Instructions for Submitting Electronic Thesis

Overview

Congratulations on reaching this milestone in your studies at UMass Dartmouth. You have already done the hard work and we are happy to assist you in submitting your final thesis/dissertation so your scholarly work can be accessed by researchers around the world.

This page will help you with formatting your thesis/dissertation and submitting the final version to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Signature page

Prior to your defense date, please prepare a signature page and email a PDF version to apgradstudies@umassd.edu for format and content review before obtaining committee signatures.

• The typeface and margins must match those used in the final copy of the text.
• The finalized signature page must be printed on white paper of at least 25% cotton content and 20-pound weight, sized 8.5 × 11 inches. This is the only page Graduate Studies requires to be printed on such paper. Graduate Studies and some departments can provide a sheet or two.
• Original signatures must be in dark blue or black ink. Submit one signature page with original signatures to Graduate Studies when everyone has signed it except for the Associate Provost.

Draft phase and format review

When your thesis/dissertation is at least 90–95% complete in content, submit a PDF to apgradstudies@umassd.edu for format review and feedback.

Please proofread carefully and complete all checks before submission. Common issues include:

• Pages out of order or numbered incorrectly.
• Inconsistent or incorrect spelling of the student’s name and dissertation/thesis title.
• Table of contents and list(s) of figures/tables page numbers not matching the referenced item’s location.
• Missing appendices.

The review phase can take from a few days to several weeks depending on the initial submission’s accuracy and the number of documents under review. Your draft will be returned with suggested and required changes (Graduate Studies may use Adobe comment tools such as sticky notes).

If relatively few changes are required, you will be notified that your document is finalized pending incorporation of minor edits. Otherwise, you will be asked to submit another draft PDF. The format review continues until Graduate Studies emails you that the document is finalized and ready for submission.

Please note: After your document is finalized for formatting, you may still need to incorporate additional changes requested by your committee. You are responsible for correcting any formatting issues introduced by final edits.

Submission phase

After Graduate Studies notifies you that your document is ready for submission, email the following to apgradstudies@umassd.edu:

• The entire document as one PDF, which includes the blank signature page (its formatting must match the approved and signed versions).
  • Images, code, or other materials formerly included on a CD should be included in the PDF. If conversion to PDF degrades image quality or code functionality, submit a separate file (e.g., .jpeg or .exe) alongside the text PDF. Consult Graduate Studies on acceptable file formats.
• Completed non-exclusive distribution rights form.
• ORCID iD number (obtain at orcid.org).

Graduate Studies will do a quick check. If your submission is incomplete or inaccurate, you will be asked to correct and resubmit.

Approved copy

The accepted document is the final version submitted to the library for inclusion in the library’s collection. No further changes are allowed after formal submission.

Graduate Studies will submit the accepted PDF (renamed to conform to internal specifications) and accompanying materials to the librarian, with a copy to the student, the Director of Graduate Studies & Admissions, the Graduate Program Director, and the Department Secretary, so they may take any action needed to certify completion of degree requirements.

If required by your department, college, or committee, you may be asked to submit additional copies in a preferred format (e.g., electronic submission or hard copy that is bound, spiral bound, clipped, or stapled).