Master’s Thesis Checklist
Beginning of Final Semester
- Apply to graduate (contact your program office)
- Review the Formatting Guide for information on how to draft & format your thesis
- Review the Submission Guide for information on how to submit your thesis
Scheduling Your Defense
- Contact your program office for defense deadlines and to schedule your defense
- Follow and complete any program specific guidelines/forms
The Defense
- Have the Report of Final Examination for Master’s Thesis (pdf) available during your defense
- After your successful defense, obtain signatures of all your committee members
By the first submission deadline
- Upload your thesis to the Thesis and Dissertation Submission website for an initial format check by the initial submission deadline (Note: this can be done before or after the defense.)
- Upload your UTD Copyright Training Certificate of Completion to the Thesis and Dissertation Submission website.
Before the Final Format Check
- Incorporate all changes from your committee and the Office of Graduate Education
- Submit your thesis Turnitin through the Graduate Student Citation Check in eLearning (and upload the digital receipt to the thesis and dissertation submission website)
- Review your Turnitin report with your Supervising Professor and have them sign your Citation Form
- Obtain any required permissions for previously published material
- Submit your signed Report of Final Examination for Master’s Thesis (pdf) to the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Website
Note: You can only upload files to your online submission when your submission status is in “Needs Correction.”
You will be informed of any required corrections you need to make and will be notified when
your thesis is approved. You can track your progress on the Thesis and Dissertation
Submission website. All content and formatting changes and administrative files must be finalized and approved by the final approval deadline.
Required Documents
The following documents must be uploaded to the Thesis and Dissertation Submission website before the final deadline:
- Final approved thesis (PDF file)
- Report of Final Examination for Master’s Thesis (pdf)
- UTD Copyright Training Certificate of Completion
- Turnitin Digital Receipt
- Citation Form (pdf) signed by Supervising Professor and student
- Use of Human Subjects in Research Approval Memo (IRB) (if human subjects were used)
- Use of Animals in Research Approval Memo (IACUC) (if animal subjects were used)
Helpful Links
- LaTeX and Word templates for thesis formatting
- Windows Thesis/Dissertation Template (.zip) (updated 2/16/2018)
- LaTeX Template (.zip) (updated 1/25/2024)
- Sample Pages (pdf)
- Formatting Guide
- Submission Guide
- Administrative Form Examples (pdf)
- Regalia & Hooding CeremonyInformation
