ucd phd thesis submission dates

UC Davis Graduate Studies

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Available Formats

Electronic copies.

As of September 2010 all doctoral dissertations and masters theses are submitted to the  Proquest Dissertations & Theses database. Electronic copies of doctoral dissertations began to be available in 1997 while masters theses began to be available in September 2010. After a dissertation or thesis is submitted to Graduate Studies, it can take up to several months for it to appear in the database.

As of Spring Quarter 2021, theses and dissertations are also submitted to eScholarship .

Paper Copies

Masters theses from mid-2003 to September 2010 are located in the Shields Library book stacks.

Microfiche Copies

UC Davis theses and dissertations issued between 1978 and mid-2003 are available for use in the Microcopy Collection, Lower Level, Shields Library. Microfiche copies are available for inter-library loan and for reading, copying, or scanning within the library.

Archival Copies

UC Davis theses and dissertations issued before 1978 are typically only available in Special Collections. These are stored offsite and are for use only in the Blanchard Special Collections Reading Room. They can be requested at  aeon.library.ucdavis.edu . Turnaround time is 48-72 hours.

Locating Dissertations and Theses

Via uc library search.

UC Davis dissertations and theses can be located via the library’s online catalog,  UC Library Search . The item record will indicate the location of each thesis and dissertation.

Search Tips

Dissertations and theses do not receive standard “subject” headings. Dissertation titles are required to be descriptive, so title word searches are often effective. Another strategy, applicable for dissertations only, is to search in Proquest’s Dissertations & Theses Database (limiting to UC Davis if desired), where one can search titles, abstracts, and subject descriptors.

Note: with our new catalog options, searching by dissertation subject heading is less used, but in case you need to know, UC Davis catalogs its theses and dissertations with a limited subject heading, constructed of the phrase Dissertations, Academic — University of California, Davis plus the name of the department in which the degree is granted, for example:

• Dissertations, Academic — University of California, Davis — Genetics

For 1989 and earlier, use the heading Dissertations, Academic — California plus the name of the department in which the degree is granted, for example:

• Dissertations, Academic — California — Soil science

Via the Dissertations & Theses Database

The  Dissertations & Theses Database  via Proquest includes citations for theses and dissertations from 1861 to the current year. Entries for dissertations from 1980 forward include 350-word abstracts, written by the author. Citations for master’s theses from 1988 forward include 150-word abstracts. UC Davis submits only doctoral dissertations for inclusion in Dissertations & Theses via Proquest.

Search Dissertations & Theses by:

• The keyword of the title or abstract
• School (“Davis,” for example)
• Advisor name
• Other fields

Some UC Davis dissertations are not sent to ProQuest at the request of the author. In such cases, locate the bibliographic record in the UC Library Search online catalog. There may be a microform or print copy available for use, or you may request retrieval of the archival copy via Special Collections.

The Dissertations & Theses database provides access to the complete full-text of all University of California dissertations in addition to UC Davis doctoral dissertations from the year 1997 forward. Free 24-page previews are available for most other university theses and dissertations listed in the database from 1997 forward. Access to the ProQuest database and full-text is limited to UC computer addresses.

How to Obtain PDFs from the Dissertations & Theses Database

When displaying a citation for a dissertation, the Digital Dissertations database will indicate via a “Full text -PDF” button that the dissertation is available for full-text download. Nearly all of the UC dissertations since 1997 are available in full-text format.

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Open Access: Theses as a Collection of Papers: Copyright

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• Theses as a Collection of Papers: Copyright

Copyright & Permissions

In some cases UCD allows PhD students to submit their thesis as a collection of previously published papers. This is known as "Thesis as a Collection of Papers," a "Cumulative Thesis," or a "Thesis by Publication." University guidelines on how this should be approached are available here . 

Publishing agreements may involve copyright transfer or exclusive licence to publish. These terms determine how you and others can reuse and share your publications.

Publishers usually permit either the author's final version of the paper (Author’s Accepted Manuscript, AAM) or the published version, to be included in your thesis. The AAM has been peer-reviewed and revised into its final form by you. It does not contain the publisher's formatting or logo as in the final published version.

It is essential that you have permission to share all published papers in your thesis freely online, prior to thesis submission. This is because UCD makes all PhD theses available via Research Repository UCD .

Getting Permission

Permission before article publication.

Before submitting your article for publication, you can check the “Information for Authors" section on the publishers' website. Publishers may have a policy to allow authors include published papers as part of their PhD thesis. They may say something like “Authors can include their articles in full or in part in a thesis or dissertation for non-commercial purposes.” 

If this is not clear, contact the publisher or editor of the journal to discuss inclusion of the published paper in your PhD thesis.

Rights Retention

Plan S, a coalition of funders have developed a " Rights Retention Strategy ." Your research may be funded by one of these organisations. The aim of the strategy is to ensure authors retain the copyright of their own work, and are allowed to make at least the AAM available via Open Access immediately on publication, with a CC-BY license.

If your funder requires plan S compliance, the "pre-submission letter" and the "submission cover letter" templates are available to use (see below). These can be sent to the publisher prior to submitting your work and when submitting it. More details of Plan S and rights retention are available here .

Permission after article publication

For previously published papers, look at the copyright transfer agreements under “Rights Retention.” You may also need to check the publishers' website to see if re-use is permitted. Do this for each paper.

In cases where this information is not available, contact the publisher or editor directly to get permission. Many publishers allow you to use the Rightslink service to get permission. Alternatively use the copyright request template below.

Note: if you are having any difficulties gaining permission, ensure you alert the Graduate Research Board as soon as possible.

A publisher may only allow you to include the paper with an embargo period. This means there will be a set period, after which the material can be made freely available online. An embargo can be set up by applying to the Graduate Research Board (GRB). Full details are available here .

After thesis submission, only the title, author, and basic details of your thesis will appear in the repository until the embargo expires. After this, the full text of your thesis will be available.

• Copyright Request Template PhD Published Papers
• Rights Retention pre-submission letter template
• Rights Retention submission cover letter template

University College London (2024) Guidance on incorporating published work in your thesis . Available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/doctoral-school/rights-and-responsibilities/research-integrity-and-ethics/guidance-incorporating-published-work-your . University of Limerick (2024) Thesis Preparation: Copyright . Available at: https://libguides.ul.ie/c.php?g=681741&p=4918262 . University of Strathclyde (2024) Copyright & Your Thesis: Using Your Own Published Work in Your Thesis . Available at: https://guides.lib.strath.ac.uk/c.php?g=677408&p=4827028 .  

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General Information

For queries on viva voce arrangements and examination or thesis corrections, please contact the Chair of your Examination Committee. For all other queries, please contact  www.ucd.ie/askus . Students are reminded to ensure that their home address is correct on their SISWeb account as award letters will only be posted to the home address. You are advised to check your contact information as soon as you have submitted the hard bound copy of your thesis.

Useful links

Thesis submission fee deadlines UCD Graduate Research Studies

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• Dissertation & Thesis Submission

Review the information below on the requirements and process for doctoral and master’s students writing a dissertation/thesis and preparing for their defense. Please refer to the Dissertation/Thesis Defense Timeline Snapshot below for a general timeline to dissertation/thesis submission, defense, and degree completion.

Preliminary Review

Prior to your defense, follow the steps below: 

Contact your department's graduate coordinator to review your dissertation/thesis committee and to discuss the process for scheduling your defense. New or reconstituted committees must be submitted to GEPA by your graduate coordinator and approved by GEPA prior to the defense (at least two weeks).

Review the requirements regarding committee participation at the defense here for doctoral students and here for master's students .

The doctoral dissertation/master's thesis should be submitted to each member of the doctoral/thesis committee at least four weeks before the final examination/defense .

Preliminary Appointment with GEPA (recommended before your defense):

At this appointment the dissertation/thesis formatting is reviewed and instructions are given on the final preparation and submission of the dissertation/thesis. 

• Schedule a preliminary appointment with GEPA Academic Affairs prior to your defense (we recommend 2-4 weeks prior to the defense).  Appointments will be conducted via Zoom .  
• All dissertations/theses must conform to the formatting guidelines .
• Dissertation/thesis templates are available online.
• Review the Dissertation/Thesis Release Form prior to the appointment.
• More information on permission letters can be found here .
• Examples of permission letters can be found here and on pages 45-46 of the formatting manual .
• Review the guidelines on acceptable electronic signatures .

Final Review (after the defense)

Department graduate coordinator will initiate the Final Report Form in DocuSign, generally on the day of the defense. Committee members and department chair/program director are notified to sign.

Final Review: The date you plan to submit all of your final degree forms, including the final, approved version of your dissertation/thesis, to GEPA. GEPA Academic Affairs will review your dissertation/thesis and paperwork, and provide an update via email. There is no meeting.

• The final review will be scheduled with the GEPA advisor during the preliminary appointment.
• Finalize content and formatting of the dissertation/thesis. Upload the final version to ProQuest .
• Upload fully signed Dissertation/Thesis Release Form to ProQuest.
• If applicable, upload all permission letters to the Kuali  Permission Letter Form . Review the guidelines on acceptable electronic signatures .

SDSU Joint Doctoral Students only:

• Students initiate the dissertation signature page through DocuSign. Committee member signatures will be collected electronically through DocuSign and the form will be routed electronically to GEPA (see page 12 in the formatting manual for detailed instructions). Students use the JDP signature page link here .
• Thesis Submission Fee (master’s students only):  All Master’s students pay a thesis submission fee. It will be assessed to Tritonlink once the degree is processed, after the end of the quarter. A billing statement will be emailed when fees are assessed.
• Filing Fee/Readmission Fee/Readvancement Fee (if applicable): Students may need to pay the filing fee/readmission fee/readvancement fee. Any fees will be discussed during the preliminary appointment and marked on the Final Report Form. Fees will be assessed to Tritonlink once the degree is processed, after the end of the quarter. A billing statement will be emailed when fees are assessed.

Dissertation/Thesis Submission & Formatting Webinar

The Dissertation/Thesis Submission & Formatting webinar is held quarterly and provides an overview of the dissertation/thesis submission process and formatting guidelines.   Please refer to the full formatting manual for detailed formatting information. RSVP for the next webinar via the "Register Now" button in the "Attend a Formatting Webinar" section below this one.

The slides from the April 16 Spring 2024  dissertation/thesis submission & formatting webinar can be found here .

 If you are unable to attend a webinar, the information is available in 4 topic-based recordings below. 

Recordings:

► Webinar Part One: Degree Filing Process & Submitting Dissertation/Thesis

►  Webinar Part Two: Degree Paperwork

► Webinar Part Three: Dissertation & Thesis Formatting Manual

► Webinar Part Four: Permission Letters

Attend a Formatting Webinar

The next Dissertation/Thesis Submission & Formatting Webinar is on Tuesday, April 16 at 10:00am (PT)

Unable to attend the next Webinar? Click here to access a recorded version . 

Register Now

Dissertation/Thesis Appointments

Request preliminary and final dissertation/thesis appointments via the online calendar. Appointments should be scheduled during the planned graduation quarter.

Schedule Now

Permission Letter Submission Form

Students must submit permission letters from all co-authors, if the dissertation/thesis will use material which has been submitted for publication or has been published.  Letters must be submitted to GEPA via the online form.

Submit Letters Here

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Thesis Submission Deadlines

On this page, e-thesis submission for examination deadlines.

• Students with a January start date, the deadline is 5th January 2024
• Students with an April start date, the deadline is 31st March 2024
• Students with a July start date, the deadline is 30th June 2024
• Students with an October start date, the deadline is 30th September 2024

Submission of the thesis should be made  ONLINE HERE

It may take up to three weeks for your thesis to be processed and sent to the examiners.  You should take this into account when planning your thesis submission and a date for your viva.  However, if you submit in the weeks before the final deadline, your thesis submission should be processed very quickly.

Final E-thesis Submission Deadlines and Eligibility for Conferring

To be eligible to graduate at a conferring ceremony, you must first have submitted your e-thesis for examination. Following the examination, the examiners' report must be approved by the  Academic Council Graduate Studies Committee (ACGSC) .

Please plan ahead for your final submission and graduation according to these dates. 

A candidate's conferring is dependent on his/her examiners' report being approved at a particular meeting. Subsequent to approval at ACGSC, a candidate must submit their final e-thesis to the UCC Library via CORA , the University's online repository, before the final thesis submission deadline for each specific conferring ceremony. 

If you have questions on your  conferrings , please contact [email protected] 　

Graduate Studies Office

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May 15, 2024

Tips and Resources for a Successful Summer of Dissertation Writing

By Yana Zlochistaya

Summer can be a strange time for graduate students. Gone are the seminars and workshops, the student clubs, and the working group, that structured the semester and provided us with a sense of community. Instead, we’re faced with a three-month expanse of time that can feel equal parts liberating and intimidating. This double-edged freedom is only exacerbated for those of us in the writing stage of our dissertation, when isolation and a lack of discipline can have a particularly big impact. For those hoping not to enter another summer with lofty plans, only to blink and find ourselves in August disappointed with our progress, we’ve compiled some tips and resources that can help.

According to Graduate Writing Center Director Sabrina Soracco, the most important thing you can do to set yourself up for writing success is to clarify your goals. She recommends starting this process by looking at departmental requirements for a completed dissertation. Consider when you would like to file and work backwards from that point, determining what you have to get done in order to hit that target. Next, check in with your dissertation committee members to set up an accountability structure. Would they prefer an end-of-summer update to the whole committee? A monthly check-in with your chair or one of your readers? Setting up explicit expectations that work for you and your committee can cut through the aimlessness that comes with a major writing project.

For those early on in their dissertation-writing process, a committee meeting is also a valuable opportunity to set parameters. “One of the problems with the excitement for the discipline that happens post-quals is that it results in too many ideas,” says Director Soracco. Your committee members should give you input on productive research directions so that you can begin to hone in on your project. It is also important to remember that your dissertation does not have to be the end-all-and-be-all of your academic research. Ideas that do not fit into its scope can end up becoming conference papers or even book chapters.

Once you have a clear goal that you have discussed with your committee, the hard part begins: you have to actually write. The Graduate Writing Center offers several resources to make that process easier:

• The Graduate Writing Community. This is a totally remote, two-month program that is based on a model of “gentle accountability.” When you sign up, you are added to a bCourses site moderated by a Graduate Writing Consultant. At the beginning of the week, everyone sets their goals in a discussion post, and by the end of the week, everyone checks in with progress updates. During the week, the writing consultants offer nine hours of remote synchronous writing sessions. As a writing community member, you can attend whichever sessions work best for your schedule. All that’s required is that you show up, set a goal for that hour, and work towards that goal for the length of two 25-minute Pomodoro sessions . This year’s summer writing community will begin in June. Keep your eye on your email for the registration link!
• Writing Consultations : As a graduate student, you can sign up for an individual meeting with a Graduate Writing Consultant. They can give you feedback on your work, help you figure out the structure of a chapter, or just talk through how to get started on a writing project. 
• Independent Writing Groups: If you would prefer to write with specific friends or colleagues, you can contact Graduate Writing Center Director Sabrina Soracco at [email protected] so that she can help you set up your own writing group. The structure and length of these groups can differ; often, members will send each other one to five pages of writing weekly and meet the next day for two hours to provide feedback and get advice. Sometimes, groups will meet up not only to share writing, but to work in a common space before coming together to debrief. Regardless of what the groups look like, the important thing is to create a guilt-free space. Some weeks, you might submit an outline; other weeks, it might be the roughest of rough drafts; sometimes, you might come to a session without having submitted anything. As long as we continue to make progress (and show up even when we don’t), we’re doing what we need to. As Director Soracco puts it, “it often takes slogging through a lot of stuff to get to that great epiphany.”

Yana Zlochistaya is a fifth-year graduate student in the Department of Comparative Literature and a Professional Development Liaison with the Graduate Division. She previously served as a co-director for Beyond Academia.