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Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

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To submit an Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD), visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies' How to Submit page.

Please contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies directly with any questions regarding ETDs.

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Traduction Française Indisponible

Writing & publishing guides, grants, theses, writing & publishing: selected guides for graduate students, general guides, preparing a literature review, finding theses, thesis proposals/statements, grants available, writing a grant proposal.

• Discipline Specific Guides
• Guide to selecting an open access journal
• Open Access Publishing Discounts (i.e., Article Processing Charge discounts)
• Predatory Publishers
• Increasing visibility of your work through the YorkSpace repository
• Open Access Resources

Conference Proposals/Presentations

• Post Your Research/Publications in YorkSpace

Directories & Blog Aggregators

• Getting Started with Academic Blogging

Preparing the Thesis/Dissertation

York Specific Guidelines:

• Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines . Faculty of Graduate Studies. York University.

The following are selected books from York University Libraries' collection. Use the links below to get details about each one including their call numbers and the library at which they are located:

• Dunleavy, Patrick. Authoring a PhD : how to plan, draft, write, and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation . New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2003
• Lunenburg, Frederick C. Writing a successful thesis or dissertation : tips and strategies for students in the social and behavioral sciences . Thousand Oaks, CA : Corwin Press, 2008.
• Mauch, James E. Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation : a handbook for students and faculty . 4th ed. New York : M. Dekker, 1998.
• Paul, Oliver. Writing Your Thesis . 2nd ed. Los Angeles ; London : SAGE, 2008.
• Roberts, Carol M. The dissertation journey : a practical and comprehensive guide to planning, writing, and defending your dissertation. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin Press, 2010.
• Thomas, R. Murray. Theses and dissertations : a guide to planning, research, and writing. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA : Corwin Press, 2008.

Note some of the resources below are web guides, while others are books at York University Libraries:

• How to Write a Literature Review . Guide Prepared by The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It. University of Toronto.
• Review of Literature. University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Ridley, Diana, Dr. The literature review : a step-by-step guide for students . London : SAGE, c2008.
• Writing the Literature Review . University of South Australia Online Learning Environment.
• Finding Theses and Dissertations A comprehensive guide on how to find York theses as well as these from other universities. Features links to key databases.
• Creating a Thesis Statement . The OWL at Purdue.
• Developing a Working Thesis . SPARK.
• Developing a Thesis Statement . Hunter College Reading/Writing Center.
• Rozakis, L. Schaum's quick guide to writing great research papers [e-book] . 2nd ed. New York : McGraw-Hill, 2007. Has a chapter about how to write a thesis statement.
• Thesis Statement Basics . Writing Center. Sierra College.

Securing Research Funding & Preparing Funding Proposals

• Student Funding Information. Faculty of Graduate Studies. A very useful resource from the Faculty of Graduate Studies outlining research funding opportunities (both internal and external research funding opportunities) for students at York.
• GrantsNet Online Database From Next Wave and Science Magazine . GrantsNet is a searchable, continuously updated, database of funding opportunities in biomedical research and science education. It contains programs that offer training and research funding for graduate and medical students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty, as well as programs in science, math, engineering, and technology for undergraduate faculty and students
• Locke, L.F. Proposals that work : a guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals . 5th ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage Publications, 2007.
• Miner, J.T. Proposal planning & writing . 2nd ed. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2008.
• New, C.C. How to write a grant proposal . Hoboken, N.J. : John Wiley & Sons, 2003.

Writing at Graduate Level: General Guide

• Casanave, C.P. Learning the literacy practices of graduate school : insiders' reflections on academic enculturation . Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, 2008 Has information about writing competencies and tasks associated with graduate level education.
• Craswell, G. Writing for academic success : a postgraduate guide . London ; Thousand Oaks : SAGE Publications, 2005.
• De Gruchy, J.W. The emerging researcher : nurturing passion, developing skills, producing output. Cape Town : UCT Press, 2007. Talks about how graduate students can develop writing skills.
• Silvia, P.J. How to write a lot : a practical guide to productive academic writing . Washington, DC : American Psychological Association, 2007.

Discipline Specific Writing Guides

• Writing Guides by Discipline/Subject Points students to key writing guides, for a wide range of different disciplines/subjects, available at York University Libraries

Disseminating/Publishing Research

• Academic writing and publishing : a practical handbook . London : New York : Routledge, 2008.
• Huff, Anne Sigismund. Writing for scholarly publication . Thousand Oaks : Sage Publications, 1999.
• Moxley, J.M. Writing and publishing for academic authors . 2nd ed. Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1997.
• Becker, H.S. Writing for social scientists : how to start and finish your thesis, book, or article . 2nd ed. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2007.
• Kupfersmid, J. An author's guide to publishing better articles in better journals in the behavioral sciences . Brandon, Vt. : Clinical Psychology Pub. Co., 1994.
• Mackenzie Owen, J. S. The scientific article in the age of digitization . Dordrecht, Netherlands : Springer, 2007.
• Volokh, Eugene. Academic legal writing : law review articles, student notes, seminar papers, and getting on law review . 4rd ed. New York, N.Y. : Foundation Press, 2010.
• Wager, E. How to survive peer review . London : BMJ, 2002.
• Writing for social scientists : how to start and finish your thesis, book, or article . 2nd ed. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2007.
• Getting it published : a guide for scholars and anyone else serious about serious books .Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2001.
• Books in the digital age : the transformation of academic and higher education publishing in Britain and the United States. Cambridge : Polity, 2005.
• Becoming Conference Savvy: Preparing to Present a Paper The University Writing Center. University of Central Florida.
• Conference Paper Guide . Writing Center. Claremont Graduate University.

Posting Your Research Publications in YorkSpace

YorkSpace is York University's repository of research. It is a platform that enables York community members to post, organize and preserve their research online in an institutional context. The YorkSpace repository is an ideal dissemination platform as it promotes and facilitates discovery of research online through its standards-based architecture. Learn more, including how to make submissions or contact Andrea Kosavic , Digital Initiatives Librarian at York University.

Academic Blogging: Recommended Resources

• Academic Blog Portal
• Academic Matters: Recommended Blogs
• Inside Higher Ed: Recommended Blogs
• Nature Network
• Planet York: Blogs at York University
• Research Blogging
• ScienceBlogs
• Stanford Blog Directory

Getting Started with Academic Blogging:

Thinking about starting your own academic blog? Here's a tutorial on getting started: Blogging 101

Here are some articles, with some interesting thoughts and pointers:

• The Negative Myths About Academic Blogging , Daniel Lemire
• Why Academics Should Blog , Hugh McGuire.
• Science Blogging: The Future of Science Communication and Why You Should Be Part of It , Daniel D. Brown.

Welcome to White Rose eTheses Online

White rose etheses online.

Welcome to White Rose eTheses Online, a shared repository of electronic theses from the University of Leeds, the University of Sheffield and the University of York.

Student from the University of Leeds, Sheffield or York? Need to upload your thesis? Start by creating an account , or login to your account

If you are unsure if this is the right place for you, check the FAQs .

Recent additions for Leeds , Sheffield , York or all recent additions .

What is White Rose eTheses Online?

This repository gives access to theses awarded by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. The available repository content can be accessed for free, without the need to log on or create an account, as per the instructions of the depositing author. We also make the content available through aggregator sites via harvesting mechanisms.

Master's Thesis

Master's general requirements, types of theses.

Master’s theses submitted by students in partial fulfillment of degree requirements must embody the results of original research and must be successfully defended at oral examinations. Master’s theses shall be on a topic approved by the student’s supervisor and supervisory committee, and shall include submission and approval of a thesis proposal, including appropriate ethics review and approval, in accordance with Faculty and program requirements and procedures.

Master’s theses should demonstrate that the student is familiar with and has an acceptable understanding of the literature in the subject of the thesis; that appropriate research methods have been used, and that appropriate levels of critical analysis have been applied. The research embodied in the thesis should make some original contribution to knowledge in the field.

By submitting a thesis or dissertation, a student is making the representation that it is entirely his or her own work and that it has been done while he or she was a graduate student at York University.

If such is not the case, then the student must indicate in a signed, written statement what part of the thesis or dissertation is solely his or her own or co-authored. If co-authored, the candidate must provide an account of its provenance. The supervisor must produce her or his own corroborative written statement.

If a thesis or dissertation is the result of collaborative work, then the nature of the collaboration and the extent of the candidate’s contribution must be described in a written statement signed by the candidate and approved in writing by the candidate’s supervisor. Where there has been collaboration with others in the collection or preparation of data, materials, or documentation included in the thesis or dissertation, then appropriate acknowledgment must be made in the thesis or dissertation.

If a thesis or dissertation—or any part thereof—has been published prior to submission of the thesis/dissertation, then the candidate must disclose this fact in a signed written statement, and the supervisor must approve in writing the inclusion of such work in the thesis or dissertation. In cases where one or more chapters of the thesis or dissertation have been previously published in a journal or book to which the author has assigned copyright, permission to include the chapter(s) in the thesis or dissertation must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Please see the section on Copyright for more details.

A thesis or dissertation containing previously published material of which the candidate is the author and/or co-author should also contain a review of the literature that adequately explains the relationship to the literature of the work undertaken. In addition, it should contain a rationale for the study. These elements may form part of the body of the work – normally an introduction or opening chapter – that leads coherently into the publications. Furthermore, there should be a concluding chapter or section that discusses the body of the thesis or dissertation, including all previously published parts.

A false representation or failure to make a disclosure as outlined above is an academic offence and renders the thesis or dissertation ineligible for consideration of the relevant degree.

The general form and style of a thesis/dissertation may differ from program to program, but a thesis/dissertation should be a coherent work. This means that if a thesis/dissertation contains separate manuscripts, there needs also to be introductory and concluding chapters that explain how these separate manuscripts fit together into a unified body of research. If previously published materials are included, then it should be made clear what exactly is the student’s own work and what is the contribution of other researchers, as outlined above under Originality of a Thesis/Dissertation.

All theses and dissertations must contain a written component. Theses and dissertations may, however, include other components in addition to the written component.

A complex electronic thesis/dissertation is a work with a high reliance on slides, film or videos, electronically interactive word/image-based text on CD-ROM or the internet. For complex electronic theses/dissertations, part of the work can be produced in traditional written form, but key elements of the work depend on direct experience with or interaction with a text whose physical form may be changed as a consequence of the interaction. Students producing a multimedia thesis/dissertation should consult with the  Theses Canada Portal  on the  Library and Archives Canada  website for advice on formats supportable for preservation. However, a student may work in or submit work in an unsupported format as part of the oral exam as long as the work is readily accessible by the exam committee and the student submits a written component.

A multimodal thesis/dissertation is a work in which the key component is a performance or piece of art. For multimodal theses/dissertations, part of the work can be produced in traditional written form, but key elements of the work depend on direct experience by the exam committee with, for example, displayed artworks or theatrical productions.

For both electronic and multimodal theses/dissertations, students may wish to include supplementary files as part of their final submission (see  Final Submission Tab ).

A thesis or dissertation should be written in English, but approval may be given to a written request from a student for a thesis or dissertation to be written in French or in the language of any Aboriginal/First Nations people in North America, subject to confirmation from the director of the graduate program concerned that relevant supervision and sufficient support for the completion of such written work can be provided.

For theses/dissertation written in English, either American or British spelling is acceptable provided that it is used consistently throughout.

Students preparing their thesis/dissertation should follow a single style guide appropriate to their discipline.  The York University Libraries  provides links to various style guides for various disciplines.

Thesis Proposals

In accordance with program requirements and procedures, all students should prepare a thesis/dissertation proposal, normally in consultation with their supervisor in advance of commencing their proposed inquiry. Each program should have written guidelines and should communicate them to candidates, as and when appropriate.

At a minimum, the proposal should contain a brief statement in non-technical language on the purpose/goals of the thesis/dissertation research, its relationship to existing work in the area, through an abbreviated literature review, the research question(s), the proposed methodology(ies) with rationale, and the contribution which the researcher hopes to make to the advancement of knowledge in the field. In addition, the proposal includes a title, the name of the supervisor and the supervisory committee. The title should indicate as clearly as possible the area of research, but it is understood that this title may change. The recommended maximum length of a proposal is 3,500 words, but individual programs may require proposals of a greater length. Proposals must be reviewed and approved by a student’s thesis or dissertation committee.

Following approval of the proposal by the supervisory committee, students must submit one or more copies of the proposal to the graduate program director. After confirming that the relevant Faculty and internal program requirements have been satisfied, the program director is responsible for submitting the proposals to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies using the  Form TD1: Thesis/Dissertation Research Submission . As indicated on Form TD1: Thesis/Dissertation Research Submission, submission of the proposal to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, includes submission of the relevant research ethics forms and documentation. For more information on required documentation and submission procedures, please refer to the Research Ethics section of this Handbook.

For a master’s thesis, the supervisory committee must review the student’s research proposal and recommend its approval not less than three months prior to the date set for the oral examination.

Please note that the deadlines outlined above are the Faculty’s minimum requirements, and individual graduate programs may have more specific requirements and timelines with respect to the development, review and approval of thesis/dissertation proposals. Students should consult their program for more details. Further, the Faculty deadlines outlined above may not provide the time necessary for ethics approval, if required. More information regarding research ethics is provided below.

Research Ethics

York University is committed to the highest standards of integrity in research. All projects involving the use of human subjects, animals, and biohazardous materials are subject to review by the appropriate University committee. York has formulated policies and procedures for the conduct of research involving all three of these areas.

As indicated on Form TD1: Thesis/Dissertation Research Submission , submission of the thesis/dissertation proposal to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies for approval must include the relevant research ethics forms and documentation.

All research involving human participants is governed by the Senate Policy for the Ethics Review Process for Research Involving Human Participants . The Senate Policy stipulates that all University-based research involving human participants, whether funded or non-funded, faculty or student, scholarly, commercial or consultative, is subject to an ethics review process. The Senate Policy for the Ethics Review Process for Research Involving Human Participants and corresponding review procedures adhere to the published guidelines of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, known as the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS).

Please note that in accordance with the TCPS and Senate policy, graduate students undertaking research with human participants may not begin that research until their proposal has received approval from the appropriate body . Further, prior to conducting research involving human participants, graduate students are required to complete the complete the TCPS tutorial .

Details regarding the ethics review procedures for thesis/dissertation research involving human participants is available on the Faculty of Graduate Studies research ethics webpage .

Students conducting research with human participants may be required to submit the Form TD2: Human Participants Research Protocol . Additional forms may be required.

Further details regarding the University policies and ethics review procedures for thesis/dissertation research involving animals and biohazardous materials is available on the Office of Research Ethics web page.

Ethics guidelines for other research situations are also available on the Office of Research Ethics web page, including:

• Invasive Procedures
• Health and Safety Checklist
• Surveys and Research in an Online Environment
• Research Conducted by External Researchers
• Research Conducted in Hospital Clinical Settings
• Research in Educational Settings
• Research Involving Minor Age Participants
• Research with People who are Homeless

Students hold copyright to their theses and dissertations, regardless of the method of submission. Consequently, a student is free to publish his or her thesis/dissertation following a successful oral examination. Please note that if a thesis/dissertation includes any work which is copyrighted to another party, permission may be required to publish the thesis/dissertation.

After a successful oral examination the  Library and Archives Canada Thesis Non-Exclusive License (.pdf)  must be submitted to the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies. The student must also accept the terms of the York University Copyright License as part of the electronic submission of their thesis/dissertation using the  Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) .

By signing these licenses, a student is confirming that his or her thesis/dissertation is his or her original work, that his or her thesis/dissertation does not infringe any rights of others, and that he or she has the right to make the grant conferred by those copyright licenses. In addition, the student is granting a Licence to York University to make copies including electronically formatted copies, and/or distribute worldwide all or part of the thesis/dissertation, subject to the conditions outlined.

If applicable, the student should submit copies of any required copyright permissions prior to the final thesis/dissertation submission to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies. The student should also retain copies of all copyright permission requests and approvals.

The following sections provide guidance and suggestions with respect to when and how to secure copyright permission. It is, however, the responsibility of the student to confirm that if there is copyrighted material in his or her thesis/dissertation, it either complies with the “fair dealing” provisions of the  Canadian Copyright Act  or documented permission has been obtained to use the copyrighted material. The Office of the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies cannot offer legal advice as to whether or not copyright permission is required.

Limit of Copyright Protection : Copyright protection applies to original, literary, musical, dramatic or artistic works in a variety of forms, including written materials, computer software, and web-based formats regardless of whether the work in question is published or not and whether someone has made it available to the public or not. This protection expires 50 years after the death of the originator, regardless of who holds copyright at that time.

Public Domain : A work that is freely available to the public is not necessarily in the public domain. For a work to be in the public domain, the originator must have specifically waived copyright to the work, or copyright must have legally expired. Work that is in the public domain can be used by anyone without copyright being violated.

Fair Dealing : A student is allowed to use copyrighted material in his or her thesis/dissertation provided it falls under the  Canadian Copyright Act's  definition of "fair dealing". Information on York University’s Fair Dealing Guidelines can be reviewed at  York University—Copyright .

While it is required academic practice to cite sources, proper citation does not remove the obligation to obtain documented permission to use copyrighted permission that is not covered under the “fair dealing” provisions of the Canadian Copyright Act. If a thesis/dissertation includes any of the following elements, the student should seek copyright permission. (Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. If you require additional information on York’s Copyright Policy or Fair Dealing Guidelines contact the Copyright Office at  [email protected] ).

• Material or parts of material written by the thesis/dissertation author which have been previously published in a journal and to which the author has assigned copyright
• Material co-authored with another author(s) who share copyright
• Tables, figures, and all forms of images including photos, maps, graphs, drawings, logos etc. that have been obtained from a copyrighted source, including websites, newspapers, journals, books, brochures, professors' lecture notes, etc.
• Scripts and recordings of any performance

In cases where a student is not certain that his or her use of copyrighted material is covered under the "fair dealing" provisions of the Canadian Copyright Act, documented permission from the copyright holder(s) must be obtained in order to include the material in the thesis/dissertation. Since securing copyright permission may take some time, it is strongly recommended that students being this process sooner rather than later. Please note that the copyright holder must be aware of and agree to the terms of the York University Copyright License and Library and Archives Canada Thesis Non-Exclusive License.

If seeking permission from a journal, a good first step is to check the journal’s website, which may provide information with respect to copyright, including advance permission to journal authors who have signed over copyright, how to request permission, and uses that are specifically prohibited. There are also a number of websites that may be helpful in determining the copyright policies of particular journals/publishers, including  Sherpa Romeo  and  EPrints . Some journals and publishers provide (on their website or on request) a policy statement granting copyright permission to the author of a thesis/dissertation who signed over copyright to the journal/publisher. In such cases, retain a copy of that policy statement as evidence of documented permission.

Alternatively, a student should contact the copyright holder. Sample text for a copyright permission request is included below. Although email proof of permission is acceptable, please note that an original, signed letter on the copyright holder’s letterhead is the best protection against accusations of copyright violation.

Students should provide copies of any required copyright permissions prior to submission of their final thesis/dissertation to the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies. Students should also retain copies of all copyright permission requests and approvals.

[Date] [Name] [Address] Re: Request for Permission to Use Copyrighted Material in a Thesis/Dissertation Dear: I am a York University student preparing my thesis/dissertation for submission as part of the requirements of my master’s/doctoral degree in [program]. The title of my [thesis/dissertation] is: […] The reason I am writing is to ask permission to include the following material in my thesis/dissertation: [Provide standard reference information for the material, including figure/table number, if any, and page numbers. If appropriate, you can also briefly describe the manner/context in which the material will be used in thesis/dissertation.] The material will be fully cited in my thesis/dissertation. In the interest of facilitating research by others, my thesis/dissertation will be available on the internet for reference, study and/or copy. The electronic version of my thesis/dissertation will be accessible through the York University Libraries website and catalogue, and also through various web search engines. I will be granting Library and Archives Canada a non-exclusive license to reproduce, loan, distribute, or sell single copies of my thesis by any means and in any form or format. These rights will in no way restrict republication of the material in any other form by you or by others authorized by you. Could you please confirm in writing or by email that these arrangements meet with your approval. If you do not solely control the copyright in the material, please let me know as soon as possible. I would also appreciate any information you can provide about others to whom I should write to request permission. If you would like to confirm permission in writing, you can do so by signing and completing the information below and returning this signed and completed letter in the enclosed self-addressed stamped envelope by [date]. If you would like to confirm permission by email, my email address is […]. Sincerely, [Your Name and Signature] I, the undersigned, hereby represent and warrant that I have authority to grant the permission requested and do grant the permission. Signature: Name:

Students must include full citations for any copyrighted material used in their thesis/dissertation regardless of source, including photos, pictures, charts, graphs and tables.

Each citation must include the copyright symbol, name of the copyright holder (who may or may not be the author), and, if applicable, a statement that the use of the material or adaptation (in the case of adapted graphics) is by permission of the copyright holder.

In cases where use of copyrighted material is not covered under the "fair dealing" provisions of the Canadian Copyright Act and a student is unable to secure permission from the copyright holder (or there is a charge for obtaining permission), the material in question must be removed from the thesis/dissertation. In its place, the student should indicate that the material has been removed because of copyright restrictions.

Depending upon the nature of the material, the student may want to include additional information. In the case of a figure or image that has been removed, a description of the missing material and a full citation of source material and where it can be found (including, if possible, a link to an online source) would be helpful to those reading the thesis/dissertation. In the case of a chapter that was previously published in a journal, an abstract of the chapter content and link to the journal website where the article can be found could be provided.

Intellectual Property

The Faculty of Graduate Studies recognizes the mission of the university to seek, preserve, and disseminate knowledge and to conduct research in a fair, open, and morally responsible manner. In such regard, the Faculty of Graduate Studies believes that intellectual property rights are divided among several interests, and that the rights and obligations of various claimants should be specified, fairly regulated, and that disputes arising may be mediated. All parties (students and faculty) are expected to behave in an ethically appropriate manner beyond their immediate graduate student/supervisory relationship, to encompass intellectual property rights, dissemination of research data, and in making decisions on authorship and publication of joint research. Because of the varied cultural aspects and practices that differ among the graduate programs, each program is responsible for enacting and enforcing this policy of appropriate ethical practices on intellectual property rights, in compliance with the  Faculty Policy on Intellectual Property for Graduate Programs . Programs that choose not to enact their own specific policy are bound by the  Faculty Policy on Intellectual Property for Graduate Programs .

Organization & Technical Requirements

Although the form, style, sections, etc. of main body (text) of the thesis/dissertation may differ from program to program, all theses/dissertations must include the following components in the following order.

The front matter of the thesis/dissertation must be numbered with lower case Roman numerals. The page number should be not be included on the title page, although the title page is considered page i. Numbering must be included starting with the abstract, as page ii, and continue until the end of the front matter, as follows:

The main body of the thesis/dissertation, starting with the introduction or chapter one, must be numbered with Arabic numerals, beginning with the number 1. Each chapter of the main body must begin on a separate page. Footnotes and/or endnotes are considered part of the main body of the thesis/dissertation.

The back matter of the thesis/dissertation includes references (or the bibliography), as well as any appendices, glossaries, indexes, where and as applicable. The back matter must be numbered with Arabic numerals, which should follow from the last page of the main body of the thesis/dissertation.

Each appendix must be assigned an alphabetical letter and title, (e.g., Appendix A: Title). Appendices are ordered in the same sequence as they are referred to in the body of the text; that is, the appendix first mentioned in the text is assigned the letter A, the second is B, etc. Materials in the appendices that are copied from other sources must meet the same requirements as the body of the paper, for example, copies or scans from books, maps, etc., must be clear and legible, and must maintain the same margins.

Technical Requirements

A sample title page is provided below. The title page should include the following information:

• Thesis/Dissertation Title: The title should provide a concise and meaningful description of the thesis/dissertation. It is recommended that the title include key words to make the thesis/dissertation more easily searchable. It is also recommended that formulas, Greek letters, symbols and abbreviations be avoided in the title, and that they be written out as words instead.
• Student Name: The name on the title page must be the one under which the student is registered at York University.
• All title pages must include the following statement: A Dissertation* submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy* [*For a master’s thesis, replace “Dissertation” with “Thesis”, and indicate the master’s degree designation (e.g. Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Fine Arts) in place of “Doctor of Philosophy”]
• Program and Institution: Name of Program [e.g. English, Biology, Music], York University, Toronto, Ontario
• Date: The month and year that the Chair of the Examining Committee confirmed successful defense of the thesis/dissertation
• Copyright: The universal copyright symbol ©, followed by the student name (which must be the name under which the student is registered at York University) and year that the Chair of the Examining Committee confirmed successful defense of the thesis/dissertation.

The information on the title page may be centered, as long as all margins are at least 1 inch (25 mm). The font of the title page need not be the same as that used in the sample title page provided below.

Each thesis or dissertation must contain an abstract. The abstract is expected to give a succinct account of the thesis/dissertation so that a reader can decide whether to read the complete work.

For master’s theses, the abstract cannot exceed 150 words, while, for doctoral dissertations, the abstract cannot exceed 350 words. An abstract contains a statement of the problem, the procedure or methods used, the results and the conclusions.

The abstract should be inserted immediately following the Title Page, and should be numbered "ii".

An acknowledgements page may be included.

The Table of Contents, List of Tables and List of Figures, where applicable, should follow the abstract (or acknowledgements, if any). Curriculum vitae, list of student-authored publications, or conference presentations do not form part of the contents of the thesis/dissertation. A truncated version of the Table of Contents should not precede each chapter.

The document must be formatted using letter-sized pages (8.5 x 11 inches).

The same font type (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman) should be used throughout the thesis/dissertation, particularly the main body.

The font size of the main body of the thesis/dissertation must be a minimum of 10 points, with smaller font sizes permitted for endnotes/footnotes, graphs, formulae, appendices, etc. A font size larger than 12 points is not recommended for the main body of the thesis/dissertation.

The line spacing must be at least one-and-a-half (1.5) spaces or double-spaced. Single spacing may be used for long quotations and foot/endnotes.

All margins must beat least 1 inch (25mm). Margins may be wider but not narrower than the stated requirements. For example, the first page of every chapter may have a top margin of 2.5 inches.

Running headers to put title, name, chapter, etc., on each page are not acceptable.

All page numbers should be in a consistent location, that is either centre bottom, centre top, right top corner, or right bottom corner. They must fall at the 1 inch (25 mm) margin. There should be no blank pages or large blank spaces within the thesis or dissertation.

Each diagram and table should be numbered. Page numbers should appear in the same position on the page as they appear elsewhere in the body of the text. Tables may be horizontal or vertical as long as the required margins are used. Diagrams must be generated by graphic software.

All images included in the thesis or dissertation should be of high quality and sufficient resolution.

• Sample Title Page (.pdf)
• Sample Table of Contents (.pdf)
• Sample List of Tables (.pdf)

Oral Examination

Master’s thesis exam committees.

A thesis examining committee shall consist of at least three voting members, including the Chair, as follows:

• two graduate faculty members chosen from the program and/or supervisory committee, at least one of whom must be from the supervisory committee;
• one graduate faculty member at arm’s length from the thesis 1 , and for whom there is no conflict of interest 2 .

The Chair of the examining committee shall be chosen from among the voting members. Members of the student’s thesis supervisory committee may be members of the examining committee, but the principal supervisor may not serve as the Chair of the examining committee.

These are minimum requirements with respect to the composition of and quorum for thesis examining committees. Individual graduate programs may include one additional voting member on examining committees, in accordance with program requirements and procedures.

In exceptional circumstances, the Dean may approve a program director’s recommendation that a York University faculty member who is not a member of the graduate faculty serve as a member (but not the Chair) of an examining committee. Such recommendations are to be accompanied by a brief rationale and an up-to-date curriculum vitae, which may be attached to the  Recommendation for Oral Examination Form .

In addition to the voting members, the thesis examining committee may include the following ex-officio members (non-voting, unless present as one of the voting members named above): Vice-President Academic & Provost, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies or their representative, Graduate Program Director.

The examination may be conducted in person, remotely by videoconference, or in hybrid format, the student’s preference of which is to be considered.

External examiners who would otherwise require local lodging will be asked to participate remotely via videoconference unless there is a demonstrable benefit to in-person participation. Local members of the examination committee are expected to participate in person, on campus.

1 “Arm’s length” refers to a relationship which is “conducted between parties that have no corporate or other direct connections, familial or financial relationships with each other, and thus act each in its own self-interest.”

2 Individuals in the Faculty of Graduate Studies are responsible for ensuring that they do not have a real, perceived, or potential conflict of interest that may impact the integrity of their activities, particularly, involving assessment and evaluation arising from current, previous, or foreseen future relationships. See Conflict of Interest Disclosure with Respect to Graduate Student Education for more information.

The membership of each master’s thesis exam committee, including designation of the Chair, must be recommended by the appropriate graduate program director for approval and appointment by the Dean of Graduate Studies as soon as possible and no later than 15 business days before the date set for the oral examination.

Copies of the master’s thesis approved by the supervisory committee must be provided to the members of the examining committee no less than 15 business days before the date of the oral examination.

Prior to the establishment of a master’s thesis exam committee, the student’s supervisory committee must read the thesis and agree that the version read is ready to proceed to oral examination.

Following agreement by the supervisory committee that the thesis is ready to proceed to oral examination, recommendation for membership of a master’s thesis exam committee (as well as the date and location of the oral exam) is formally initiated by the graduate program director via submission of a  Recommendation for Oral Examination Form  to the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies.

Final approval of master’s thesis exam committee membership recommendations rests with the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Scheduling of Master’s Thesis Oral Exams

In consultation with the student and the members of the exam committee, the graduate program director will recommend the date, time and location of an oral exam via submission of a  Recommendation for Oral Examination Form .

Oral examinations for master’s theses shall be held normally no less than 15 business days from the date on which copies of the completed thesis approved by the supervisory committee are sent to each member of the examining committee.

The student must be registered as active for the term in which the oral exam is scheduled to take place.

Number of Copies The number of copies of a thesis required for an oral exam depends upon the number of members on the exam committee. A thesis exam committee consists of at least three voting members, including the Chair. However, it is often the case that more than three copies of the thesis are required for an oral exam. The thesis supervisor or program director will inform the student how many copies of the thesis are required for the exam.

Nature of Copies The student is responsible for ensuring that all members of the exam committee have an e-copy of the thesis, unless prior approval has been received for the submission of a paper copy. (If paper copies are submitted for the oral exam, the pagination and formatting of each page of the paper copies and the e-copies must match.)

For a complex electronic thesis, the student is responsible for ensuring that all members of the exam committee have an e-copy of the written component of the thesis, unless prior approval has been received for the submission of a paper copy. (If paper copies are submitted for the oral exam, the pagination and formatting of each page of the paper copies and the e-copies must match.) For the remaining component of the work, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the work produced for the thesis can be examined by the examining committee. Students producing a multimedia thesis should consult with the  Library and Archives Canada  website for advice on formats supportable for preservation. However, a student may work in/submit work in an unsupported format as part of the oral exam as long as the work is readily accessible by the exam committee and the student submits a written component.

For a multimodal thesis, the student is responsible for ensuring that all members of the exam committee have an e-copy of the written component of the thesis, unless prior approval has been received for the submission of a paper copy. (If paper copies are submitted for the oral exam, the pagination and formatting of each page of the paper copies and the e-copies must match.) For the remaining component of the work, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for the exam committee to view/engage in the non-written component.

Note:  If an examining committee member requests a paper copy of the written component(s) of the thesis, it is the graduate program's responsibility to make arrangements once an e-copy has been provided by the student.

Before an oral examination can be convened, a majority of the exam committee members must agree that the thesis is examinable. The graduate program director shall poll the members of the exam committee five business days before the scheduled date for the oral. If the student does not receive a majority vote, the members of the examining committee who do not agree that the thesis is examinable are required to give their reasons in writing to the student, the supervisor, and the Dean within five business days after the poll. In such cases, the oral shall be postponed for a period not to exceed 12 months. However, the student has the right to insist that the oral proceed as planned.

External examiners who would otherwise require local lodging will be asked to participate remotely via videoconference unless there is a demonstrable benefit to in-person participation. Local members of the examination committee are expected to participate in person, on campus. For doctoral oral examinations, if more than two participants in the examination in total wish to participate remotely via videoconference, then the candidate and supervisor must consent, with a rationale provided to the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies for approval. The wishes of the examination candidate are paramount to the Dean’s decision.

With the consent of the voting members of the examination committee, the program director and the student, the Dean may approve a recommendation that an oral examination be rescheduled due to exceptional circumstances.

The use of audio-visual (AV) equipment at oral exams is governed by the following principles:

• AV equipment may be used for oral exam presentations but the Faculty of Graduate Studies is not responsible for ordering supplies or equipment (e.g., overhead projectors).
• Audio-taping or videotaping of oral exams is not permitted.

The oral exam is a public academic event. Faculty members, graduate students and others may attend oral exams at the discretion of the Chair of the exam committee. They may, at the discretion of the Chair, participate in the questioning. Only members of the exam committee may be present for the evaluation and for the vote at the conclusion of an oral exam.

Master’s Thesis Oral Exam Evaluation Guidelines and Reporting of Results

• Master’s theses submitted by students in partial fulfillment of degree requirements must be successfully defended at oral examinations. The oral examination will centre on the thesis.
• the committee accepts the thesis with no revisions; or,
• the committee accepts the thesis with specified revisions.
• Specified revisions could range from typographical errors or changes of a minor editorial nature, to specified insertions or deletions which do not radically modify the development/argument of the thesis. The committee must specify such changes with precision. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that all such changes are made and the Chair will confirm that this is the case. Specified revisions must be completed within six months of the date of the oral examination.
• In cases where there is one vote for major revision, specified revisions are expected.
• the committee agrees that the thesis requires substantive changes in order to be acceptable; or,
• there are a minimum of two votes for major revision; or,
• there is one vote for failure.
• the committee will reconvene within twelve months to continue the oral examination; or,
• the revised thesis will be circulated within twelve months to all members, who will inform the Chair whether they feel the stipulated requirements have been met.
• Detailed reasons for referring pending major revisions must be supplied in writing by the Chair to the Dean, the program director and the student within 10 business days.
• After an adjournment and when the major revisions have been completed, the thesis is failed if there are two or more votes for failure. A thesis cannot be referred for major revisions more than once and no further adjournment is permitted. In the event of failure, detailed reasons must be supplied in writing by the Chair to the Dean, program director and student within 10 business days.
• A thesis is failed if there are a minimum of two votes for failure. In the event of failure, detailed reasons must be supplied in writing by the Chair to the Dean, program director and student within 10 business days.

The results of the oral exam, as determined by the exam committee in accordance with the evaluation guidelines described above, are reported to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, via the  Oral Examination Report Form . The form should be signed by the Chair of the exam committee and should include, where appropriate, details regarding any required revisions under “comments”.

In accordance with the evaluation guidelines described above, the Oral Examination Report Form requires that the committee reach one of the following four decisions:

• Accepted with No Revision
• Accepted Pending Specified Revisions The nature of the revisions should be agreed to by the exam committee and reported in detail on Oral Examination Report Form under “comments”. Specified revisions must be completed within six months of the date of the oral exam. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that all of the specified revisions are made and the Chair will confirm that this is the case. Approval of specified revisions should be reported to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, via the  Revisions Approved Memorandum  or via email to the appropriate  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator .
• Referred Pending Major Revisions In cases involving a referred pending major revisions decisions, one of the following procedures, agreed upon by the committee before the examination is adjourned, must be used to finalize the oral results: a) the committee will reconvene within twelve months to continue the oral examination, or b) the revised thesis will be circulated within twelve months to all members, who will inform the Chair whether they feel the stipulated requirements have been met. Please note that a clear consensus must be reached by the committee as to the extent and nature of the revisions required. Detailed reasons for referring pending major revision must be supplied in writing by the Chair of the exam committee to the Dean, the program director and the candidate concerned within 10 business days. Approval of major revisions should be reported to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, via the  Revisions Approved Memorandum  or via email to the appropriate  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator .
• Failed In the event of failure, detailed reasons must be supplied in writing by the Chair of the exam committee to the Dean, program director and candidate within 10 business days.

Exam Committee Roles and Responsibilities

Before an oral examination can be convened, a majority of the exam committee members must agree that the dissertation is examinable. The graduate program director shall poll the members of the exam committee five business days before the scheduled date for the oral. If the student does not receive a majority vote, the members of the examining committee who do not agree that the thesis is examinable are required to give their reasons in writing to the student, the supervisor, and the Dean within five business days after the poll. In such cases, the oral shall be postponed for a period not to exceed 12 months. However, the student has the right to insist that the oral proceed as planned.

For master’s theses, the Chair of the exam committee shall be chosen from among the voting members. Members of the student’s thesis supervisory committee may be members of the exam committee, but the principal supervisor may not serve as the Chair of the exam committee.

The Chair of the exam committee normally participates fully in the questioning of the candidate, the discussion and the vote.

In general, the role of the Chair of the exam committee is to ensure:

• that the process of oral exam is fair and orderly,
• that the student is truly being examined and challenged, and
• that high standards of scholarship are met.

Prior to the formal start of the oral exam, the Chair should:

• verify that all members of the exam committee are present. (If any member is not in attendance, the examination shall be postponed. Only under rare, exceptional and compelling circumstances can an oral examination proceed in the absence of the external examiner. Please see  Role of the External Examiner  below for more details.)
• verify that the members of the exam committee are agreed that the thesis/dissertation is “examinable”. (If the thesis/dissertation is found to be unexaminable at this time, the oral exam may be postponed for a period not to exceed 12 months. However, the student has the right to insist that the oral proceed as planned.)
• discuss with the members of the Committee the expected length of the examination, and the order in which the exam committee will question the student.

At the outset of and during the oral exam, the Chair should:

• clarify to both the exam committee and the student the procedures to be followed,
• determine the point at which further questioning will not produce additional useful information for the consideration of the exam committee, and
• monitor the procedures throughout the oral exam.

After the candidate and any observers have left the room, the Chair should:

• assess the committee’s opinion from the discussion, including whether the exam committee considers the work sufficiently outstanding to merit nomination for the Faculty of Graduate Studies Thesis/Dissertation Prize.
• If there is no consensus, the Chair should call for a vote to determine the outcome of the oral exam. The outcome of the vote shall be governed by the master’s thesis oral exam evaluation guidelines.
• In cases of accepted pending specified revisions, the Chair should ensure the nature of the on the Oral Examination Report Form under “comments”. A clear consensus must be reached by the committee as to the extent of the revisions required.
• the revised dissertation will be circulated within twelve months to all members, who will inform the Chair whether they feel the stipulated requirements have been met.

After the exam committee has reached a decision, the Chair should:

• recall the candidate to convey the decision, including a description of any required revisions, as appropriate, and
• inform the program director if the thesis/dissertation has been nominated for the Faculty of Graduate Studies Thesis/Dissertation Prize, where applicable.

If the thesis/dissertation was  accepted with no revisions , the Chair should:

• ensure that a properly completed and signed Oral Examination Report Form, is returned to the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies.

If the thesis/dissertation was  accepted pending specified revisions , the Chair should:

• ensure that a properly completed (including a clear description of the required revisions) and signed Oral Examination Report Form is returned to the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that all of the specified revisions are made and the Chair will confirm that this is the case. Specified revisions must be completed within six months of the date of the oral exam.
• Approval of specified revisions should be reported to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, via the Revisions Approved Memorandum  or via email to the  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator .

In cases of  referred pending major revisions , the Chair should:

• ensure that a properly completed (including a clear description of the required revisions) is returned to the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, and
• provide detailed reasons for the exam committee’s decision in writing to the Dean, program director and student within 10 business days of the oral exam.

When major revisions have been completed satisfactorily as decided by the exam committee, the Chair should:

• Report approval of the major revisions to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, via the  Revisions Approved Memorandum  or via email to the  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator .

In cases of  failure , the Chair should:

• ensure that a properly completed and signed Oral Examination Report Form is returned to the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, and

The exam committee members have the responsibility of ensuring that high standards of scholarship are met.

The “at arm’s length from the thesis/dissertation” committee member has a particular responsibility of ensuring that these high standards of scholarship are met from a perspective broader than that of the student’s own program. Such exam committee members who are appointed to the student’s program should be especially mindful of this responsibility.

Note:  The following description of external examiner roles and responsibilities applies to those master’s programs that require an external or outside examiner on their exam committee.

External examiners are expected to be established academics, normally members of a graduate Faculty at another university. The assessment of the dissertation provided by the external examiner should be treated as the yardstick by which to measure the quality of the candidate’s work relative to standards at other universities. The external examiner is a voting member of the Committee and must have been at arm’s length from the dissertation. The external examiner does not have a formal power of veto, but the exam committee must have substantial reasons for not accepting an external examiner’s recommendation, especially if the recommendation is negative. The external examiner’s written comments will be provided to the other members of the exam committee prior to the oral exam and, where the exam committee deems advisable and the external examiner agrees, may be made available to the student at the end of the oral exam.

Only under rare, exceptional and compelling circumstances can an oral examination proceed in the absence of the external examiner, and only with the express permission of the Dean. In such circumstances, the following conditions must be met:

• the external’s absence must be unplanned and unavoidable (i.e. it must have been the initial intent that the external would be present);
• a written assessment of the dissertation must be received before the scheduled examination, including certification that the dissertation is examinable, and identification of any areas that need revision, or questioning and clarification at the oral exam. However, if the external examiner feels that the result of the examination depends upon the oral exam, then the external examiner shall be present or the oral exam will be postponed until the external examiner can be present or an alternative external examiner is appointed.

In addition to the voting members, the Vice-President Academic & Provost and Graduate Program Director may along with the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies or his/her representative, participate as ex-officio members (non-voting, unless present as one of the voting members) on master’s thesis exam committees.

As the oral examination is the culmination of a graduate student’s study and advances the mission of York University as a whole, the inclusion of these positions as ex-officio members of the thesis and dissertation exam committees recognizes and emphasizes the importance of the oral exam. Due to the nature of the workload of the incumbents in these positions, they are not expected to attend every oral exam. When they do attend in their capacity as ex-officio members, they are encouraged to be active participants, but they do not vote.

• For those master’s programs that require an external or outside examiner, the written comments provided by the external examiner will be made available to the committee prior to the oral exam.
• At the oral exam, the student may be given the opportunity to present an oral summary of his or her work. If this procedure is followed, the Chair of the exam committee will inform the student and indicate the time available.
• Normally, the first round of questions will refer to general aspects of the work. Subsequent questions will deal with more detailed matters. For all doctoral dissertation oral exams and for those master’s programs that require an external or outside examiner, the external examiner will normally begin each round of questioning and will be followed by the other members of the committee in an order agreed upon before the exam.
• The Chair of the exam committee will ensure that each member of the exam committee has an equal opportunity to pose questions. After the formal rounds of questioning, general discussion and order of further questioning will be at the Chair’s discretion.
• The question period should normally run its natural course, with members of the exam committee indicating when they are satisfied. The Chair of the exam committee will, however use his/her discretion as to the appropriate closing point. For a master’s thesis, a general guideline for the length of the oral exam is approximately 10 to 20 minutes for presentation (if applicable) and 1.5 hours for questioning. For a doctoral dissertation, a general guideline for the length of the oral exam is 20 to 40 minutes for presentation (if applicable) and 2 hours for questioning.
• After the candidate and any observers have left the room, the exam committee will discuss the work and the oral defense of that work, the discussion beginning with the external examiner’s remarks.
• The Chair of the exam committee will then assess the committee’s opinion from the discussion.
• If there is no consensus, the Chair of the exam committee will call for a vote to determine the outcome of the oral exam. The outcome of the vote shall be governed by the master’s thesis oral exam evaluation guidelines and doctoral dissertation oral exam evaluation guidelines.
• In cases of  accepted pending specified revisions , the nature of the revisions will be agreed to by the exam committee and reported in detail by the Chair in the “comments” section of the Oral Examination Report Form.
• In cases of  major revision , the Chair of the exam committee will confirm which of the following two procedures, agreed upon by the committee before the exam is adjourned, will be used to finalize the oral results: a) the committee will reconvene within twelve months to continue the oral examination; or, b) the revised dissertation will be circulated within twelve months to all members, who will inform the Chair whether they feel the stipulated requirements have been met.
• After the exam committee has reached a decision, the candidate will be recalled and informed by the Chair of the outcome of the examination. Should revisions be required, their exact nature will be transmitted to the student by the Chair.
• The written comments of the external examiner will, with his or her permission, be provided to the student and program director.
• In cases of  accepted pending specified revisions , it is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that all of the specified revisions are made and the Chair will confirm that this is the case. Specified revisions must be completed within six months of the date of the oral examination. Approval of specified revisions should be reported to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, via the  Revisions Approved Memorandum  or via email to the  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator .
• In cases of  referred pending major revisions  or  failure , the Chair will provide detailed reasons for the exam committee’s decision in writing to the Dean, program director and student within 10 business days of the oral exam. When major revisions have been completed satisfactorily as decided by the exam committee, the Chair should report approval of the major revisions to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, via the  Revisions Approved Memorandum  or via email to the  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator .

Final Submission

Following a successful oral exam (including confirmed approval of any specified revisions or major revisions), submission by the student of the final approved thesis/dissertation is a requirement for graduation and convocation.

The thesis or dissertation is submitted electronically using York University’s Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) platform. The Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies, will check that the thesis/dissertation meets the Faculty’s organizational and technical requirements, and has the right to refuse any unacceptable document until it is submitted in acceptable form.

Once the submission is approved and all requirements for graduation are met, the thesis/ dissertation will be transferred to YorkSpace, York University's institutional repository of research outputs, where it will be accessible to Library and Archives Canada as well as major search engines and other repositories.

The degree completion date is NOT based on the date of the oral examination; it is based on the date of submission to the Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Tool (ETD) and to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies of the acceptable final approved copy. Students are responsible for active registration and all tuition fees until the final copy is submitted to and approved by the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies.

Submission deadlines with respect to convocation can be found under  Important Dates .

An ETD record will be created for each student by the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies once all of the following have been received:

• Oral Examination Report (passed)
• Revisions Approved Memorandum, if applicable
• Library and Archives Canada Theses Non-Exclusive License form, signed and dated
• Copies of copyright permissions (if applicable)

Once an ETD record is opened, the student will receive an email with instructions on how to log in and complete their submission. Students should ensure that they have followed the organization and technical requirements for theses/dissertations prior to making a submission to the Office of the Dean, Graduate Studies through the ETD platform . If, after reading the Organization & Technical Requirements section of this handbook, students have any questions concerning formatting and preparation, they should direct these questions to the appropriate Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator . Instructions for the use of the ETD platform are available at Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) below.

By signing the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) Theses Non-Exclusive License form, the student authorizes LAC to reproduce, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, communicate to the public, loan, distribute and sell the thesis/dissertation for commercial or non-commercial purposes. Further information about the Non-Exclusive License and the Library & Archives Canada thesis program is available on the  Library and Archives Canada  website.

The student must also accept the terms of the York University Copyright License as part of the electronic submission of their thesis/dissertation using the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) application.

If required, students should provide copies of any needed copyright permissions prior to the final thesis/dissertation submission. Students should also retain copies of all copyright permission requests and approvals.

As a publicly funded institution, York University has an obligation to ensure that research produced by its graduate students is available for the benefit of the public, particularly by making successfully defended theses and dissertations available through York University Libraries and Library and Archives Canada. With that in mind, there is normally no restriction on the publication of and access to successfully defended theses and dissertations. However, in some exceptional instances it may be detrimental to the author or sponsor of the thesis/dissertation research to have the thesis/dissertation publicly available immediately following a successful defence. Valid reasons to delay publication/restrict access to a successfully defended thesis/dissertation may include:

• approved intellectual property contract between a research sponsor and the University that specifies a period of confidentiality;
• that public distribution of the thesis/dissertation would invalidate a patent application;
• that public distribution of the thesis/dissertation would invalidate a publication contract; and,
• that public distribution of the thesis/dissertation would pose a risk to the personal safety of the author.

Prior to submission of the final version of their thesis being accepted on the Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Tool (ETD), students may request to delay (or to extend a previously approved delay) publication of/restrict access to their thesis/dissertation for a maximum of three years. Requests for embargo must be made to the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, through the  Request for a Delay of Publication (Embargo) on a Thesis or Dissertation form , prior to the submission of the final version of the thesis/dissertation. Requests will only be considered with the recommendation of the student’s supervisor and graduate program director. If approved, the body of the thesis/dissertation will be withheld from York University Libraries and Library and Archives Canada for the approved period. At the end of the approved period, the body of the thesis/dissertation will be released to York University Libraries and Library and Archives Canada via YorkSpace. To submit a request for an embargo/delay of publication, including extension requests, please do so using the  Request for a Delay of Publication (Embargo) on a Thesis or Dissertation Form . Your request will be reviewed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and a decision will be communicated to you by email. For more information on the Delay of Publication/Embargo Processes, please contact the  Graduate Record & Enrolment Coordinator  for your Faculty.

Students who wish to have personal copies of the thesis/dissertation bound must make their own arrangements.

How to Submit

Submitting your thesis/dissertation using York University's Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) application is a quick and easy process.

The instructions below outline the step-by-step process of using the application. Please refer to the  Thesis, Dissertation and Submission Guidelines  above for details on the policies and process leading up to the point of final submission, including formatting and other requirements. To view the York University ETD collection, visit the  Faculty of Graduate Studies section on YorkSpace .

You can access the ETD application from any computer with an internet connection. Recommended browsers include Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Opera.

Instructions for converting your thesis to a PDF file are available on the  YorkSpace Resources Site .

An ETD record will be set up for you by a staff member in the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS). FGS will need to receive the following before you will be able to access your record:

• Oral Examination Report (normally provided by the Dean’s representative on your Examining Committee as soon as possible following your defense);
• Revisions Approved Memorandum, if applicable (if your thesis/dissertation was approved with specified revisions). A blank form is usually provided to you by FGS prior to your defense. You will need to ensure it is completed and returned to FGS;
• Library and Archives Canada Theses Non–Exclusive License form (.pdf) , signed and dated;
• Copies of copyright permissions, if applicable.

Once all of the above items have been received, you will receive an email from a  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator letting you know that your ETD record has been created and inviting you to log in using your  Passport York ID . Click on the link provided in the email to take you to  etd.library.yorku.ca .

You’ll notice that there is a navigation bar across the top of the screen. You can click on any of the “tabs” to move back and forth through the process.

At the bottom right of each screen there are also arrows you can click on to move on to the next step (or move back).

You will not lose data by moving back and forth.

You can stop and save your work at any point in the process, and resume your submission simply by logging back in. To save your work, click on the navigation arrow at the bottom right of your screen. The information you have entered will be stored until you log back in.

As long as the status of your ETD record is “Open”, you can continue to make edits, updates and changes. Only once you have clicked on “I accept and send for review” on the “Submit for Review” tab will your record be closed.

If for some reason you need to request that your submission be re-opened (for example if you notice a mistake or forgot to add something), please email a  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator .

If you’d like more information or instructions for any of the fields you are being asked to fill out, just click on the question mark icon next to the field.

If you still have questions, you may wish to contact:

• A Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies;
• Your Graduate Program Assistant.

Step by Step Instructions

On the first screen you will find welcome text, along with the title of your thesis/dissertation and some other information from your student record (such as your degree name and program).

To begin entering your details, click on the title of your thesis/dissertation. Alternatively, you can click on the “Update Details” button on the bottom right, or on the “Update Details” tab in the navigation bar.

On the second screen, “Update Details”, you’ll notice that there are some fields already filled in, and others that you will need to complete.

The fields that are already filled in are automatically pulled from your Student Information System (SIS) and Graduate Event Module (GEM) records. You cannot edit these fields yourself, so if you notice an error, please contact a Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator at a  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator . In the second section, you’ll find the following fields for you to complete:

Language : Click on the arrow to see the drop down menu. You will be able to select English, French, or Other (a thesis or dissertation normally should be written in English, but approval may be given to write in French or the language of any Aboriginal/First Nations people in North America).

Abstract: Copy and paste your abstract into this field (the abstract must be provided in English regardless of the language of your thesis or dissertation). Please note the maximum number of words allowed (Master’s thesis 150 words; doctoral dissertation 350 words). Subjects: Click on the arrow to see the drop down menu. You must select at least one subject that best describes the overall subject of your thesis or dissertation. You have the option of selecting up to two additional secondary subjects from the other drop down menu boxes.

Keywords: Enter as many terms or search phrases as you like. Please use a comma to separate each keyword or string of keywords. Tip: the more terms you provide, the more likely it is that users will find your work in their searches.

When you are finished updating your details, click “Save Details” on the bottom right to move to the next screen, or to save and return later to make further updates.

Uploading Files

Before uploading your files, you will need to save your thesis or dissertation as a PDF file (.pdf), which must be compatible with Adobe Acrobat version 5.0 or higher

This PDF document should contain the full body of your thesis/dissertation, including:

• title page;
• dedication (optional);
• acknowledgements (optional);
• table of contents;
• list of tables, figures and illustrations (if applicable);
• all chapters and written body of the thesis/dissertation;
• references or bibliography;
• all appendices.

You may upload only  ONE  PDF file.

Your document must be saved using the following naming convention:

Lastname_Firstname_MiddleInitial_yearofcopyright_PhDORMasters

Replace “Lastname” with your last name and “Firstname” with your first name. So, for example, if Jane Smith completed her PhD in 2014, she would save her documents as

Smith_Jane_E_2014_PhD.pdf

The “year of copyright” refers to the date that appears on the title page of your thesis/dissertation (this is the year you successfully defended).

To upload your file, simply click on the “upload primary file” button.

A box will open giving you the option to choose a file from your computer or a disk, USB key or other source.

Once you have chosen the file, click on “upload.”

In addition to the PDF of your thesis or dissertation, you may have supplementary files to add. Supplementary files refer to items that are part of the  approved, examined  thesis/dissertation that cannot be included in the PDF, such as multi–media, sound, video or hypertext

A list of acceptable file formats includes:

• Documents:  Portable Document Format (.pdf), Text (.txt), Hypertext Markup Language (.html, .htm), Open Document Format (.odt, .odp, .ods);
• Images:  Portable Network Graphics format (.png), Tagged Image File format (.tif), JPEG (.jpg);
• Data:  Comma–separated values (.csv) or other delimited text, Extensible Markup Language (.xml);
• Video:  8–10 bit uncompressed AVI (.avi);
• Audio:  Free Lossless Audio Codec or WAVE (.flac or .wav).

If you wish to upload a type of file that you do not see on this list, please email  Digital Initiatives @ York  .

Keep in mind that a supplementary file is NOT an appendix. Regular appendices can be included in the PDF document of your thesis/dissertation.

To upload your file, simply click on the "upload supplementary files“ button.

A box will open giving you the option to choose a file from your computer or a disk, USB key or other source. You may upload as many files as necessary, but no single file can exceed 500 MB. If you have a file that exceeds this size, please contact a  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator.

Once you have chosen the file, click on “upload.” To upload more than one file, simply click on the “upload supplementary files” button as many times as necessary.

When you have finished uploading all files, click “Review Details” on the bottom right to move to the next screen, or to save and return later to make further updates.

This is an opportunity for you to do a final confirmation that all of the details are accurate and your record is complete. Please make sure that all uploaded files are attached (they will be listed at the bottom of this screen).

As always, you can use the navigation bar at the top or arrows in the bottom right corner to go back and update any information.

When you are certain that all the information is correct and complete, click on “Submit for Review” at bottom right.

The final step in submitting your thesis or dissertation is agreeing to the York University Copyright License.

By clicking on “I Accept and Send for Review,” you are confirming that your thesis/dissertation is your original work, that your thesis/dissertation does not infringe on any rights of others and that you have the right to make the grant conferred by this copyright license. In addition, you are granting a license to York University to make copies, including electronically formatted copies, and/or distribute worldwide all or part of your thesis or dissertation, subject to the conditions outlined.

You retain copyright to your thesis/dissertation and may make it available on a personal website and pursue other sources of publication as well.

If you have questions or concerns about this license, please contact your supervisor or a Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. You can then log back in to agree to the terms and make your submission once any queries you have are resolved.

Please carefully read this information and click on “I Accept and Send for Review” to send your thesis/dissertation to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Congratulations! You have completed your submission.

What Happens Next?

Once you send your thesis/dissertation for review, the status of your ETD record will change from “Open” to “Under Review” and you will not be able to make further changes. You will receive a confirmation email letting you know it is being reviewed.

If for some reason you realize you have made an error or forgotten to add something, you can email a  Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator  to request that your record be re–opened. Please remember to include your student ID number in all correspondence

After your submission has been reviewed by a Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator in FGS, you will receive an email notifying you of one of two outcomes:

• Your submission has been approved and will be deposited in YorkSpace upon conferral of your degree; or,
• Your submission has formatting or other errors and has been returned to you for modification.

If your submission is returned to you for modification, your ETD record will be reopened to enable you to make the required changes and resubmit. The required changes will be outlined in the email you receive from the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator. If you are asked to make changes to your PDF thesis/dissertation document, simply replace the previously uploaded file with the updated one. Make sure you click on “I Accept and Send for Review” on the “Submit for Review” tab to resubmit your thesis/dissertation to FGS.

At any time you can log in to your  ETD record  to check on the status of your submission. Simply click on the “Check Status” tab in the navigation bar.

YorkSpace  is York University’s Open Access Institutional Repository (IR). It is a platform that enables York community members to post, organize and preserve their research online in an institutional context. It showcases the scholarship of the York University community through the use of a special standards–based software platform that collects usage statistics and promotes visibility on the web.

Once your submission is approved by the Graduate Milestones and Progression Coordinator and all required forms received and fees paid, your thesis/dissertation will be deposited in YorkSpace at the time of conferral of your degree, according to the publication date listed on your ETD record (normally either November 1 or July 1).

Once the thesis/dissertation is deposited in YorkSpace, it will be available for harvesting by Library and  Archives Canada (LAC) Theses Portal , other  Open Archives Initiative  (OAI) metadata harvesters, and major search engines such as  Google Scholar . You retain copyright to your thesis/dissertation and may make it available on a personal website and pursue other sources of publication as well.

Students who wish to have personal copies of their thesis/dissertation bound must make their own arrangements. Some options include:

• Wallaceburg Bookbinding
• Campus Photo and Printing, York Lanes

Please note that you may be required to make minor formatting adjustments to your document to prepare it for binding. For example, many binders will require that the top and left margins are at least 1.5 inches.

Graduate students who are members of CUPE 3903 (Unit 1) may submit reimbursement requests for thesis, dissertation or MRP production costs to the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, using the  Reimbursement of Thesis/Dissertation Production Costs Form .

• Theses Canada
• Theses and Dissertations in YorkSpace

Connect with FGS

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="york thesis submission"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Thesis & dissertation.

  Understanding Deadlines and Requirements

The final requirement in earning a graduate degree is the completion and defense of the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Understanding the steps and associated deadlines in the thesis/dissertation submission and degree conferral process is necessary to establish a successful plan and realistic timeframe.

2024 Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School Deadlines:

• For May 26, 2024 conferral, deadline is May 1.
• For August 31, 2024 conferral, deadline is August 1.
• December 31, 2024 conferral, deadline is December 1.

See our  Planning Timeline  for more detailed information.

  Writing Your Thesis/Dissertation

The Graduate School offers several writing resources to help you get started, meet your goals, and complete your thesis/dissertation on time. 

Before You Begin:

• Guide to Writing Your Thesis/Dissertation
• Fields Permitting the Use of Papers Option
• Required Sections, Guidelines, and Suggestions
• Formatting Requirements
• Fair Use, Copyright, Patent, and Publishing Options

Resources for Writing:

• Thesis & Dissertation Templates
• Writing from A to B

  Scheduling and Taking Your Final Exam

Once you have submitted your draft thesis/dissertation to your committee you are ready to defend. This involves scheduling and taking your final exam (“B” exam), an oral exam/dissertation defense for Ph.D. candidates, or (“M” exam), an oral exam/thesis defense for Master’s candidates.

• About Exams
• Defending Your Thesis or Dissertation
• Taking Exams

 Submitting Your Thesis/Dissertation

Policy requires the thesis/dissertation be submitted within 60 days of the final exam. The Graduate School uses a service called ProQuest to administer the electronic thesis/dissertation (ETD) submission and committee approval process. Once you have made any necessary revisions and the thesis/dissertation is final, you are ready to begin the approval and submission process.

Before initiating the submission process, students are required to complete an ORCID iD and complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates.

• Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID iD)
• Survey of Earned Doctorates 
• Thesis & Dissertation Submission Process
• Submission Fees
• Graduation Requirements 

Thesis Submission

Before submitting.

You should discuss your submission plans with your supervisor, though ultimately it is your decision when to submit your thesis for examination. About two months before you expect to submit your thesis, you should complete the ‘Intention to Submit’ Form. Completing this allows the department to make the necessary arrangements for your examination. You do not need to be overexact in calculating your submission date, provided that you adhere to your deadline for submission.

Intention to Submit Form

When to submit.

You must submit your thesis by the final deadline, though it is a good idea to plan to submit long before that, in order to give yourself time to deal with unexpected events in both your research and your personal life. You can see your submission deadline in your SkillsForge account.

Should you have a request for an extension to submission pending at the time of your deadline, you are strongly advised to submit a digital contingency copy of your thesis in order to avoid automatic failure for non-submission should your extension not be approved. The PGRA can provide details on how to submit your contingency copy.

Submitting a Digital Contingency Copy

How to submit.

Theses are required to be prepared and submitted for examination as specified in the University's requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that the thesis reaches the PGR A by the deadline.

University Submission Requirements

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Research degrees

Thesis submission and examinations

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Research degree awards are referenced against the UK Quality Code and Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

The York St John University Academic Board prescribes criteria, regulations and learning outcomes for York St John Postgraduate Research awards. The links below provide information on the process and requirements for research degrees:

• Regulations for research degrees (webpage)
• Code of Practice for Research Degrees 2023-24 (docx, 1.4 MB)
• Learning Outcomes for the Award of Research Degrees (docx, 49.1 kB)
• Guide to the Examination Process for Research Degrees (docx, 1.4 MB)

Nomination of Examiners

Master’s by Research PGRs (with a start date of 1 October 2021 or later) will be examined by an external examiner assessment of the thesis and normally no oral examination will be held. The PGR will be notified of the external examiner’s recommendation and will be provided with a copy of the examiner’s report once it has been approved by the Research Degrees Examination Panel.

Doctoral and MPhil PGRs will have an oral examination of their thesis. There will be a minimum of 2 examiners (one internal and one external) and an independent chair. If the PGR has also been employed as a member of University staff on a fixed term or permanent contract, at grade 7 or above for a combined total of 12 months during any point in the candidature, 2 external examiners will be required. Examiners are nominated using the Application for Assessment form.

A document setting out the criteria for the appointment of examiners and independent chairs is available from the Document Directory .

Application for Assessment

The Application for Assessment should be done by the PGR at least 3 months before they intend to submit their thesis for examination. The form will be available for completion via e:Vision.

The PGR will need to confirm details about their thesis title, employment at the University, the inclusion of research from the thesis in published work, any supplementary material to be submitted with the thesis and ethical approval details.

Once the PGR has submitted their part of the form a notification will be sent to the supervisor for the next part of the form to be done. The supervisor will need to confirm the thesis title and to put forward recommendations for examiners. If the PGR is undertaking a Practice-led programme and there will be live performance of the practice element, details of those arrangements will also be required.

The form will then pass to the School PGR Lead for them to nominate an independent chair for the examination.

Once received by Registry, the form will be checked and circulated to RDEP for its consideration. Examination panels will be notified of their appointment for the examination following RDEP approval. The PGR will also be advised of the confirmed examination panel and will be provided with details on how to submit their thesis to Moodle.

Thesis preparation and submission

PGRs should prepare their thesis for submission in accordance with the format regulations found in Section 3 of the Guide to the examination process for research degrees.

Programme specific word limits are as follows:

The thesis must be submitted to the Research Degree Submission link via Moodle, along with a Research Degree Submission Form and copies of any associated published work or supplementary material. Examiners can also request a soft-bound copy of the thesis for examination purposes. Registry will inform PGRs if any soft-bound copies are required. PGRs can arrange for the soft-bound copies to be produced through Print Services and Registry staff will be able to collect the copies on their behalf when they have been done.

External Examiner Assessment of Thesis (MA/MSc by Research PGRs who started from 1 October 2021 onwards).

Once the PGR has submitted their thesis and it has been checked against the thesis format requirements the thesis (and copies of publications and/or any supplementary material, as appropriate) will be sent out to the external examiner for assessment. The external examiner will complete an External Examiner Report and Recommendation form and submit this to Registry for approval by RDEP. Registry will advise the PGR of the outcome and the next steps to be taken from that point. There will not normally be an oral examination unless the external examiner requests that one is held, and in the event that it is then an independent chair will be appointed to be present.

Oral examination

An oral examination ( viva voce ) will be arranged for Doctoral and MPhil PGRs.

Registry is responsible for the organisation of oral examinations. The oral examination usually takes place within the 3 months following submission of the thesis.

Once the application for assessment has been approved and the thesis submitted, Registry will contact the examiners and independent chair to identify their availability for the examination. Once a provisional date has been identified this will be checked with the PGR to make sure they are also available. A PGR can ask a supervisor to be present for the examination as a silent observer.

On the day of the examination the panel will hold a pre-meeting to discuss the preliminary reports and questions on the thesis.

Oral examinations can vary in duration and there is no fixed end time. After the examination, the examiners will discuss their recommendation in the absence of the PGR (and their supervisor, if present) and will then usually invite the PGR back into the examination to give them the outcome orally. A written report will then be produced and this will be given to the PGR once is has been approved by RDEP.

The outcome of the examination will be one of the following recommendations:

• Pass without amendments
• Pass subject to amendments (to be completed within 6 months)
• Thesis to be re-submitted
• Fail (only possible on re-submission unless under the terms of the Research Misconduct Policy)

Instructions to Examiners

The Instructions to Examiners and report forms for the examiners to complete both before and after the examination are provided in the Document Directory .

Recording of Oral Examinations

Oral examinations are recorded as set out in the Policy and Guidance on the Recording of Oral Examinations.

The independent chair is responsible for starting and ending the recording and for its subsequent transfer to Registry for secure storage. The examiners' discussion before and after the exam, and the communication of the outcome to the PGR should not be recorded.

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Submitting an Electronic Thesis to ProQuest

• Preparing Theses for ProQuest Submission
• How to Upload/Submit a Thesis to ProQuest

ProQuest Traditional Verses Open Access Publishing

Registering for us copyright (optional), copyright faq.

• Embargos on your Thesis or Project

ProQuest offers students two publishing options for theses, Traditional Publishing or Open Access Publishing PLUS.

Traditional Publishing

There is no cost for this option. Your thesis will only be made available by ProQuest through their ProQuest Dissertations and Theses subscription database and for sale through their Dissertations Express service. Authors are entitled to royalties for these sales as set out on the full  Traditional Publishing Agreement .

• The   thesis   will not be freely available in PQDT Open. 
• There is no fee charged.
• The author is eligible to receive royalties.
• The   thesis   will be available for purchase through ProQuest.
• The thesis will appear in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, a subscription database.
• A record for the   thesis   (may include citation, abstract, preview, etc.) will appear in  other  ProQuest  resources, in library catalogs and in indexes such as ABI, Art Bibliographies  Moder n .  Ebsco  and others.

Open Access PLUS

Theses are made available through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses subscription database and through the  PQDT Open  platform that allows anyone with Internet access to access and download the thesis for free. 

• The thesis will be freely available in PQDT Open.
• The author waives rights to receive royalties.
• The thesis will be available for purchase through ProQuest. 
• The thesis will appear in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, a subscription database, and in PQDT Open 
• A record of the thesis (may include citation, abstract, preview, etc.) will appear in other ProQuest resources, in library catalogs and in indexes such as ABI, Art Bibliographies Modern. Ebsco and others.

Comparison of the two options

As part of the ProQuest thesis submission process you will have the option to pay for ProQuest to register your thesis for US Copyright on your behalf and deposit the necessary copies for you with the Copyright Office. The cost is $55. Registration offers certain legal benefits if someone infringes on your copyright and you wish to bring suit.  More information is available in the "Optional Copyright Registration" section of this page: http://www.proquest.com/products-services/dissertations/submitting-dissertation-proquest.html

• How do I get copyright for my thesis/dissertation? As the author of a thesis or dissertation, you own the copyright to your work.  Under U.S. Copyright law, a creator of an "original work" created in a "fixed tangible medium" is immediately and automatically the copyright owner of the work, and your work is protected. 
• Do I need to register my work with the U.S. Copyright Office? As stated above, your thesis or dissertation is automatically protected under copyright.  However, there are some important practical and legal benefits to registering your copyright, particularly the right to collect " statutory damages " in a successful infringement lawsuit.  Essentially, if at some point you might want to take legal action in order to protect your work, you should register it with the  U.S. Copyright Office . 
• How do I register my work? In the course of this submission, you can request that ProQuest/UMI file for copyright with the U.S. Copyright on your behalf.  ProQuest charges a $55 fee for this service.You can also do the filing yourself directly through U.S. Copyright Office at  copyright.gov .  You will be charged a $35 registration fee.
• Finding and Using Images:  Fair Use
• Citation and Copyright : Fair Use

The information in this section is adapted and expanded from "Submitting Electronic Theses and Dissertations to ProQuest" from the Regent University Library.

• << Previous: How to Upload/Submit a Thesis to ProQuest
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• Last Updated: Oct 8, 2019 12:41 PM
• URL: https://sia.libguides.com/submittingtoproquest

• Health Sciences

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Formatting Guidance

When to submit, how to submit, late submission, extensions to deadlines, what are the department’s assignment formatting requirements.

The key formatting requirements are.

• Assignments must be double line spaced.
• A readable font and font size should be used eg Calibri, Times New Roman or Arial, size 12.
• Pages should have a minimum margin of 2.5 cm.
• From 2023/4 a cover sheet is NOT required.
• Pages should be numbered consecutively and be inclusive of appendices.
• You should NOT add your student exam number or ANY other information that can identify you within your submission.
• For a small number of non-anonymous submissions (eg posters or presentation supporting documentation) you should add your name and not your exam number – you will be advised on your VLE site and assessment guidelines if the assignment is to be submitted with your name. Never record your name and student exam number in the same document.
• Do include your word count.
• Assignments must follow the Harvard referencing style .

Hard copy assignment submission guidance

The vast majority of submissions to the Department of Health Sciences are now electronic. You will be advised how to submit something in hard copy if it is required for a module you are studying. 

Electronic assignment submission guidance

This guide walks you through the submission process and associated concerns:  Assessment Submission via TurnItIn video guide (YouTube)  ( Panopto/Replay )

• From 2023/4 academic year students will be required to submit their summative submissions through Turnitin. Turnitin has replaced the anonymous assignment tool used in previous academic years. Please ensure that you have read the guidance notes prior to making a submission.
• Your assignment should be submitted as a single document to the Turnitin submission point on the relevant module page within the VLE.
• A cover sheet is no longer required. 
• Written assignments should be submitted in either MS Word or PDF format. Guidance on this will be provided on the VLE site for the module or in the assessment guideline.
• If other assessment types are permitted, eg for recordings, then separate guidance will be provided on the VLE site for that module.
• Turnitin can accept file sizes of upto 100MB. 
• Turnitin will only accept documents that contain a minimum of 20 digitally typed words.

Dissertation submission guidance

Students submitting their dissertations and independent study modules are required to submit an electronic copy (in a single file) to the relevant Turnitin submission point on the VLE. 

Word count - what is included?

The assessment guideline will state what the word limit is for each assignment.

• Assignments will be marked up to the word limit (plus 10%) and marking will cease once the word limit is exceeded.
• Everything in the main body of the text (ie introduction, method, results, discussion and conclusion) apart from tables and figures is included in the word limit.
• Everything before (ie abstract, acknowledgements, contents etc) and after the main text (ie references, appendices etc) is not included in the word limit.
• Please include your word count within your document.

Audio submission technical guidance (PDF , 354kb) ‌

The submission dates for all assessments are published before the commencement of each programme or module. These dates are published in the assessment schedule  on the student intranet.

Please leave plenty of time to start the submission process. Never leave it to the last minute to make your submission. We recommend that you make your submission at least 30 minutes before your submission deadline.

The deadline for written assignment submissions is normally 4.30pm on the published date (or by the approved individual submission extension date). This deadline is strictly enforced and submission after this point will incur a late penalty in line with University policy, any exceptions to this (such as online time specific examinations) are on the assessment schedule . 

Please be aware that Turnitin will identify any submission made exactly after the deadline time as late e.g. if your deadline is 23rd July 16:30:00 and you submit 1 second after this at 16:30:01 the work will be highlighted as late and a penalty will be applied.

Can I submit an assignment if I am on leave of absence?

Generally students cannot submit assignments whilst on leave of absence. However, occasionally you may be required to submit and pass assessments during your leave of absence in order to pass progression requirements to return to your next stage. You will be advised of the arrangements before you go on leave of absence. 

Can I submit an assignment if I am certified as ill on the day of submission?

If you are ill on the day of submission you can submit an assessment. If you choose to do this but you want your illness to be considered as a factor, you must also submit an  exceptional circumstances claim. Retrospective late mitigation claims are not normally accepted. 

Electronic submission

Most summative assessments are now submitted electronically through the Turnitin submission point on the VLE site for the module. This is a very simple process and written guidance notes are available here.

This video guide walks students through the submission process and associated concerns:  Assessment Submission via TurnItIn video guide (YouTube)  ( Panopto/Replay )

There are a few important things to note that differ from the previous anonymous submission software used prior to 2023/4 academic year:

• Turnitin now allocates you a unique submission ID. It is important therefore that you do NOT save your work with any details that may reveal your identity either in the filename or within the document itself such as University ID, Exam candidate number or Name, email or username. Be sure to clear identifying metadata from your document prior to submission.
• You must not include a cover sheet with your work.
• Turnitin only stores your most recent submission upto the deadline. Making a further submission prior to the deadline will effectively overwrite any previous submission . 
• Turnitin doesn't email you a receipt automatically but this can be downloaded (pdf) from the Turnitin submission point you have submitted to.
• Turnitin will not allow you to   submit a submission after the due date and time has passed if you have already made a submission prior to the deadline.
• If you haven't yet made a submission you can submit  once after the due date & time has passed.
• Please contact [email protected] to request your submission be cleared if you need to submit again-please be aware that late penalties (if applicable) will be applied from the most recent submission.

A note on exemplars

From time to time an anonymous copy of your work may be used as an exemplar for future cohorts. There is not the option to opt-out of this feature in Turnitin at point of submission. If you require additional information or wish to opt-out of us using your work (anonymised) in future then please contact [email protected] ..

Submitting Audio Recordings for Pre-recorded Assessments

During COVID the department has requested for some modules to submit pre-recorded presentations and vivas. Following the introduction of Turnitin submissions in 2023/4 some pre-recorded presentations may be submitted through this.

Alternatively, the module leader may suggest submitting these through the student Deposit Service. ‘Deposit’ can handle the upload of much larger files. 

Your module leader will communicate to you how to submit pre-recorded assessments for their respective modules.

Exceptions for electronic submission

Due to the format of some assessments some other modules across the Department are still submitted in hard copy. See the Hard copy submission section below.

Hard copy submission

Due to the format of some assessments a small number are still submitted in hard copy eg interview recordings, some large portfolios etc.  If the assignment needs to be submitted in hard copy this would normally be indicated on the assessment schedule. 

How many copies do I submit?

Students are normally required to submit two copies of all assessment work that is submitted in hard copy (with the exception of some portfolios).

All copies must have a completed academic face sheet attached. Academic face sheets are available to collect from the seating area outside the Student Information Service office. It is advisable to collect these in advance of your submission and complete them prior to arrival at the Department.

Where do I submit hard copy assignments to?

Hard copy assignments are submitted to the Student Services office on the ground floor of the Seebohm Rowntree Building.

Posting your submission

If posting your hard copy assignments you must obtain a Certificate of Proof of Posting and keep this safe until the work has been marked. If your assignment does not arrive by the deadline you will incur a late submission penalty. To avoid the late submission penalty you will need to appeal through the exceptional circumstances process . You would need to provide the Certificate of Proof of Posting as evidence that you had mailed your work in good time for it to be received by the submission deadline.   The mailing address is:

Student Information, Guidance and Help Team,  Area 1, Seebohm Rowntree Building, Department of Health Sciences,  University of York,  York. YO10 5DD

Can I get someone else to submit my hard copy assignment?

You are strongly advised to submit your own work. It is possible for you to ask another student to submit your work, however, should he/she be late submitting your work you cannot then use the action of devolving submission responsibility to another person as grounds for mitigation for the late submission.

Administrators and academic staff (eg supervisors and module leaders) cannot be asked to submit assignments on behalf of students.

All work submitted after the published submission deadline will incur a late submission penalty in accordance with the University’s late submission policy, unless you have submitted mitigating circumstances and have received an official extension from the Exceptional Circumstances Committee.

Please be aware that marks visible through Turnitin Feedback Studio (on the VLE) are raw marks for the work itself. Penalties will not be deducted from this raw score and the mark provided is subject to the ratification process. Your final mark with all deductions/penalties applied can be accessed through your e:Vision ‘view module marks’ section. Marks on e:Vision remain subject to the ratification process prior to the Board Examiners meeting and may occasionally be subject to change.

A note on anonymous marking for work submitted after the pubished deadline:

At the end of the marking process, Turnitin automatically releases raw marks and feedback to the student on the date stated on the assessment schedule. There is therefore a risk that anonymity will be removed at the time results are released for the main cohort if a student submits late or has an extended deadline and their work is not marked prior to the published results release date. This is unavoidable but please be assured that markers and moderators are bound by professional standards to mark without bias. Internal moderation prior to marks release and external moderation procedures are in place to ensure that all students’ mark is worked to a consistent standard.

What are the penalties for late submission of assignments?

• 5% is deducted for work that is up to  one hour late.
• Thereafter, 10% is deducted for each day (or part of each day) that the  work is late.
• The penalty will be applied up to a maximum number of five days after and including the submission deadline day.
• Weekends and bank holidays will be included within the five days.
• After five days the work will be marked at zero.
• The penalty for submitting late for a pass/fail module is a fail.

It is important to note  that assignments submitted one second after the deadline will count as late. For example if the submission deadline is 16:30, assignments submitted at 16:30:01 will be considered late and will incur a late penalty.   

What are the penalties for late submission of online examinations?

For   online open exams , submissions received up to 30 minutes after the deadline will be accepted but will incur a 5% mark penalty. This penalty may be waived in the event of a successful exceptional circumstances claim. Submissions received more than 30 minutes after the deadline will be treated as non-submissions and will normally receive a mark of zero. In this case, a successful exceptional circumstances claim would result in a further assessment attempt ‘as if for the first time’.

What are the penalties for late submission of presentation documentation?

University late submission penalties apply for every day the documentation is submitted late up to 4.30pm the day before the presentation date (if the presentation dates span over more than one day, the night before the first day of presentation applies to all students as the absolute deadline). Providing students have submitted to this rule they will be permitted to present at their allocated time.

If documentation is not forthcoming prior to the absolute deadline (4.30pm day before) students will not be permitted to present. A mark of zero will apply and the student will be obligated to present at the resit date for a 2 nd  attempt. Students with exceptional circumstances to defer to the resit deadline will sit ‘as if for the first time’ on the resit date.

Students who submit blank documentation have 2 options:

1. They can present using blank document submitted (and risk losing marks associated with presentation documentation).

2. They can submit a different document but incur the late penalty in line with the guidelines.

SAO are not obligated to notify a student that they have submitted a blank document; however if they spot this upon download of the documentation (usually the day after submission) may notify students of their error in order for them to take action.

The deadline for submission of presentation documentation for assessed work is published on the assessment schedule. 

What happens if my computer or printer fails and I cannot submit my assignment?

Computer failure and printing problems are not accepted by the University as valid reasons for late submission. You are advised to make backup copies of all work and not to leave printing until the day of submission.

What happens if I accidentally submit the wrong file?

If this happens, you should submit the correct file as soon as possible. If you submit the correct file before the deadline, no penalty will be applied. If you submit the correct file after the deadline, a late submission penalty will be applied. Copies received after five days from the assessment date (without an approved extension) will not be entered into the marking process. 

Please be aware that:

Hard copy submissions only: What should I do if there has been an unforeseen event on the day of submission? 

In the event of an emergency arising when a hard copy assignment is due for submission, students should contact the departmental Student Information, Guidance and Help Team by telephone immediately on 01904 321321 who will advise of the most appropriate action to be taken.

Depending on the nature of the emergency, you may be able to apply through the exceptional circumstances procedures for the late penalty to be waived. In this case you would need to provide supporting evidence for this to be considered.

What happens if I do not submit an assignment?

If you do not submit a summative assignment within five days of the submission date, and do not submit a valid claim for exceptional circumstances in relation to the assignment the following will apply.

• This would be recorded as a first attempt failure due to non-submission.
• You will be given a mark of zero for this attempt.
• You will normally be given a re-assessment opportunity.
• You should also refer to your student handbook regarding the implications of an 'outright failure mark' (ie a mark of zero) for your programme of study.

If you do not submit a ‘re-assessment attempt’ (eg where you have already failed the first attempt) within five days of the submission date, and do not submit a valid claim for exceptional circumstances in relation to the non-submission, the following will apply.

• This would be recorded as a reassessment attempt failure due to non-submission.
• You will be given a mark of zero for the re-assessment attempt, which will usually result in module failure.
• You will not be permitted a further re-assessment opportunity.
• This may in some cases result in failure of your programme of study. You should refer to your student handbook regarding the implications of this for your programme of study.

If you think that you will require an extension to your module submission deadline due to a exceptional circumstance refer to the exceptional circumstances policy guidance . Details of how to make a claim can be found on this page.

If you are requesting an extension you must submit your exceptional claim form  no later than the submission deadline . You should submit your claim form by the deadline even if your evidence is not yet available.

If you think that you will require an extension to your programme, please discuss this with your supervisor at the earliest available opportunity. They will then advise you on the best course of action.

Department of Health Sciences, Seebohm Rowntree Building University of York , Heslington , York , YO10 5DD , UK Tel: work 01904 321321 | Fax: fax 01904 321383 | [email protected]

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The OECD: Better policies for better lives

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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation that works to build better policies for better lives. We draw on more than 60 years of experience and insights to shape policies that foster prosperity and opportunity, underpinned by equality and well-being.

We work closely with policy makers, stakeholders and citizens to establish evidence-based international standards and to find solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and strengthening policies to fight climate change to bolstering education and fighting international tax evasion, the OECD is a unique forum and knowledge hub for data, analysis and best practices in public policy. Our core aim is to provide advice on international standard-setting – and help countries forge a path towards stronger, fairer and cleaner societies. 

Mathias Cormann

Secretary-General | OECD

"The OECD is a force for good in the world. All of us have a collective responsibility to use it to its full potential. Our core purpose, under our Convention, is to preserve individual liberty and to increase the economic and social well-being of our people. Our essential mission of the past – to promote stronger, cleaner, fairer economic growth and to raise employment and living standards – remains the critically important mission for the future."

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