Welcome to the Dissertation Web Page
The purpose of this site is to assist with the final steps of completing your Dissertation.
Step 1: Schedule the Oral Defense
Step 2: Prepare the Correct Formatting
Step 3: Submit the Preliminary Copy and Oral Defense Announcement
Step 4: Go to your Oral Defense
Step 5: Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates
Step 6: Submit a Copy of your Dissertation to UMI/Proquest
Step 7: Submit the Final Dissertation to the Graduate School
Final Approval from Graduate School
Personal Copies and Copyright Information
Schedule the Oral Defense
Work with your committee to choose a date that is at least 3 weeks away.
Schedule a room that is appropriate for the defense. Your committee chair, department secretary or academic unit dean’s office should be able to assist you.
Consult the Graduation Deadlines to determine your graduating semester and the timeline for submitting final documents.
Prepare the Correct Formatting
In matters of style and documentation, the custom of the discipline shall be followed.
The three most commonly used at UMSL are:
American Psychological Association
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Another Resource is:
A Manual for Writers of Term Papers Theses and Dissertations, by Kate Turabian
All Dissertations must have a 1 ½ inch margin on the left side. This is to accommodate any future binding of the thesis.
All Dissertations title pages need to contain the information in the sample title page. A dissertation may have a second title page that follows the writing style used or academic unit convention.
Signatures may not be on the title pages submitted to the Graduate School. You may include signature pages in copies you bind personally.
Submit the Preliminary Copy and Oral Defense Announcement
The following items are due in the Graduate School 3 weeks before the oral defense:
- A D-6 form with all committee signatures
- A D-9 form in Microsoft Word emailed to Betsy Sampson. You must use the format in the D-9. Please do not copy the format on the website.
- A copy of your dissertation. This may be submitted in paper form with your D-6 or via email with your D-9.
The Oral Defense Announcement will be posted on the Graduate School Website. You, your dissertation advisor, graduate program director, department chair, and dean will be notified when it is posted.
Go to your Oral Defense
Bring a copy of the D7 to your oral defense.
Obtain the decisions and signatures of your committee on the D7
Submit the D7 to your department chair or the graduate program director.
The form should be forwarded to the Graduate School and will be kept on file until the final requirements have been met.
Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates
Students earning a Ph.D. are required by the Graduate Program Directors to complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates.
Students completing an Ed.D. or a D.N.P. should not complete the survey.
Please note that the survey year ends in June. If you are a Summer graduate, please check with the Graduate School to make sure that the survey for your graduating class is available.
Students may complete:
If you complete the web-based survey, please forward your confirmation email to Betsy Sampson in the Graduate School.
If you complete the paper version of the survey, submit it to the Graduate School.
Submit a Copy of Your Dissertation to UMI/Proquest
All doctoral students are required to microfilm dissertations with UMI/Proquest.
Students are also responsible for all fees associated with microfilming. The University has no restrictions on the options offered by UMI/Proquest.
In order to submit your dissertation to UMI/Proquest, you will need to convert the document to a PDF.
You can convert an MS Word Document to PDF at any UMSL student computer lab:
If you need to edit the PDF to accomplish things like inserting pages with tables or scans, please go to the Faculty Resource Center for assistance.
The UMI/Proquest site also has conversion software if your dissertation is in one document.
Once you have a PDF ready or if you would like UMI/Proquest to convert the document for you, go to UMI/Proquest’s ETD Administrator to complete the submission process.
**Choosing a publishing restriction will not delay the shelving of your dissertation in the UMSL library or availability on the web. ** If you need to delay availability in the UMSL library, please send a separate request to the Graduate School.
Submit the Final Dissertation to the Graduate School
The Graduate School will accept the final version in one of two ways:
ETD Site Option
A copy of your dissertation is made available through http://etd.umsl.edu.
The dissertation must be submitted as a pdf saved as: YOURLASTNAMED.pdf .
This includes dissertations with short-term embargoes. Please contact the Graduate School if your thesis needs to be withheld from the public for up to 60 months.
Please note: The “archiving option” is only for master’s thesis students.
For a brief tutorial on the submission process in Power Point click here:
Submission Tutorial
Paper Submission Option
Two unbound copies of your dissertation may be submitted to the Graduate School
- Copies may not be secured with clips, staples or rubber bands.
- Original Copies must be typewritten and on good quality paper, 25% or greater cotton bond is recommended.
- A D8 form with your committee chair’s signature must accompany the copies.
If you need to mail the paper copies, please mail to:
The Graduate School
c/o Betsy Sampson
421 Woods Hall
University of Missouri - St. Louis
One University Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63121
Final Approval from Graduate School
The Graduate School will give final approval on the D7 when:
- We have proof of completion of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only)
- We have approved your submission to UMI/Proquest
- Your advisor has approved the electronic copy submitted to http://etd.umsl.edu or you have submitted two paper copies and a D8.
- You have a zero balance on your student account. Charges for future coursework do not apply.
Personal Copies
The Graduate School will not accept any materials intended for personal copies or gift copies for the committee. Students may order from UMI/Proquest or inquire through The Graduate School about other resources for obtaining extra copies.
Copyright Information
Copyrighting is optional. You can register your copyright directly with the U.S. government at http://copyright.gov
Or
UMI/Proquest offers to file the registration for you. You would complete the information at the time of submission.
Questions?
Please contact Betsy Sampson in the Graduate School
(314) 516-5879