Forms and Petitions

Guide to Filing Theses and Dissertations (Condensed)

Completing Your Graduate Degree

The UCSB Guide to Filing Theses and Dissertations is available online in HTML, PDF, and Word for Windows. The Web site features a template in Word for Windows format with sample preliminary pages, body text, figures, references, and appendix.

University Requirements for All Graduate Degrees

• All degree candidates must be in a fee relationship with the University either by being registered the quarter they file, OR by paying the filing fee - currently $122.50 (fees are subject to change without notice by the UC Regents). Use of the filing fee terminates graduate status; it may be used only once during a graduate student's career, and never by a master's degree student continuing for a doctorate at UCSB. Ask Graduate Division for advice concerning use of the filing fee in lieu of registering.
• Degree candidates must have been registered a minimum of 3 quarters for the master's or 6 quarters for the doctorate; have a cumulative 3.0 GPA; and remove any Incompletes or No Grades from their transcripts.
• All parts of the thesis or dissertation must be reviewed and approved by the committee, including any prefatory pages, end notes, etc. Nothing can be added to the document once the committee members have signed the Signature (or Approval) Page indicating acceptance of the thesis or dissertation.
• Students who exceed either the 4-year master's degree time limit or the 7-year time doctoral completion time limit must submit a Graduate Student Petition signed by the departmental Graduate Advisor to extend their degree deadlines. If the degree deadline extension is for more than two years, the Graduate Student Petition must be accompanied by a memo documenting and certifying currency in the field, signed by all members of the thesis or doctoral committee.

Items Required to File a Master's Thesis

• Master's Thesis: 2 copies on 100% cotton bond, 20-24 lb. which include 2 original signature pages on 100% cotton bond, 20-24 lb.
• 1 extra copy of title page and abstract (does not have to be on 100% cotton bond).
• Master's Form I: any committee change must be noted on a Committee Change Form I-A.
• Statement(s) from the copyright owner giving the student permission to use previously copyrighted material (including the student's work) must be submitted with the thesis.

To award a master's degree, the student's department must notify Graduate Division in writing of the student's completion of all degree requirements. Check with the graduate program assistant to ensure that this is done.

Items Required to File a Doctoral Dissertation

Ph.D. students have the option of electronically filing one copy of their dissertation directly with ProQuest and one original copy with the Graduate Division, or filing 2 original copies of their dissertation with the Graduate Division. To learn more about the electronic filing process, go here.

Items Required for Students who Choose to Electronically File their Doctoral Dissertations:

• 1 copy on 100% cotton bond paper, 20-24 lb. (including 2 original signature pages also on 100% cotton bond paper, 24-20 lb.) BEFORE filing the dissertation electronically.
• 1 extra copy of the title page and abstract (does not have to be on 100% cotton bond paper).

Items Required for Students who Choose NOT to E-File their Doctoral Dissertations:

1. 2 copies on 100% cotton bond paper, 20-24 lb. (including 2 original signature pages on 100% cotton bond paper, 20-24 lb.)
2. 2 extra copies of title page and abstract (does not have to be on 100% cotton bond paper).

Items Required for ALL Ph.D. Students when Filing their Doctoral Dissertations:

1. Form III or Form IIIA: dissertation defense or waiver of a formal defense. Any change in a committee must be noted on a Committee Change Form I-A.
2. Completing and signing Doctoral Dissertation Publishing Agreement Form authorizing ProQuest/UMI to reproduce and distribute copies of the dissertation (required by Graduate Council). Also, personal data, doctoral degree data, etc. requested on reverse side of Agreement Form should be provided. Students choosing to electronically file a copy of their dissertation will complete the ProQuest/UMI form when they file electronically.
3. Completing the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED).
4. Completing the Doctoral Exit Survey online.
5. Submitting with the dissertation statement(s) from the copyright owner giving permission to use previously copyrighted material (including the student's work).

Optional: Payment of a $65.00 copyright fee to ProQuest to register the copyright of your dissertation with the Library of Congress Copyright Office; payable by either a certified check or money order with an expiration date of at least 6 months from the date of filing. Students may choose to pursue other means to secure copyright privileges. Students who want additional information on the details and merits of copyrighting can visit the web site of the U.S. Copyright Office or the ProQuest/UMI Web document "Copyright Law & Graduate Research".

Ordering Hard Bound Copies of Manuscripts from the Library

Some departments require a hard bound copy of students' manuscripts for their library. To order a copy, students should pick up a requisition from the Serials Dept.; some depts. may have their own supply of the form. The department's budget number and appropriate (MS0) signature are required. Students reimburse their department for the cost of the binding - approximately $28.00 per copy. Students should bring the requisition along with the number of copies they wish to have bound to Serials. The process takes about one month. Serials will send the bound copies to the department. Questions should be directed to Jessie Jones or David Howarter at 893-2584.

Your Patience Will Be Appreciated

Diplomas and transcripts are ordered through the Registrar; all questions about ordering and receipt of transcripts or diplomas should be directed to the Registrar. An official diploma takes about 6 months to receive; an official transcript with your degree posted can take 1 to 2 months. Students must keep the Registrar notified of any changes of address to receive their diploma and/or transcripts.

Graduate Academic Services can furnish students or prospective employers with an official letter of degree verification that will satisfy most employers until an official transcript can be secured. Please inform Graduate Division of situations that are truly urgent because of pending employment, and staff will do their best to help. Because Graduate Division cannot furnish a degree verification letter until a degree check has been completed and there may be students ahead in line, such letters cannot be guaranteed for instantaneous delivery.

Important Dates to Remember

• Friday, December 15, 2006 - Last day to file for a Fall 2006 degree
• Friday, March 23, 2007 - Last day to file for a Winter 2007 degree
• Friday, June 15, 2007 - Last day to file for a Spring 2007 degree
• Friday, September 14, 2007 - Last day to file for a Summer 2007 degree