sfu submit thesis to library

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Sfu library thesis submission service.

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Thesis assistance: Templates and resources for preparing and submitting your thesis

In order to adhere to SFU's Graduate General Regulations, your thesis, project, or extended essay(s)  must:

• conform to SFU-specific formatting standards , and
• follow SFU-specific regulations and policies .

You are required to submit a digital copy of your thesis, supplemental files, and required forms to the Library in order to fulfill in part the requirements for graduation.

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Mechatronic systems engineering.

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Please read this page in full before submitting a request.

Mse thesis defence guide.

⌚ 15 min read 📆 Last updated: August 2024

💻 Make sure you are enrolled in your thesis course

Students need to be enrolled in their thesis course every term, including the term in which they are defending their thesis .

MSE 898 - MASc Thesis

Upon admission to the MASc program, students must enroll in this course each term until they defend their thesis.

Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisite: N/a

MSE 899 - PhD Thesis

Upon completing their Qualifying Examination, all PhD students must enroll in this course each term until they defend their thesis. 

Prerequisite:  MSE 890 - PhD Qualifying Examination (PhD students must pass their Qualifying Exam before defending their thesis.)

💻 Finish writing your thesis

The Library's Theses Office assists students with formatting their theses for submission to the Library and for publication. Students must follow the formatting rules outlined on the Library's Thesis Resources page prior to submitting their thesis to MSE.

You can find information on copyright, ethics approval, and thesis intake appointments on the Library's website.

Another good resource is Graduate Studies' website:

• Doctoral degree thesis
• Master's degree thesis

✅ Send your thesis to your supervisory committee

Once you have completed your thesis, please share it with your supervisory committee as soon as possible. Your committee members will need time to review your thesis and confirm with you that it is ready to be defended.

Examiners (internal or external to SFU) are not a part of your supervisory committee. Supervisory committee members cannot serve as examiners on examining committees as per GGR 1.9.1c .

Students are not allowed to contact their external examiners. If you are a PhD student, your thesis will be shared with your external examiner by the Graduate Studies office.

📅 Schedule your defence consulting your committee

Finding a date when all your examining committee members are available could be a difficult task. Please make sure to discuss possible dates with your committee as soon as possible. It is common for external examiners (applicable to PhD students only) to join from another time zone.

The defence should be scheduled at least 5 business days before the library deadline. This will allow you to have enough time to work on potential revisions.

Defences should be scheduled at least 5 business days before the library thesis submission deadline.

Please schedule your defence during MSE admin staff's office hours , Monday to Friday 9am-4pm (excluding Canadian statutory holidays, when the University is closed). Should you wish to defend outside of this window, your Supervisor or defence chair will be responsible for facilitating the meeting.

🎓 Apply for Graduation

Students need to apply to graduate through the goSFU in order to graduate.

When to Apply?

You can apply for graduation before defending your thesis. Please refer to the Dates + Deadlines page for the current term's deadline.

Checking the status of your application

Please refer to the Completing + Graduation page for instructions on checking the status of a previously submitted application.

Graduation application deadline for the Fall 2024 term is  

December 13, 2024

Apply for graduation, 📘 postponing thesis publication, do you need the publication of your thesis to be postponed due to ip concerns or a pending patent.

If you wish to postpone your thesis publication, you must submit a request form at least 30 days before your defence . Please follow the instructions on the Thesis Regulations + Forms page.

"A postponement will delay the inclusion of a thesis in the institutional repository and from copying for a period of 12 months from the date of examination of the thesis. Postponement requests are normally approved if made for the following reasons: if there is real and immediate risk to researchers or collaborators; patent pending or protection of intellectual property; publication pending in restrictive venue. A postponement request must be made in writing prior to the submission to the Library." GGR 1.11.3

Submitting a postponement request does NOT change your library thesis submission deadline. Students who wish to postpone their thesis publication date are still required to submit their theses by the same library deadlines as students who do not wish to postpone their publication.

📥 submit your thesis defence request.

MASc students need to submit their requests at least

before the defence date.

MASc Thesis Defense Documents

• Examining Committee Form (will be submitted by your supervisor)
• Academic Progress Report
• Thesis (final version)
• Ethics Approval Letter (if applicable) If you need to change the thesis title after the ethics approval letter has been granted, an updated letter must be requested and submitted along with the original ethics approval letter.
• Thesis publication postponement form (if applicable)

PhD students need to submit their requests at least

PhD Thesis Defense Documents

• External Examiner's CV (submitted by your senior supervisor)
• Thesis presentation slides (will be shared with your external examiner)

Please submit your thesis defence request (including the required documents) via CourSys using the link below.  Requests and/or documents submitted via email are not accepted.

CourSys: Submit Thesis Defence Request

• Once you submit your thesis defence request on CourSys, your Graduate Program Assistant will make sure that the forms are filled out correctly. Signatures typed with a handwriting style font or missing information can delay processing.
• The GPA will forward complete thesis defence requests to MSE Graduate Program Chair for approval and signature.
• The GPA will then forward the GPC-approved defence request to Graduate Studies office. Students will receive email confirmation from MSE when the thesis defence request has been forwarded to GS.

👩‍🏫 Attending Your Defence

Remote defences.

The candidate will be added to the Zoom meeting as an alternative host, so you will be able to start your own meeting. Once the defence chair joins the call, they will be made "host" of the call.

In-Person/Hybrid  Defences

The room will be available to you 1 hour prior to your defence time. Please arrive early to claim your lapel mic and do a tech check. If you experience technical difficulties, you can call the IT department using the landline phone located near the classroom door.

Doors will be closed during your defence, so late comers may not be allowed in. Late guests may be allowed to enter the Zoom room on the defence chair's discretion.

Video and audio recordings of defence proceedings are strictly prohibited according to the Graduate General Regulations.  The public portion of the examination can be recorded if permission is sought ahead of time. All members of the examining committee and the student must agree. All the participants including the audience must be aware of the recording. Please email  [email protected]   for approval.

📝 Potential Thesis Revisions

• It is common for an examining committee to ask students to revise their thesis after the defence. Please account for the time you might need to spend on revisions prior to submitting your thesis to the Library.
• Your RAD form (filled + signed) will be emailed to you by your GPA once it has been signed by your examining committee members, your supervisor and the GPC. Note that your thesis revisions need to be complete in order to receive supervisory signature.

Results, Approval, and Degree Recommendation form is required to submit your thesis to the library and have your thesis course grade entered into the system.

📚 Library Thesis Submission

Make sure to defend as early as possible in the term to meet your library thesis submission deadline and avoid postponing graduation..

Students are required to submit a digital copy of their thesis and their RAD form to the SFU Library in order to fulfill part of their graduation requirements.  Thesis submission deadlines  and more information can be found on the Library's website.

• Make sure to account for any time that you may need to spend on revising your thesis after your defence.
• Students who do not submit their thesis to the SFU Library by the regular end-of-term deadlines will receive an "IP" (in progress) grade for their MSE898/899 MASc/PhD Thesis course, and will have to enroll in their thesis course again the following term (which implies being responsible for tuition and fees for this term).
• In this following term, you may be eligible for an early completion refund  if you submit your thesis to the library by the early deadline (usually at the end of the first month of term)

Upon a successful completion, the thesis must be submitted to the library no later than the end of the subsequent term . ( GGR 1.10.2 )

📜 Credential Completion Letter

A credential completion letter is an official document confirming that a student has completed all of their degree requirements, and they are ready to graduate. It is often requested by international students for immigration* purposes. CCLs will be available via your goSFU account once the following steps have been completed:

• Thesis + RAD form have been submitted to the library by the student
• Final grade for the thesis course (MSE 898 MASc Thesis or MSE 899 PhD Thesis) has been posted by Graduate Studies
• Graduation application has been approved by Graduate Studies

The credential completion letter is only available  after your graduation application has been approved by GS and before your degree is awarded by the Senate . Once your degree is awarded, the credential completion letter will no longer be available as your Senate letter and/or degree parchment will act as proof of degree completion.

*If you have immigration related inquiries, including but not limited to the Post Graduate Work Permit, please get in touch with SFU's International Student Advisors .

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Department of linguistics.

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Support the Department of Linguistics 

Indigenous languages and linguistics master of arts.

This is a cohort program that is offered when resources allow. Students receive training for careers as language researchers, educators, and material developers, gaining expertise in communicative skills, language documentation and analysis of a particular Indigenous language. Emphasis is placed on the language in its socio-cultural and educational setting. The learning model integrates Indigenous Ways of Knowing with linguistic analysis and documentation, featuring mentorship and participation in projects in addition to formal lectures and paper writing. Courses are taught by teams of Elders and knowledge holders, and academic experts on the language.

The program is offered through a combination of SFU campus and Indigenous community-based course modules. In order to accommodate the work schedules of participants who are language teachers in public schools, or who are otherwise fully employed, courses will be offered in late afternoons, evenings and during summer breaks, in concentrated modules during fall and spring terms.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements as stated in  Graduate General Regulations 1.3  in the SFU Calendar. Applicants must be proficient speakers of the language (as assessed by a panel of speakers or community-appointed experts), or be advanced learners who have completed the SFU Certificate in First Indigenous Language Proficiency or the SFU Diploma in Indigenous Language Proficiency or equivalent, with a CGPA of at least 3.0. Also admissible are students who have completed a BA or BEd and have studied both the language and some linguistics. Individuals who have not completed a bachelor’s degree may be considered for admission if they have completed at least three courses (for a minimum of 12 units) in the Graduate Certificate in the Linguistics of an Indigenous Language with a CGPA of at least 3.0.

Program Requirements

This program consists of mandatory coursework in combination with either a project or a thesis, for a minimum total of 32 units. See the  Academic Calendar . 

Students must complete all of: LING 804 - Field Methods (3) LING 830 - Phonetics and Phonology of an Indigenous Language (4) LING 831 - Morphology and Syntax of an Indigenous Language (4) LING 832 - Narrative and Discourse Structure of an Indigenous Language (4) LING 833 - Sociocultural and Cognitive Aspects of an Indigenous Language (4) LING 834 - Effective Pedagogies and Materials Development for Indigenous Language (4)

Three units of graduate seminars from: LING 890 - Graduate Seminar I (1) **  LING 891 - Graduate Seminar II (1) **  ** Repeatable for credit where topic is different. Graduate seminars will provide workshops on graduate project writing and organization, research design, and research ethics. 

And the requirements from either the project, thesis, or coursework option.

Your Choice of Three Options

Project Option LING 893 - Linguistics MA Project (6) The Indigenous Linguistics MA Project is examined by two examiners. A student who fails may be permitted a second attempt. Students present the project at a final MA cohort project symposium and submit their projects to the library. Examples of suitable projects include a linguistic analysis of some aspect of the language; the production and presentation of a video that documents use of the language; a digital media project that integrates visual, audio, and textual resources in the language; an educational module for teaching the language; a museum exhibit that incorporates the language; or an annotated narrative or set of narratives transcribed, glossed, and translated into English.

Thesis Option LING 898 - MA Thesis (18) The MA Thesis complies with  GGR 1.9-1.11  including submission to the library. Students also present the thesis research at a final MA cohort project symposium. Coursework Option Completion of a minimum of 32 units by completing a combination of all core INLL MA requirements and two of the following:  LING 810 - Topics in Linguistics I  (Must be a topic focused on methods in language documentation.) **  LING 811 - Topics in Linguistics II **  LING 812 - Topics in Linguistics III **  LING 813 - Topics in Linguistics IV **  LING 896 - Directed Research **  ** Repeatable for credit where topic is different. Graduate seminars will provide workshops on graduate project writing and organization, research design, and research ethics. See the Academic Calendar .

Program Length

Students are expected to complete the program requirements in four to six terms.

Thesis and dissertation filing guidelines

Students who have enrolled in dissertation or thesis credits will prepare a manuscript to publish through ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Publishing. You own and retain the copyright to your manuscript. The Graduate School collects the manuscript via electronic submissions only. All manuscripts are made available through ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database (PQDT), in ProQuest/UMI’s Dissertation Abstracts International, and through the University’s institutional repository, ScholarWorks.

Getting started with campus resources:

• Office of Human Research Protection
• Campus computer Help Desk @One : (775) 682-5000
• ProQuest Help Line: (877) 408-5027 (8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET, or 5 a.m. - 2 p.m. PT)
• For specific questions, call the Graduate School Graduation staff at (775) 784-6869

Jump to a section

• Important dates and milestones for graduating students
• Electronic manuscript submission
• Checklist to complete your electronic submission
• Instructions for completing thesis/dissertation committee approval page
• Formatting your dissertation or thesis
• Templates, samples and forms for filing

1. Important dates and milestones for graduating students

• Contact your advisor to discuss department considerations and potential dates for your defense.
• Contact the Graduate School to ensure your progression paperwork has been approved.
• View important dates and purchase a graduation application through MyNevada for your graduation semester.
• Doctoral students must submit their dissertation title for the commencement program.
• Schedule defense date with the entire advisory committee in accordance with graduation deadlines.
• Submit all forms and final manuscripts to the Graduate School by established deadlines.

2. Electronic Manuscript submission

ProQuest electronic submission site

Set up an account with ProQuest and wait for a password sent via email. ProQuest offers email and phone support,   1-877-408-5027 , frequently asked questions, etc. Visit the site early to familiarize yourself with the submission process.

3. Checklist to complete your electronic submission

• Master's  Notice of Completion and Doctoral Notice of Completion Form  - This form includes all committee signatures AND the Graduate Program Director’s signature.
• Master's Final Review Approval and Doctoral Final Review Approval   Form - This form serves as the final approval from your advisor. The Graduate School will accept the dissertation/thesis after the date listed on the form. The approval date on the form indicates the student’s submission can be accepted.
• Committee Approval Page   - Use the online Word document template (NO SIGNATURES and no page number). This page will be merged into your manuscript to acknowledge committee members.
• Filing for Copyright Registration   (optional) - Students have the opportunity to register a copyright of their graduate work with the U.S. Copyright Office. It is strictly optional, and there is a $75.00 fee associated with the service, which is paid online with student submission.
• Processing fee  - $85 thesis / $95 dissertation.  Log into your Student Center in MyNEVADA . Under the Finances section, click on the link “Purchase Miscellaneous Items.” Select the applicable processing fee to pay (Dissertation or Thesis) and complete the transaction. You will receive a receipt that generates overnight.  Please keep this item as proof of payment for your records. Our office will automatically check for payment posted.
• NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates  – For  doctoral students only.

4. Instructions for completing thesis/dissertation committee approval page

• The Committee Approval Page (see forms links at bottom of page ): This interactive template has established borders.
• Use the accompanying template on page two of this handout to complete the Committee Approval form. Check spelling carefully and make sure that case (upper-case/capital and lower-case letters) and font style (regular or bold) follow the template. Spacing between lines will depend on how long your thesis/dissertation title is and how many committee members you have.
• Type the words as they appear on the template, i.e., on the first line “We recommend that the thesis/dissertation”, followed by the second line “prepared under our supervision by.”
• At brackets [1] enter your full name in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS and BOLD-FACED.
• Type the word “entitled” all in lowercase letters.
• At brackets [2] enter the complete title of your thesis/dissertation. The title should be in both CAPITAL and lower-case letters and must be Bold-Faced. If the title is long, use two or more lines, breaking the lines at appropriate words in the title. Do not hyphenate between lines.
• Type the words “be accepted in partial fulfillment of the,” and then, on the next line, “requirements for the degree of.”
• At brackets [3] enter the name of the degree being awarded, e.g., for Ph.D. enter “Doctor of Philosophy,” for Ed.D. enter “Doctor of Education”. The degree should be in all CAPITAL LETTERS and Bold-Faced. DO NOT enter the name of the graduate program, such as anthropology or economics.
• At brackets [4] type the full name of your thesis/dissertation advisor followed by his/her degree, followed by the word “Advisor”. For example, “Sonia A. Skakich, Ph.D., Advisor”. Use both capital and lowercase letters.
• Enter the subsequent committee members and type the full names of the rest of your committee members followed by their degrees and their roles in the committee (Committee Member or Graduate School Rep.) under each one. Use one line for each member. The Graduate School Representative should be the last committee member listed. Use both capital and lowercase letters.
• The last entry is reserved for the Dean of the Graduate School (which is already entered on the form).
• At brackets [5] enter the month and year of official graduation. The month must be May, August, or December. Enter the appropriate four-digit designation of the year (e.g., 2018).

5. Formatting your dissertation or thesis

The Graduate School requires standardized formatting for the dissertation and thesis documents. Students will follow a style guide (APA, MLA, etc.) to prepare their document; however, the document must comply with University formatting requirements listed below.

Margins and spacing

• Left margin: 1.5” from the left edge of the page.
• Right margin: 1.0” from the right edge of the page.
• Top margin: 1.0” from the top edge of the page.
• Bottom margin: 1.25” from the bottom edge of the page.
• All text should be double-spaced with the exception of captions, footnotes, long quotations, bibliographic entries of more than one line, and materials in tables and appendices.

Recommended fonts

Fonts should be easy to read. Times New Roman, Arial, or a similarly clear font is preferred; type size must be 10, 11, or 12 points. Script and italic typefaces are not acceptable except where absolutely necessary i.e. in Latin designations of species, etc.

In preparing your dissertation or thesis for electronic submission, you must embed all fonts. In Microsoft Word 2013, this is done by accessing the FILE menu; selecting OPTIONS, select SAVE. From the SAVE menu check the box labeled, ”Embed fonts in the file.” If the file size is a concern, check the box next to “Do NOT embed common system fonts."

Large tables, charts, etc., may be reduced to conform to page size, but the print must remain clear enough to be readable. You can also attach a PDF for electronic submissions.

Page numbering

Every page, with the exception of the title page, the copyright page, and the committee approval page is numbered in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top of the page and one inch from the right edge of the page. Do not underline or place a period after the number. Do not use a running header.

• The prefatory materials (abstract, acknowledgments, table of contents, etc.) are numbered in lower case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv…). Insert a section break after the Roman numerals to create different page numbering styles.
• The first page of the main text and all subsequent pages are continuously numbered in Arabic numerals beginning with one until the final page number (1, 2, 3, 4…)
• Do NOT number appendices or pages of additional material with numbers such as 4a or A-1.

Tables and appendices

Tables and appendices are part of the document and must conform to the same margin and page numbering requirements.

Format and sequence of pages

Assemble pages in the following order:

• Title page *no page number* (create according to the example provided)
• Copyright Notice *no page number* (optional - see example)
• Committee Approval Page *no page number* (use the online template available on our   forms page – NO SIGNATURES on this page)
• Abstract (begins lowercase Roman numerals i, ii, iii…)
• Dedication (optional)
• Acknowledgments (optional)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Body of Manuscript (begins Arabic numbering 1, 2, 3…)
• Back Matter (appendices, notes, bibliography, etc.)
• Do not number the title page
• Center each line of type
• Use BOLD text type for the manuscript title
• The date listed is the month and year in which you will graduate. The only acceptable months are May, August, and December (graduation cycles).

Copyright page

No page number on this page. Although not required, we strongly recommend you insert a copyright notice in your manuscript following the title page. Essential components of the copyright notice include the copyright symbol, full legal name of the author, and year of first publication. Follow the format of the sample provided below.

Committee approval page

• No page number on this page
• Use the electronic PDF template provided below. This page will list the advisory committee members and graduate dean but will NOT include committee signatures.   Combine the PDF into your manuscript to form a single PDF file.  To do this in Adobe Pro, select "Organize pages," "Insert," and "From file."   
• A window will open and you can drag your separate PDF files into this window to combine them into a single file.
• Choose the PDF documents in order of page sequencing (title page, committee page, main manuscript) and then combine files into a single PDF.

(Lower case Roman numeral “i” page number)

Abstracts are required for all theses and dissertations. ProQuest no longer has a word limit on the abstract, “as this constrains your ability to describe your research in a section that is accessible to search engines, and therefore would constrain potential exposure of your work.” ProQuest does publish print indices that include citations and abstracts of all dissertations and theses published by ProQuest/UMI. These print indices require word limits of 350 words for doctoral dissertations and 150 words for master’s theses (only text will be included in the abstract). You may wish to limit the length of your abstract if this concerns you. The abstracts as you submit them will NOT be altered in your published manuscript.

Processing note

Each copy of your thesis or dissertation will be checked for margins, clarity of copy, and pagination. The Graduate School will run the manuscript through the Turn It In plagiarism tool.

Electronically submitted theses/dissertations are available in electronic format only; no hard copies will be produced. Students are responsible for binding any copies for personal use or for distribution to their advisor, department, or committee members.

Dissertation & Thesis Processing Fee

Mandatory processing fees are required for all theses ($85.00) and all dissertations ($95.00). Log into your Student Center in MyNEVADA. Under the Finances section, click on the link “Purchase Miscellaneous Items.” Select the applicable processing fee to pay (Dissertation or Thesis) and complete the transaction. You will receive a receipt that generates overnight.  Please keep this item as proof of payment for your records. Our office will automatically check for payment posted.

Using copyrighted materials

You must certify in ProQuest that any copyrighted material used in your work, beyond brief excerpts, is with the written permission of the copyright owner. Attach copies of permission letters to the agreement form.

Copyright registration (optional)

Students have the opportunity to register a copyright on their graduate work with the U.S. Copyright Office. It is strictly optional, and there is a $75.00 fee associated with the service. Students submitting electronically pay online. Paying for the claim to copyright is a voluntary action, which allows a court of law to award monetary damages if the copyright is infringed. You may file a Registration of Copyright yourself by sending a properly completed application form, a nonrefundable filing fee of $45.00 and a nonreturnable copy of your thesis or dissertation to the United States Copyright Office. Application materials and instructions are available from:

Register of Copyrights Copyright Office Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 20559-6000 Information is also available at the Copyright Office’s website:   lcweb.loc.gov/copyright

ScholarWorks repository

ScholarWorks - the University's institutional repository - assists in collecting, preserving, and distributing the university's intellectual output accessible to end-users on local and global levels with few if any barriers. The repository will provide long-term access to the items deposited and can accept works from all the University faculty/staff/students. A wide variety of items including Articles, Datasets, Presentations, Technical Reports, Thesis and Dissertations, Posters, Conference Papers, etc. in all file formats can be deposited into the repository. The repository supports creative commons licensing and open-access publishing without any cost.

The discovery services and search engine optimizations ensure that major search engines easily discover the uploaded content. This increases the visibility, citations, and overall impact of the research. All items deposited in the repository receive a persistent URL that can be used for citations. Various statistics are collected with the built-in statistics module and Google Analytics modules. Information on monthly/yearly views, number of downloads, demographic information, etc. is available for each deposited item upon request.

All the ETDs uploaded into ProQuest are automatically deposited into the University's ScholarWorks repository. The embargo period set in ProQuest during deposit is carried over to the ScholarWorks repository. Any changes to the embargo period after deposit can be made by contacting ProQuest at 1-800-521-0600 as well as the ScholarWorks administrator at [email protected] .

Scholarworks FAQ

Do I need to upload my ETD into the ScholarWorks repository?

• No, ProQuest will automatically upload the ETD into ScholarWorks on approval from the Graduate School.

Can I extend the embargo period on my Thesis/Dissertation after uploading it to ProQuest?

• Yes, to change or extend the embargo period of your ETD you need to contact ProQuest at 1-800-521-0600 and the ScholarWorks administrator at [email protected] .

Can I make my ETD open access in the ScholarWorks repository?

• Yes, ScholarWorks supports open access with creative commons licensing. It is available as a free service to all the faculty/staff/students.

Alternative formatting for thesis or dissertation

These guidelines apply to those theses or dissertations which consist of a number of papers either previously published or being published concurrently with the submission of the thesis or dissertation. Acceptance and publication of the articles are not criteria for this alternative. Each of the papers should constitute a separate chapter of the overall work. Preceding the papers should be an introductory section. This section may be one or more chapters but should include:

• an overall introduction to the thesis/dissertation,
• a review of the appropriate literature, and
• a description of the methodology used in the study.

The student’s advisory committee should determine the format and specific content of this introductory section.

The number of individual papers constituting chapters of the thesis/dissertation is determined by the student’s advisory committee. These chapters may be formatted in the same style required by the journals to which they are to be submitted. However, the margins must conform to those of the overall thesis, i.e. left margin = 1.5"; right margin = 1"; top margin = 1"; bottom margin = 1.25". In addition, each page must be numbered consistent with the rest of the thesis/dissertation, that is, the first page of text is numbered 1 with each subsequent page numbered consecutively until the end, to include all appendices, indexes, etc.

Following the chapters consisting of individual papers, there must follow a summary, conclusions and recommendations section. This section may be formatted as one or more chapters.

Work reported in the articles should represent a major contribution by the student that is the review of the literature, the conceptual framework and/or research design for the reported work. The statistical analyses, summaries, conclusions, and recommendations should represent the student’s own work.

For publication purposes, other researchers may be named as additional authors. This would be especially appropriate when publication is dependent upon extensive revision of the initial manuscript submitted and the faculty involved assumes responsibility for the revisions, or when the student is using an existing database.

When a student chooses this option, the articles will be submitted to the journals agreed upon by the concerned academic unit. Responsibility for follow-up, revisions, etc., should be identified in a written document and agreed upon by the student and faculty member(s) involved.

6. Templates, samples and forms

Please be sure to read the above instructions before proceeding with documents.

Forms for filing a master's thesis   Forms for filing a doctoral dissertation

Thesis filing templates and samples

• Committee Approval page for 3-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page for 3-member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page for 4-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page for 4-member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)

Sample pages

• Thesis Title page (SAMPLE)
• Thesis Copyright page (SAMPLE)
• Thesis Committee approval page (SAMPLE)

Dissertation filing templates, samples and Survey of Earned Doctorates

• Committee Approval page  for 5-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page  for  5-member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page  for 6-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page  for 6 -member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)
• Dissertation Title page (SAMPLE)
• Dissertation Copyright page (SAMPLE)
• Dissertation Committee approval page (SAMPLE)

Survey of Earned Doctorates

• Survey of Earned Doctorates  - The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is an annual census conducted since 1957 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and National Endowment for the Humanities. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient's educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans. Results are used to assess characteristics of the doctoral population and trends in doctoral education and degrees. Read more about the purpose and methods of the SED .

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The thesis submission procedure at Bilkent University Library is designed to complete the graduation procedures for graduate students and make their academic work accessible. Below is a step-by-step explanation of the thesis submission procedure.

* Students continuing to the doctorate must complete the thesis submission and clearance procedures.

1. Preparation of Thesis Format Your thesis must be prepared in accordance with the format and style guidelines set by Bilkent University and submitted in both printed and digital (CD) formats. The content and layout of the file in the CD must be identical to the printed copy. Both formats must include a completed signature page.

Required Documents: You must bring one wet-signed copy of the following documents during thesis submission:

• Bilkent University Thesis Database Submission and Permission Form
• Bilkent University Graduate Thesis Access Postponement Request Form (if there is an access postponement request)
• YÖK National Thesis Center Data Entry and Publication Permission Form
• Bilkent University Doctoral and Graduate Students Clearance Form

The Thesis Database Submission and Permission Form allows us to make your thesis accessible through the university library and, if necessary, publish it in accordance with the open-access policies. A copy will be taken by the library, and the original signed by the authorized librarian will be returned to you.

The Bilkent University Graduate Thesis Access Postponement Request Form is required if there is an access restriction on your thesis work. The information on this form must match the access postponement details specified on the Thesis Database Submission and Permission Form. The form must include necessary signatures.

The YÖK National Thesis Center Data Entry and Publication Permission Form must be completed on the YÖK National Thesis Center platform. A wet-signed copy of the form must be submitted to the library along with your thesis and other documents. This copy will remain with the library.

The Bilkent University Doctoral and Graduate Students Clearance Form will be signed and returned to you by the authorized librarian upon completion of the library thesis submission procedure.

2. Thesis Review and Approval Process To initiate the library thesis submission procedure, you must apply to the User and Access Services Unit at the Main Campus Library with one printed and one digital (CD) copy of your thesis, and the required documents. The authorized librarian will check the printed and digital copies of your thesis. If there are no issues, the submitted documents will be signed, and the necessary copies will be taken. Ensuring that your thesis adheres to the format and style guidelines, includes all required signatures, and has identical content in both printed and digital formats is crucial for completing the library thesis submission procedure..

Any library materials borrowed from Bilkent University Library that have not yet been returned will prevent the clearance process. To complete the thesis submission procedure and clearance process, all borrowed materials must be returned, and any overdue fees must be paid.

3. Publication of Theses in Bilkent University Institutional Repository If there is no access postponement request, the digital copy of your thesis will be made accessible in the Bilkent University Institutional Repository under the open access policy.

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