Step by Step Graduation Guide

To guide you through this process please follow the steps outlined below:

Things You Must Do:

Step 1 Acquire and use the UD Thesis/Dissertation Templates to set up the format for your paper. Refer to the UD Thesis/Dissertation Manual for formatting requirements for your document, including examples of proper signature pages.

Special Note: Effective Fall 2010 please use the following information on your approval page:

Step 2 File your Application for Advanced Degree.

Step 3 Check the submission deadlines.

Step 4 Defend dissertation/executive position paper (thesis if appropriate). Doctoral Students: acquire signatures of the committee members on the Certification of Defense form.

Step 5 Acquire the signatures on the first approval page (3 originals required on 25% cotton bond paper). When you submit your first approval page to the Dean's office for signature, also submit a printed version of your thesis/dissertation/executive paper for the Dean's review. Students in Arts and Sciences are to send their dissertation as a pdf to grad-docs@art-sci.udel.edu and then take all signature pages to the Dean's office located at 4 Kent Way.

The Office of Graduate and Professional Education takes your paper to the Vice Provost for his signature. Do not contact the Vice Provost directly for his signature. Doctoral Students: Acquire the signatures of committee members on the second approval page (3 originals required on 25% cotton bond paper).

Step 6 Prepare a PDF version of your thesis/dissertation. You should inquire in your program whether or not a bound paper copy is required to be submitted to your adviser or department.

• If you have written your document in Microsoft Word, click here for instruction on how to convert it into PDF (Adobe Acrobat needed for this conversion is available in the Computing lab of the UD Library and Smith Hall).
• Click here for help with embedding Word fonts in PDF.
• If you have created your document using Word Perfect, Tex or LaTex or on a Macintosh, please contact IT help center by calling 302-831-6000 (mention thesis/dissertation conversion to PDF).
• Once you have created your PDF document double check to see if you have created it correctly (all fonts must be embedded in the PDF document) by following this link.

Step 7 Set up an appointment with the Office of Graduate and Professional Education to submit the required documents. Refer to this page for details on setting up the appointment and what you should bring.