Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines

Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines are established and approved by the Graduate College in conjunction with the University Graduate Council (UGC). Click here to view Thesis and Dissertation Deadlines. Submission requirements are included in the guidelines. The checklist indicates required items that must submitted with your final manuscript package. Email, phone, and video conferencing appointments are available.  In-person appointments are available available upon request. Please contact graduatewriting@fau.edu for additional information.

FAU Graduate Student Deadlines by Semester

FAU Graduate Thesis & Dissertation Guidelines

FAU Thesis & Dissertation Final Manuscript Package Checklist

Important Thesis or Dissertation Documents and Submission Requirements:

All students are required to complete the following requirements. Please note, deadlines vary by semester, please click here for deadlines:

  1. Students must submit the thesis/dissertation defense announcement form here and email a draft of their signature page (find downloadable templates here) to graduatewriting@fau.edu (in MS WORD or PDF format).

a. The signature page draft must be submitted for a formatting review two weeks prior to the defense date.

  1. The Graduate College will work with the student to correct any formatting issues in accordance to FAU Formatting Guidelines and save the approved final copy in our records.

  2. After a successful defense, the student must email graduatewriting@fau.edu with copy to all committee members. In this e-mail, the student must provide the following:
    1. Date of the successful defense in the body of the email
    2. A copy of the formatted final thesis/dissertation manuscript 
    3. A transmittal memo signed by both student and advisor

Note: Steps 1-3 above must be completed prior to the published final manuscript clearance package deadlines, request for extensions must be submitted to graduatewriting@fau.edu with copy to thesis/dissertation advisor and include scheduled defense date.

  1. Once the above is received, the Graduate College will route the signature page electronically along with final manuscript draft for signatures (faculty will receive instructions and a link via email).

  2. Once all signatures are obtained, the Graduate College will email the student a PDF copy of the signed signature page with instructions on how to insert it into their final ETD for publishing.

    *The Graduate College will track signature routing and assist signees as needed to ensure the online signature process is as efficient as possible*

  3. Final Manuscript Package: Please view the checklist for detailed information on required items that must submitted with your final manuscript package. The Final Manuscript Package should not be completed until you have received final approval of your manuscript by the Graduate College Dean. The Graduate College provides notification of approval by emailing students a scanned copy of their signature page once it has been signed by the Graduate College Dean.

  4. In addition to completing the above, all doctoral students must complete their mandatory Survey for Earned Doctorates (SED). Students can complete the online SED here: https://sed-ncses.org/GradDateRouter.aspx. The Graduate College will receive official notification once the online survey is submitted.

Resources and Additional Information

Deadlines:
Deadlines vary by semester, please click here for deadlines.

Questions and Appointments:
Please contact graduatewriting@fau.edu for additional information.

Formatting Tutorials:
The Graduate College also provides online formatting tutorials to assist students with organizing their thesis or dissertation.

Academic Integrity:
In accordance with the revised Graduate Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines, as approved by the Graduate Faculty, students are expected to comply with The FAU Code of Academic Integrity (Regulation 4.001). The Graduate College provides students with access to a Canvas TurnItIn account so that they can conduct self-checks of their theses or dissertations and create Originality Reports. Supervisory Committee Chairs also have the option to run manuscripts through plagiarism detection software. Please email graduatewriting@fau.edu for access.

Defense Announcements:
Click here to view Thesis/Dissertation Defense Announcements for the current semester.