Thesis Information

Process for Submitting Your Thesis or Dissertation

Submission process for your thesis or dissertation.
Every term has firm deadlines related to each part of the thesis and dissertation submission process. The instructions for meeting these deadlines are described in chronological order below. You can view the deadlines for each upcoming graduation term on the Deadlines page on this site.

Deadlines

Deadlines for the Thesis/Dissertation Submission process

Physical Standards for Theses & Dissertations

Before you begin the final formatting of your thesis/dissertation, please review these standards carefully and consult your program for any additional style guidelines. Your document should conform to these standards before your draft submission to the W&M ETD Administrator website.

About Copyright

Theses and Dissertations: Understanding Your Copyrights

You own the copyrights to your thesis or dissertation. When you submit your thesis or dissertation, you will need to make some decisions about managing your copyrights and the availability of your thesis and dissertation. It is best to start thinking about these decisions early in the process, so that any potential issues have been resolved by the time you are ready for the final submission of your thesis or dissertation. 

About Embargoes

Embargoes are restrictions that allow only the title, abstract, and citation information about your dissertation to be released to the public, while the full text of your work is kept hidden for a specified period of time.

Process for Proxy Signatures

There are generally two instances in which proxy signatures can be requested: 1) When a student or faculty member is required to provide a signature on an Office of Graduate Studies Form but is unable to do so; and 2) When a committee member is unable to be present at a defense examination.