Home > Graduate School

Helpful Hints for Submitting Your Thesis & Dissertation!

  • Thesis and Dissertation Information Page
    Thesis Committee Form - PDF format (DPA or EDD dissertation committee forms can be found in program handbooks).
    • Submit the signed Committee Appointment Form to the Graduate School before writing begins.
    • Committee members must have graduate faculty status to serve on a thesis or dissertation committee.

    DEADLINES: STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT THESES AND DISSERTATIONS TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL TWO WEEKS BEFORE GRADUATION OF EACH SEMESTER. EARLY SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED AND WELCOMED!
    Fall 2011 Deadline
    Spring 2012 Deadline
    Summer 2012 Deadline
    Tuesday, November 22 5:00 pm
    Friday, April 20 at 3:00 pm
    Friday, July 13 3:00 pm

Submit to the Graduate School by deadline:

One copy of thesis or dissertation on regular paper (it will be marked during the review)

All signed signature pages signed by your committee (on paper used for binding)

A copy of the binding fee form marked paid or a copy of receipt (not the original)

DPA and EDD students must also submit Final Dissertation Approval Forms (found in their program handbooks)

Include name, student ID number, email address and phone numbers where you can be reached when dropping off your thesis or dissertation at the Graduate School

 

  • Components should be placed according to the following order:
  • Title Page
    Copyright Page
    Signature Page
    Fair Use and Duplication Release Form
    Abstract (begin page numbering with this page with Roman numeral i )
    Table of Contents
    *List of Figures or Illustrations (use if you have 3 or more figures)
    *List of Tables (use if you have 3 or more tables)
    *Preface
    *Acknowledgments
    *Dedication
    Body of Text and Nontext Elements (begin numbering with page number 1 - bottom center)
    Endnotes/Footnotes/Text References
    Bibliography/Reference List
    *Appendix/Appendices
    *Autobiographical Statement
    Items with asterisks (*) are optional.

  • Note: Even if you use APA, MLA, or Chicago style the above components are necessary for the more formal document such as a thesis or dissertation. Some Graduate School requirements may supersede program styles.
  • Have you successfully defended your thesis or dissertation? If so, your committee chair will need to notify the Graduate School of this information in writing (send a memo or e-mail to the Graduate School).
  • IRB or IACUC approval for your research: include a copy of your approval form in the appendices and mention the approval and reference the appendix. If no review was needed, include statement in thesis or dissertation that none was needed.
  • Appendices: be sure to mention them in your chapters (see Appendix A, B, C, etc.)!
  • Signature pages: be sure to bring all signed pages when you submit your final draft to the Graduate School. [To avoid having to "redo" sig pages, Teresa would be happy to review your signature page beforehand - just send as an attachment to twilliam@valdosta.edu.]
  • Graduate School Dean Information: Effective July 1, Dr. Alfred F. Fuciarelli will be the Graduate Dean. Please use his title and rank information for signature pages:

Alfred F. Fuciarelli, Ph.D.

Professor of Chemistry

  • Be sure to pay your binding fee at the Bursary.  (The binding fee form can be printed from the link below.) Give a copy (not the original) of the form marked paid to Teresa!
  • For those that report results of research findings, there should be a space before and after each = , <, or > sign used in chapters and tables.
  • After the Graduate School reviews your thesis or dissertation, and you make changes for us (if any), then you will be responsible for making enough copies to be bound - take them to the Acquisitions Office in the Library after inserting all original sig. pages.  Take your binding fee form (marked paid by the Bursary) as well AND bring a CD or Zip drive with an electronic PDF copy of your thesis or dissertation to the Odum Library Acquisitions Office. You will also need fill out and sign the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Permission form in Acquisitions (see V-Text information below).

 

  • New! Vtext Form - Purpose: This form is intended for Valdosta State University Graduate students who have completed their thesis or dissertation and want to place an electronic version in Vtext, an open access digital repository maintained by the Odum Library to collect, preserve, and distribute Valdosta State University's intellectual capital in ways not currently supported by traditional library and publication print models. Student's may access the form at V-Text Form (submit when dropping off hard copies of theses and dissertations to be bound) Word format

If you have any questions or concerns about your submission or encounter errors in the submission process, please contact the Vtext Management Committee at vtext-help@valdosta.edu .  You may also call us at 229 333-7150.

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SCHOLARLY CONDUCT

VSU expects all students to meet high standards of academic conduct, and this is particularly true of graduate students.  Graduate students have been through the experience of completing undergraduate degree programs, and they should be familiar with the expected standards of conduct within academe.  Some of the key principles relating to these standards are found in the Thesis and Dissertation Guide (see above).  Students may also consult individual program standards.