sgs dissertation format

School of Graduate Studies

Overall, it is important to submit an Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD) that has a consistent and readable appearance. Here is useful information about ETD format and style, including templates for Word and LaTeX.

Styles & Templates

Consistency in style and formatting of a thesis is essential. Tools for creating styles, footnotes, a table of contents, and other features, including the recommended order of thesis sections, have been formatted by SGS into a thesis template. It is available in  Microsoft Word​ and  LaTeX  formats. 

We strongly recommended that authors use an SGS thesis template. The template can be applied at any stage of the writing process, but using one at an early stage will simplify formatting and PDF conversion. 

Tip: Open the Word template in a new tab or window. Then save a copy with the name of your thesis. If you’re using a version of Word prior to 2007, save it as a .dot file.   

These templates assist you with the formatting and production of your thesis, but you must ensure that your thesis meets SGS formatting requirements. If you choose not to use an SGS template you may use the tools provided for indexing, page numbering, etc. provided by your word processing software.

Specific Requirements

Language of doctoral theses.

In Division I (Humanities), permission may be given for a thesis to be written in a language other than English or French when the language has been approved for use in a thesis by the graduate unit concerned. Before such permission is granted, the graduate unit chair must certify to SGS in writing that the candidate has passed a supervised essay-type examination, written in English, that demonstrates the student’s proficiency in writing correct and idiomatic English prose.

A supplementary abstract of about 5,000 words in English or French must form part of a thesis that is written in a language other than English or French. No language other than English or French may be used for the conduct of the doctoral final oral examination.

Technical Requirements

The thesis must be in PDF format. It may also include supplementary files for multimedia, sound, video, or HTML pages with embedded files. Please note that the following guidelines are the minimum technical requirements. Differing disciplines may have their own conventions. Check with your supervisor for discipline-specific formatting.

The following guidelines apply to the main text-based thesis file:

Must be a minimum of 10 points. You may use a smaller font size for graphs, formulas, footnotes, and appendices; avoid italics.

Line Spacing

Must be at least one-and-a-half spaces, except for the thesis abstract, which should be double-spaced. Single spacing may be used for long quoted passages and footnotes.

Footnotes, References, Bibliography and Heading Styles

Different disciplines and graduate units will have their own preferred practices. Please follow the styles that are preferred in your discipline and graduate unit. If you are unsure, consult your supervisory committee. Generally the preferred location for footnotes is either at the bottom of the page or at the end of the chapters to which they refer. Consistency is important.

Page & Margin Sizes

Page size should be 8 1/2″ x 11″ (21.5 cm x 28 cm) with the text reading across the 8 1/2″ (21.5 cm) dimension. If you are planning on having the thesis printed and bound (for a unit requirement, or your supervisor), the left margin should be at least 1 1/4″ (32 mm), and the remaining three margins should be at least 3/4″ (20 mm) to the main text. Margin sizes are not as critical in digital formats.

Page Numbering

Each and every page in the thesis must be numbered with the exception of the title page. The preliminary portion of the thesis should be numbered with small Roman numerals placed in the centre of the page, about half an inch from the bottom. Numbering begins with the Abstract as page ii. The Title Page is considered as page i, but must not show a page number.

The accepted order of pages within the preliminary section of the thesis follows:

• Acknowledgments (where applicable)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables (where applicable)
• List of Plates (where applicable)
• List of Figures (where applicable)
• List of Appendices (where applicable)

See Sample of Title Page below. The title page should show:

• the words “A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of (state full name of degree), Graduate Department of (state name of graduate department), in the University of Toronto”
• the thesis title (capitalize the content words)
• student’s name (consistent with ACORN)
• the universal copyright notice (the date should be the year the degree is conferred); the universal copyright notice must appear on one line

Sample of Title Page

(NOTE: Spacing is approximate on 8 1/2″ x 11″ or 21.5cm x 28cm page)(2″ or 5 cm from top of page) This Area is Recommended for the Thesis Title Only (1 1/2″or approx 4cm) by (1 1/2″ or approx 4cm) Jane Ann Doe (2″or approx 5cm) A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of (state degree) (state full name of Graduate Department) University of Toronto (1 1/4″or approx 3cm) © Copyright by Jane Ann Doe (state year of graduation) (1 1/4″or approx 3cm from Bottom of page)

All theses must include an abstract.

• Font size must be a minimum of 10 points.
• Lines of text must be double-spaced.
• Abstract must not exceed 350 words for a doctoral thesis or 150 words for a master’s thesis.
• Left margin should be at least 1 1/4″ (32 mm); the remaining three margins should be at least 3/4″ (20 mm) to the main text.
• The student’s thesis title, degree and year of convocation, full name, name of graduate department, and name of university must appear on the top of the abstract’s first page. This information is not included in the 350-/150-word count.
• Symbols, as well as foreign words and phrases, must be clearly and accurately displayed.
• Graphs, charts, tables, and illustrations are not included.

​PDF Creation

Create the PDF version of your thesis using Adobe Acrobat or other PDF-creation software. Use the conversion tool available on the digital library repository  or use computers equipped with this software ​in the Information Commons at Robarts Library.

​File Management

The main thesis text-based file must be in PDF format.

Multiple file formats are an option when attaching supplementary file submissions for multimedia, sound, video, including HTML pages with embedded files. If the system does not automatically recognize the format of the file you have uploaded, you will be asked to select the appropriate format from the list offered. If the format is not in the list, click on ‘Format Not in List’ and describe the format in the text box appearing lower on the page. Be sure to give the name of the application you used to create the file and the version of that application, e.g., ‘Autodesk AutoCAD R20 for UNIX.’

​​​File Naming Convention

The main thesis file must be in PDF format. Create a PDF of the final approved version of your thesis before you start the submission process.

You must use the following file naming convention:

lastname_firstname_middleinitial(s)_graduationyearmonth_degreedesignator_thesis.pdf

e.g., Smith_Lorie_L_202011_PhD_thesis.pdf

Supplementary files should follow the same naming convention:

e.g., Smith_Lorie_L_202011_PhD_datatables.exl

Please note that if you converted your file within the digital library repository , you will need to rename the file once you receive and check your pdf.

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Guide to Thesis Preparation

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Master’s and Doctoral Theses and Reports

Thesis examinations for master’s and doctoral students are proceeding as normal, and we have not seen any interruptions in this process. We want to ensure you that your academic unit, SGS, and the examiners involved are all committed to a fair and timely review of your work. We also realize that, for many graduate students, covid-19 has require changes in research plans. You and your supervisor are invited to draft and submit a covid-19 impact statement along with your thesis , so your examiners are aware of significant changes that were required.

The information below is intended to help you draft and submit your thesis/report to fulfill your program requirements.

Before you submit:

Thesis and Report Guidelines (full document)

• Read this first: introduction to writing your thesis
• How to structure your thesis and which style to use
• How to format your thesis
• Order of thesis content
• Authorship and acknowledgements (including co-authorship )

Additional resources and tools you might need or use :

• samples of a Title Page , Table of Contents , List of Tables
• o nline tutorials for writing and editing from Memorial's Dr. Cecile Badenhorst
• an excellent article on "what examiners do" when assessing theses

Preparing for submission:

• Here are all the steps involved in a Master's Thesis Examination Procedures and a Doctoral Thesis Examination and Oral Defence Procedures . You should discuss specific timelines with your supervisors.
• Aim to submit your thesis for examination at least four months before the convocation you hope to atend. SGS does not accept any responsibility for completing the prescribed procedure in time for the nearest convocation date unless the thesis is submitted by the prescribed date.
• If you are expecting to graduate, then you must apply through Memorial Self-Service at least by the time of submission of the thesis/report. Please consult the University Diary for the precise deadline.

Submitting for examination:

• When you and your supervisor agree your thesis is ready to submit, ensure you send a word and a pdf version of the work to your graduate officer or academic unit head.
• All theses submitted to SGS by the academic unit must be accompanied by a Supervisory Approval Form and either an Appointment of Examiners Form Master's Degrees or an Appointment of Examiners Form Doctoral Degrees . Although it is expected that, on the successful completion of all academic requirements, the student will submit a thesis to the Dean for examination with the approval of the supervisor and Head, the absence of such approval cannot prevent submission.
• Information on the possible outcomes of a thesis examination, time limits for revisions, and re-examination procedures can be found in the University Calendar . Required revisions and corrections are made by you in consultation with the supervisory committee.  
• The thesis examination is an arm’s-length process, therefore, there must be no contact between you or your supervisor and the examiners while a thesis or report is under examination.
• You must maintain your graduate registration until all academic requirements for your degree including thesis corrections have been met.

Oral defence (doctoral students only):

• In addition to a written thesis deemed acceptable to the University, doctoral students must demonstrate their ability to defend their work in a public oral examination. For this reason, the final decision on whether a student will be recommended for the award of the degree is made at the conclusion of the oral examination.
• A formal oral defence will normally take place only with the recommendation of the majority of examiners.
• The written examiners’ reports are discussed at the pre-oral meeting. The pre-meeting will last roughly 30 minutes and include the Chair, internal and external examiners, as well as supervisor(s) and committee members. The Chair will go over the defence procedure, examiner recommendation options, as well as answer any questions or inquiries by the attendees.
• The subsequent examination is public and chaired by the Dean of Graduate Studies or delegate. In addition to the examining board, the supervisor(s) will participate in a non-voting capacity.
• All oral defences are conducted as eDefences. Requests to fly external examiners to Memorial University are decided on a case-by-case basis.
• Doctoral students should be prepared to give a 15-25 minute presentation outlining the major contributions made by the thesis. Following the student’s presentation, the Chair will direct at least two rounds of questions from the members of the examination board. After each round of questioning, the supervisor(s) will be asked if they want to contribute any questions/comments. The Chair will not permit questions or comments from anyone other than the members of the examining board and supervisor(s).
• The Chair must be satisfied that the doctoral student has been thoroughly examined.
• Doctoral students should be prepared to defend the contents of the thesis in its entirety. Questions relating to the detailed content of the thesis and/or the relation of the general body of knowledge of the discipline to the body of material presented in the thesis are permitted.
• There will not be any time limits regarding questioning (minimum or maximum).
• At the conclusion of the public portion of the examination, the members of the examination board hold an in camera meeting to evaluate the performance of the student. Only the voting members of the examining board may vote on the outcome of the thesis and oral defence.
• Details on the oral defence and possible outcomes can be found in the University Calendar .
• Students must maintain their graduate registration until all academic requirements for their degree including thesis corrections have been met.

Final submission:

• The final version of a thesis found acceptable with or without corrections shall be submitted to the University within six months of the date on which the thesis and examiners’ reports are returned to the student’s academic unit.
• For final submission, all graduate students are required to produce one electronic copy of their thesis to the Head of their academic unit.
• The final version of your thesis should be in PDF/A (or PDF/A-1a) format (needed for the long-term archiving of electronic theses) and use the following naming convention: lastname_firstname_middlename_finalsubmissionmonthandyear_degree.pdf (e.g., Smith_John_James_122013_PhD.pdf).
• Click here for instructions on how to convert files to PDF/A format. For further help, you may wish to contact Memorial’s Digital Media Centre .
• Upon approval by the Head of the academic unit, please send the electronic copy of your thesis, along with any associated supplementary files, and a metadata file detailing your thesis information to [email protected] . We will confirm by email once you have successfully submitted your thesis.
• All graduate students are required to consult with their supervisory committee and Head of their academic unit regarding any restrictions to publication of the thesis before final submission.
• If required, a completed should be uploaded along with the thesis as a supplementary file.
• In cases where file size exceeds 500MB files may be submitted on DVD or CD. The disc sleeve should note student name, student number, degree program, and the academic unit. A completed Thesis Deposit Form must be included with CD/DVD submissions.
• At the time of e-thesis submission, a completed Recommendation for the Award of a Graduate Degree form should be submitted to SGS by the Head of the academic unit.

Publication:

• Graduate student theses are stored and preserved electronically through Memorial University Libraries’ Research Repository . A graduate student’s thesis is deposited only after a degree is conferred at Convocation in May or October. Documents in the Research Repository are searchable by the general public directly or via search engines like Google.
• Memorial University also participates in the Theses Canada program . Library and Archives Canada routinely harvests graduate student theses for storage in a central, publically searchable database.
• Graduate students interested in obtaining personal bound copies of their final thesis may order directly from Lehmann Bookbinding .
• Guidelines and policies
• Forms for faculty and staff
• Resources for Graduate Supervisors
• Special funding initiatives
• Dean's Awards for Service Excellence
• eDefence Departmental Procedures
• Tools and workshops
• SGS ROCKStar Supervisor Award

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Thesis Formatting and Other Resources

All graduate theses or dissertations MUST conform to the minimum style and form requirements as detailed in the General Forms of Theses  (107 KB).

Please print this document for full details. The School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs acknowledges that students write using a variety of word processors and editors. For this reason, SGSPA does not stipulate the use any particular authoring format in the creation of theses and dissertations.

Please note  – Queen’s has a new policy on copyright. See full details on " Copyright & your Thesis " on the Library website.

Thesis File Naming Convention

In order to successfully submit your thesis via the E-Thesis submission process, the final version of your thesis MUST be in PDF format and must be named using the following file naming convention: lastname_firstname_middleinitial_finalsubmissionyearmonth_degree.pdf

Example:  Smith_Lori_L_200710_PhD.pdf

Managing, Sharing, & Syncing Your Thesis Files

There are a number of tools available to help you manage your thesis files.  Use of these resources is optional:

Microsoft OneDrive for Business (OD4B)  is now available to all Queen's students, faculty, and staff. OneDrive for Business is a Queen's chosen solution for file storage and collaboration. It is a secure web-based cloud service (meaning you don't need to download anything onto your personal machine to use it) that can be accessed anytime, anywhere you have a network connection.

Use OD4B to manage and sync your thesis files and also to share them with the members of your Thesis Examining Committee (see below)

 To access OD4B visit: Log in and Activate your OneDrive for Business Account.

OD4B offers:

• 5 terabyte per person - storage capacity
• Easy permissions management for file sharing
• Ability for multiple people to collaborate on the same document at the same time
• Use OD4B to share files with your thesis examining committee, both Queen's and non-Queen's users
• Ability to synchronize your files across multiple devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, phones)

Other Resources

• Student Academic Success Services (SASS) SASS can assist students with the final planning and writing stages of their dissertations and theses, either in individual appointments or through writing and study groups.
• How to Cite Sources Queen's University Library offers citation and style guides.
• Guidelines for AI use in Graduate Research
• Thesis Template from the SGSPA (resource is to be used as an example of how your thesis should be organized)

Questions about Thesis Formatting

Please contact: Rose M. Silva , Thesis Coordinator 613-533-6000 (extension 77313) School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs Queen's University Gordon Hall, Rm 425 Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6

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masters_format

FORMAT OF DISSERTATION OR THESIS

All theses must be prepared according to both the University of Ghana format requirements and School/departmental documentation or reference formats. Such formats must be deposited with the School of Graduate Studies. Where there is conflict between Departmental style and the University Style, the latter must be satisfied. Students must consult the University and School/departmental manuals for details.

College/School Format Requirements

Notwithstanding the above, School/departmental formats shall apply to:

• Chapter Structure Design
• Chapter Headings
• Reference Style
• Figures and Tables
• Chapter Content Design
• List of Abbreviations

University Format Requirement shall consist of the following sections:

Preliminary Information

Substantive Section

• Bibliography and Appendices
• Title Page 

The title page shall consist of the following which should be centered following the sample and wording in the Graduate School Manual:

• Title of the Thesis
• Statement of Submission
• Name of Candidate (No Titles)
• Student Number (In brackets below the name)
• In partial fulfillment (partly taught courses, e.g. MA MPhil) of the Requirement for the Award of (Relevant Degree, e.g. Master of Philosophy – written out fully)
• The date of submission (Month and Year)
• Declaration/Signature Page
• A candidate submitting a dissertation or thesis for an Masters degree shall make a declaration to the effect that the thesis/ dissertation is his/her own work produced from research under     supervision.
• Signatures: The declaration page shall be signed by the following:
• The Candidate
• Supervisors

Every candidate shall present a short abstract of his/her dissertation or thesis of a maximum of 2 pages (double spaced).

• Dedication (Optional)
• The candidate may briefly acknowledge those who made important contributions to the success of his/her research and presentation of thesis.
• Where the thesis has benefited from a collaborative project done in conjunction with the candidate’s Supervisor(s), this should be dully acknowledged.
• Table of Contents

A well aligned presentation of preliminary information, chapters with subsections, bibliography and appendices of the thesis with relevant page numbers indicated.

• List of Figures/Maps

A list of figures and maps with their relevant designated numbering and relevant pages at which they are located.

• List of Tables

A list of tables with their relevant designated numbering and relevant pages at which they are located.

A list of relevant abbreviations and their full rendering occurring in the thesis.

• Chapter Structure

A thesis must consist of substantive Chapters including an introduction, intervening chapters and a concluding chapter as determined by the School/departmental format which has been deposited with the School of Graduate Studies.

The reference style shall follow the School/departmental format which has been deposited with the School of Graduate Studies.

• Thesis Size

A thesis/dissertation shall normally not exceed the following pages excluding bibliography, figures, tables, photographs, and appendices.

Bibliography and Appendices 

• The bibliography should be placed at the end of the thesis and not after each chapter with the exception of cases where the Departmental format filed with the School of Graduate Studies requires this.
• The order of arrangement of the bibliography and appendices should follow the format of the Graduate School Manual, unless the Departmental format requires an alternative order.
• The candidate may submit, as subsidiary matter in support of his or her candidature, any printed contributions to the advancement of his/her subject, which he or she may have published independently or jointly, or any other supporting material. In the event of a candidate presenting material from joint work, he or she shall be required to state fully his or her own contribution.

Presentation Format

• Two (2) typed or printed copies of the dissertation or thesis, using standard A4 paper, shall be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies through the Head of Department for examination.
• Typed thesis should be on only one side of the paper.
• Margins: When bound all margins of the thesis should be 2.54 cm (1 inch).
• Font Type & Size: Theses should be typed in New Times Roman Font Size 12.
• Chapter headings should be in New Times Roman Font Size 14 Bold.
• Font sizes for indented citations, graphs, figures and tables should not be lower New Times Roman font size 10.
• Page Numbers: Page numbers should be centred at the bottom of page throughout the thesis.
• The preliminary pages should be numbered with Roman numerals.
• Page numbering in Arabic numerals should run through the entire thesis.
• Footnote numbering should run through a thesis.
• Footnotes NOT Endnotes should be used in all theses.

Examination Copy

• A thesis submitted for examination should be bound in soft manila card cover (green or light blue). The cover should bear the details of the Title Page of the thesis.
• For the purpose of examination, a candidate shall be required to submit two (2) copies of his/her Masters degree thesis or dissertation and a soft version in PDF.

After the dissertation or thesis has been approved, it must be bound in standard form Art vellum or cloth; overcast; edges uncut. Three (3) final hard copies and the PDF soft version of the thesis/dissertation that have been accepted for the award of a Master’s or a Doctoral degree shall be distributed as follows: 

One (1) hard copy and the PDF version shall be sent to the School of Graduate Studies to be kept by the School; 

The remaining two (2) copies shall be retained by the candidate’s Head of Department, one of which shall be kept in the Departmental Library and the other given to the candidate.

Labelling of Final Copy

• Front Cover 

The front cover of the final copy should be lettered boldly in gold (0.5.-1.25cm) with the details of the Tile Page of the Thesis. 

The spine of the thesis should be lettered boldly up back in gold (0.5 to 1.25cm) with the degree, date, name, before the award of the Degree is published by the Registrar.

• Binding Colour Scheme

The following colour scheme should be used in binding the dissertations/theses:

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Thesis Submission and Assessment

Thesis submission.

Students who wish to submit a thesis for examination should notify SGS one month before their expected date of thesis submission. Applications should be sent to the School, together with an abstract of the thesis and the original payment receipt of the examination fee.

Normally, a thesis is expected to be submitted not earlier than six months before the expiry of the normal period of candidature. Early submission of theses before the said date requires special approval from SGS.

Students must submit a thesis for examination by the end of their maximum study period. Students should not submit, as the main content of the thesis, work previously accepted for a degree or any other award of the University or of any other institution, but they may incorporate such work in the thesis if the incorporated material is specified.

Panel of Examiners

A panel of Examiners will be formed to assess a student's thesis and conduct an oral examination. The panel should consist of:

• A Panel Chair (who is an Internal Examiner)
• One additional Internal Examiner
• One External Examiner
• The supervisor of the student

The internal and external examiners should normally be at the grade of Associate Professor or above, and have appropriate expertise related to the subject area of the student's thesis. Individuals studying for a higher degree should not be appointed as examiners. The Panel Chair and the internal and external examiners should have no supervisory relationship with the student. The supervisor, with the consent of the student concerned, may invite other qualifying panel members to join the oral examination as observers.

Thesis Assessment and Oral Examination

The thesis examination should include an oral examination and other assessment arrangements, as may be required by the Panel of Examiners. The oral examination is compulsory. It should normally take place in Hong Kong and be conducted in English. Students who have not fulfilled the coursework requirement in the taught component or any other academic requirement stipulated by the University will not be allowed to sit for the oral examination.

Under normal circumstances, the oral examination will take place within two to three months from the submission of the thesis, depending on the timing of receiving the examiners’ comments. However, for students who fail to give advance notice for submission of their thesis or fail to submit their thesis by the intended submission deadline, a longer period of time will be required to arrange the examination.

Students who have satisfied all the requirements for the EngD degree will be recommended for the award of EngD by the Panel of Examiners.

Students who are required to make minor revisions to their thesis, but have satisfied all other academic requirements, may be recommended for the award, subject to resubmission of the thesis after making minor revisions by the deadline set by the Panel.

If there is disagreement among the Panel members concerning the performance of the student, the examiners should submit individual reports to SGS. An additional external examiner may then be appointed and be required to make a report and recommendation to SGS. The reports from the Panel members and additional examiner will be forwarded to the Department and College for consideration, and the Committee on Research Degrees Candidature will make a final decision based on the advice of the Department and College.

If a student is required to submit a revised thesis, the Panel should set a deadline for resubmission not exceeding 12 months from the date of the oral examination. After re-examining the revised thesis, the examiners should make a recommendation to SGS. If the examiners are satisfied with the revised thesis, they may recommend that a second oral examination be waived.

The award of Engineering Doctorate is classified Pass-Fail. Graduates of the programme will be able to use the abbreviation “Dr.” before their names.

Re-examination

Students must pay a re-examination fee to sit for a second oral examination. The Panel of Examiners for the re-examination should be the same as for the first examination, unless otherwise recommended by the Department and College. Students who fail to satisfy the Panel of Examiners in a re-examination are not permitted to present themselves for re-examination on a further occasion.

Copyright Ownership

(Please refer to the University's Policy on Intellectual Property for more details.)

According to the University’s intellectual property policy, the copyright for all original work produced by students in the course of or for the purposes of their studies, scholarship or research with or at the University will be owned by the students concerned. The University will, however, have a royalty-free and non-exclusive perpetual licence to use such work for normal University educational and operational purposes. (These rules also apply to work created by students that has been either partly or wholly funded by a consultancy project, unless copyright ownership is otherwise specified in the contract terms.)

Despite the above, for work created by students in research projects either partly or wholly funded by the University or ITF or other external organisations (other than in the context of a consultancy project), the copyright ownership of the work will be determined by the terms of the project contract. If the terms are silent on this issue, the copyright will be owned by the University.

Bound Theses

Students should submit one properly bound printed copy and three electronic copies of their thesis to SGS within one month after approval by the Panel of Examiners of their theses and of any revisions required:

The electronic copies will be distributed to the supervisor, the Department and the Library respectively. The Library will upload an electronic copy onto the online databases for both internal and public access. The bound copy will be sent to the Library. The submission of the bound thesis forms part of the graduation requirement. SGS may withhold the student’s award certificate and transcript if he or she fails to submit the thesis by the specified date.

The required formats for the printed and electronic copies are detailed in the Regulation for the Form of Theses. When preparing the printed version of a thesis, students are advised to refer to Regulation for the Form of Theses . When preparing the printed version of a thesis, students are advised to refer to a sample of the front cover, the spine, and the title page of a thesis . SGS will make available a signed Thesis Acceptance Form for students to include in their bound theses. For guidelines on preparing the electronic version of a thesis, please visit the Library Web site .

Under normal circumstances, the thesis will be made available for reference as soon as they have been placed in the Library. A student who wishes to restrict access to his or her thesis for a valid reason may write to SGS. Such requests will be considered on the basis of the justifications provided, and are subject to the recommendation of the Department and approval of the College.

Students may make an appeal in writing to SGS on matters relating to their studies. An appeal against the examination result should be made in writing to the Board of Graduate Studies through SGS within 10 working days of the notification of the results. The appeal will be considered only if there has been a material administrative error, or some other material irregularity. The decision of the Board of Graduate Studies will be final.

Congregation

With the approval of the Senate, students who have satisfactorily completed the EngD programme will be conferred the award at the annual Congregation, which usually takes place in November. Students who wish to graduate and participate in the annual Congregation should submit their thesis to SGS by late June of that year to allow sufficient time for examination arrangements and for subsequent approval.

Students eligible for academic awards for that particular year will be notified in writing of the details for the Congregation and the collection of their academic dress and award certificate. The award certificate will be issued once only, as there will be no second printing. Students are strongly advised to ensure the safe keeping of this important document. The University reserves the right to withhold conferment of an award to a student who is subject to a penalty imposed in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct, or who has not paid fees or other monies owing to the University or who has otherwise failed to discharge all obligations towards the University.

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Thesis Preparation and Submission

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Prior to Thesis Defence

Step 1: understand the process., step 2: format your thesis..

The thesis formatting guide  provides information on how to format and submit your completed thesis document (Master’s or PhD) to the School of Graduate Studies for final approval and archiving. It is strongly encouraged that you use the thesis templates, either in Microsoft Word or LaTeX template . Word processing support is available from the UNB Libraries .

Following Thesis Defence

Step 3: revise and review thesis format., step 4: submit your thesis and supporting documents..

After your defence and corrections are made, review the checklist for electronic submission of the thesis. Send a PDF document of your thesis/report ( not a Word or LaTeX document ) by e-mail to [email protected] so that SGS can review the formatting. The Completion Forms listed on the checklist must be sent by the Graduate Secretary to [email protected].

The thesis and supporting documents must be received by the listed deadlines to avoid future registration and fees.

Step 5: Apply to graduate.

Step 6: thesis binding (optional)..

If  you would like a bound personal copy, you can request printing and binding directly through Lehmann Bookbinding https://pageforpage.com/   If you have questions, please contact [email protected] .

Step 7: Thesis is published.

Under SGS’s policy on public access to theses, academic and research achievements of graduate students should be shared with the greater community for scholarly and scientific purposes, and access should be made freely available after convocation.

For this reason, theses submitted from UNB graduate students are included in:

• Library and Archives Canada's electronic Theses Canada Portal
• Harriet Irving Library Archives & Special Collections
• UNB Scholar Digital Repository

Although your thesis will be shared publicly, keep in mind that you as author retain both copyright and ownership of your thesis. You have the right to request an embargo of public dissemination for a period of time (up to four years). All such requests for an embargo require a detailed justification to be attached to the Thesis Deposit Form. Request for embargo will be reviewed and considered for approval by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Requests for extension of an embargo will generally not be considered, except in very exceptional circumstances accompanied by an additional pressing rationale. Like the original embargo, they will be reviewed and approved (or not) by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

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Manuscript Clearance Deadlines

The Manuscript Clearance Portal will automatically calculate a student's deadlines once the " Defense Announcement Form " is submitted. Students in the manuscript clearance process should be familiar with both types of deadlines:  Semester and 60-Day.

Summer 2024 Manuscript Clearance Semester Deadlines

Initial, pre-defense doctoral deadline, june 17, 2024.

Last day for doctoral students to submit doctoral dissertation or treatise for pre-defense format review. 

Initial, Pre-Defense Masters Deadline

June 24, 2024.

Last day for master’s students to submit master's thesis for pre-defense format review. 

Final, Post-Defense Deadline (All degrees)

July 8, 2024.

Last day for the post-defense, final content-approved manuscript (all degrees) and required Manuscript Clearance Portal forms to be submitted. 

Formatting Deadline

july 30, 2024

Last day for students (all degrees) to receive an email from Manuscript Clearance Office confirming final clearance. 

Manuscripts must be submitted by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) of the listed deadline date. Forms must be completed by the same time on the deadline date.

Explanation of Manuscript Clearance Deadlines

Initial, Pre-Defense Deadline

• The relevant pre-defense (initial) format review deadline is the date by which students must submit their manuscript to the Manuscript Clearance Advisor for a pre-defense (initial) formatting review. Manuscripts will not be reviewed and counted as an initial submission under the following conditions: 1) not submitted via the ProQuest ETD website; 2) poorly formatted based on The Graduate School's guidelines, or 3) otherwise appears incomplete (e.g., multiple sections omitted). While it is understood that content will likely change after the defense, it is expected that manuscripts submitted for the pre-defense (initial) format review are at least 90% complete and have been formatted in full accordance with the criteria in the most recent version of The Graduate School's formatting guidelines.

Final, Post-Defense Deadline

• The post-defense deadline indicates the date by which students must submit the post-defense, final content-approved version of their manuscript to ProQuest ETD and ensure completion/signatures of all required manuscript clearance forms in The Graduate School's Manuscript Clearance Portal by 11:59 p.m. ET (except "Official Final Clearance"). Although students cannot complete all forms in the Manuscript Clearance Portal directly, they are ultimately responsible for ensuring their committee has completed the needed approvals. 
• *If there are no content changes requested by the student's supervisory committee or made to the manuscript after the defense, a resubmission of the final, content-approved manuscript is still required in ProQuest ETD by this deadline. A pre-defense manuscript submission in ProQuest ETD is not sufficient in meeting this deadline. 
• Additional formatting revisions are often required after this date in order for final manuscript clearance to be completed, but content changes are prohibited .
•  The Formatting Deadline is the date by which any post-defense formatting revisions (only those required by the Manuscript Clearance Office) should be completed and "Official Final Manuscript Clearance" should be granted in the Manuscript Clearance Portal. 

Academic units may set their own deadlines in advance of these manuscript clearance deadlines. Students must adhere to their unit's deadlines in addition to those established by The Graduate School. Please consult with your Graduate Program Coordinator, if you are unsure of your academic unit's requirements.

In the absence of additional deadlines set by academic units, we strongly recommend students defend at least 1 week prior to the post-defense deadline . Missing a semester deadline will result in the student automatically becoming ineligible to graduate in the current term. While students may be allowed to defend until the semester's post-defense deadline, they should understand that ALL content changes must be completed AND approved in the Portal by their committee prior to the deadline. The finalized manuscript must be submitted to ProQuest ETD by the deadline as well.  Extensions will not be granted for students who defended late and were unable to complete any content changes in time.

60-Day Deadline  

No later than 60 days after a successful defense :

• Post-defense, final content-approved manuscript must be submitted.
• Required forms (through Final Content Approval) must be completed in the Portal.

No later than 1 week after the 60-day deadline :

• All requested formatting corrections must be complete. (Multiple reviews may be required.)
• Official Final Manuscript Clearance must be achieved in the Portal.

This deadline applies to students who :

• Defend early in their semester of expected graduation.
• Defend in a semester prior to their expected graduation.
• Missed a semester deadline after defending (resulting in delayed graduation).

University closures are not excluded from the 60 days, but deadlines may be adjusted (forward or backward) if they fall on a weekend or a day the university is closed. The deadline will be automatically adjusted in the Portal.

Future Manuscript Clearance Semester Deadlines

Summer 2024.