confer your degree unless you meet all of these requirements.

Students must submit final copies with approved revisions within one semester of a successful defense (e.g., if a student’s defense falls within a Fall semester, their final copies must meet the Spring semester submission deadlines). After one full semester a student may be discontinued and be required to apply for reinstatement (Approved 4 May 2021)

Visit the Formatting FAQs page for answers to new questions about the electronic submission process.

• Format Manual for Theses and Dissertations - Note: The Formatting Manual was updated in September 2022. If you have any questions about the formatting guidelines, or if you need a copy of the former manual, please email the formatting assistant, Danielle Richards.
• Format Checklist Copy (Clean)
• Formatting Examples
• Deadlines
• Publishing Your Work: Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Workshop (Recorded January 14, 2021)

Questions regarding the format check and the final copy submission process should be directed here.

• Instructions for Thesis and Dissertation
• Approval Ballot for Text and Oral Defense

The Thesis/Dissertation Committee Form, Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Ballot, and the Request for Change in Degree-Seeking Status are located in the Graduate Student Progress System at GSPS. Please log in to submit these forms.

Medical Center Biomedical Science Students MUST Use LUHS Forms.