Thesis Handbook
Chapter II: The Deposit Process
To be eligible for degree conferral, a student whose program requires the completion of a thesis must deposit in the Graduate College Thesis Office, and the process of depositing the thesis should begin well in advance of the final deposit. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the guidelines described in the Thesis Handbook and to develop a plan for their deposit in conjunction with preparations to submit the thesis to their adviser or committee for final approval. A thesis will not be accepted for deposit until all required materials have been submitted and all corrections requested by the Graduate College Thesis Office have been made.
Worksheets and checklists have been provided in Appendix A to assist master’s and doctoral students in planning for their deposit.
Pre-Deposit Considerations
Departmental Requirements
Thesis deposit in the Graduate College Thesis Office is one degree requirement. Students should consult with their program regarding departmental requirements.
Fellowship Appointments
Students holding fellowships must notify the Graduate College Fellowship Office in advance of thesis deposit. Please refer to the campus fellowship policy in the Graduate College Handbook at www.grad.illinois.edu/gradhandbook/.
Further questions regarding assistantship policy should be addressed to the Graduate College Fellowship Office at (217) 333-0036 or gradfellowships@illinois.edu.
Assistantship Appointments
Effective spring 2008, students with assistantship appointments (RA, TA, GA, PPGA) are eligible to hold their assistantships through the end of the semester in which they deposit, regardless of the deposit date during that semester. Please refer to the campus assistantship policy in the Graduate College Handbook at www.grad.illinois.edu/gradhandbook/.
Further questions regarding assistantship policy should be addressed to the Graduate College Fellowship Office at (217) 333-0036 or gradfellowships@illinois.edu.
Depositing During the Summer
The majority of doctoral students graduating in October will deposit during the summer in order to start their academic appointments at the beginning of the fall semester. Doctoral students who intend to deposit during the summer are encouraged to plan their format review and final deposit such that they avoid the increased activity in the Thesis Office in the weeks immediately preceding the master’s deposit deadline for August graduation (typically the last Friday in July). The months of May and June present an ideal opportunity for doctoral students to visit the Thesis Office during a period of relatively quiet activity.
The Steps of the Deposit Process
Refer to the master’s or doctoral deposit planning worksheet in Appendix A as you read through the following description of the deposit process.
1. Registration Requirements
The Graduate College does not require students to be registered at the time of deposit.
For further information pertaining to research credit registration requirements, including registration for the doctoral final examination, registration for 0 hours of credit, and more, please refer to the Graduate College Handbook at www.grad.illinois.edu/gradhandbook/.
Students with additional questions regarding registration should contact Graduate Student Academic Services at (217) 333-2364.
Students with questions regarding registration issues related to visa status should contact the office of International Student and Scholar Services at (217) 333-1303.
2. Application for Graduation
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign confers graduate degrees four times each year: August, October, December, and May. Only master’s degrees are conferred in August.
All graduate students must apply for graduation prior to the application deadline. Deadlines for each term are posted at www.grad.illinois.edu/thesis/deadlines.htm. There is no penalty for applying for a particular graduation period and then not depositing by the deadline. However, your name will not be automatically rolled over to the next graduation list: You must reapply for graduation.
The Main Menu page of UI-Integrate Self-Service displays several tabs. Students can use one of these, “Graduation Information,” to add themselves to the Pending Degree List for the next degree conferral. This online option is only available to students during the first 10 days of each term. After that, students may apply for graduation by submitting an official Application for Degree form to their departmental office. This form is available online at www.grad.illinois.edu/forms/Application_for_Degree.pdf.
3. Title Page Check by Email
Refer to “Title Page Format Requirements" in Chapter III for information on title page format requirements.
See Appendix B for examples of master’s and doctoral title pages.
The Importance of an Early Title Page Check
Upon deposit, your thesis becomes part of your official academic record, and the Graduate College requires the information provided on your title page to agree with the information in the rest of your academic record. The name, previous degree(s), current degree, and major listed on your title page must all match exactly the information on file in the University’s records. UI-Integrate Self Service does not provide students with the University’s official record of their name.
Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to submit the title page to the Thesis Office well ahead of the adviser/committee approval and format review for the following reasons:
- A student may want to request a change to their University records (e.g., a name change request) so that their records will be updated to match the information on their title page. This process can be time-consuming.
- The name on the title page must exactly match (a) the official name on file in the University’s records and (b) the name as it appears on the Certificate of Committee Approval (CCA) and the Departmental Format Approval forms. Students should verify the official version of their name before obtaining signatures; they will not be permitted to deposit until the official version appears on all materials submitted with the thesis.
Submitting the Title Page by Email
Students may e-mail the title page as a PDF or MS Word file to thesis@illinois.edu (using “title page” for the subject line). The Thesis Office will respond to the student via email within two (2) business days regarding any necessary corrections and instructions for the next step.
A Thesis Format Review Form will be prepared and placed on file until your visit to the Graduate College Thesis Office for your format review.
Students should email only the title page. The Thesis Office does not accept emailed submissions of the entire thesis.
4. Adviser/Committee Approval
Students should prepare the Certificate of Committee Approval (CCA) before submitting the thesis for approval to an adviser or committee, proofreading carefully to ensure that the name and thesis title on the CCA exactly match the name and thesis title on the title page.
If changes are made to the title, a new CCA with the updated title should be prepared before the adviser or committee signs it. (See “Tips for Minimizing the Stress Related to Thesis Deposit” in Appendix A for additional considerations related to gathering signatures on the CCA.)
The CCA must contain all of the following:
- The student’s University Identification Number (UIN) in the upper right corner
- A date that includes month, day, and year. For master’s students the date should be either the date the thesis was approved by the research adviser or the date of the oral examination, if applicable.
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For doctoral students, this date must be the date of the final examination. A CCA form without the correct date of the final examination for a doctoral student will not be accepted.
- The student’s name, which must match exactly the name on the title page.
- The title of the thesis, which must match exactly the title on the title page.
- The required number of signatures. Master’s CCAs are required to have a minimum of two (2) signatures: the adviser and the department head. Signatures of members of a master’s committee, if applicable, are allowed but not required by the Graduate College.
Doctoral CCAs are required to have a minimum of six (6) signatures: the director of research, the department head, and at least four signatures in the committee section. Please note that if a student’s director of research is also a member of the student’s final exam committee, that person must sign the CCA twice: once on the director of research line and once in the committee section.
All signatures on the CCA must be original and must be on the same form. Electronic, faxed, stamped, or otherwise replicated signatures will not be accepted under any circumstances.
The use of erasers, correction fluids or correction tapes on this form is not permitted.
Refer to “Certificate of Committee Approval” in Chapter III for information on downloading the CCA.
5. Departmental Format Review
The format guidelines contained in the Thesis Handbook describe only Graduate College requirements for the student thesis. Many departments have additional, discipline-specific format requirements. To ensure that all departmental requirements have been met, a departmental format review must take place before the Graduate College Thesis Office format review.
Your department has a designated thesis reviewer. If you do not know who this individual is, check with your department or contact the Thesis Office. After your thesis has been approved by your adviser and you believe it is formatted correctly, you should contact this individual regarding the departmental format review.
Many departments have their own separate deadlines and procedures for the departmental format review. After you have made all corrections requested by your department, the departmental reviewer will provide you with a signed Departmental Format Approval form, which you will need to bring to the Graduate College for the Thesis Office format review.
The Thesis Office will not begin the format review of your thesis without the original of this signed form.
Refer to “Departmental Format Approval Form” in Chapter III for information on downloading this form.
It is the student’s responsibility to proofread his or her own thesis prior to the departmental review. See Appendix A for a sample proofreading checklist.
6. Thesis Office Format Review and Subsequent Visits
See Appendix A, or Step 7 below, for a list of items required for the final deposit.
Students are expected to have read the Thesis Handbook prior to their visit to the Thesis Office and to be aware of the items they will need to submit with their final deposit. Preparation is the key to minimizing the stress related to the format review and deposit process.
After finishing the departmental format review, bring a hard copy of your entire thesis and your signed Departmental Format Approval form to the Thesis Office. Sign in at the Graduate College reception desk on the second floor of Coble Hall; students are seen order of their arrival. Thesis Office staff will review your thesis with you and will note any format changes required for deposit. You will then receive the Thesis Format Review Form that lists required changes to your thesis.
Do not lose the Thesis Format Review Form. You must bring it to all follow-up reviews in the Thesis Office and for the final deposit. Failure to bring this form on subsequent visits will require a new format review by the Thesis Office and could potentially delay your deposit.
A thesis will not be accepted for deposit until all corrections requested by the Graduate College Thesis Office have been made and all required materials have been submitted.
It is the student’s responsibility to proofread his or her own thesis prior to the Graduate College Thesis Office format review. See Appendix A for a sample proofreading checklist.
7. Deposit
Deposit your thesis and all required materials in the Graduate College Thesis Office during regular office hours (see “Thesis Office Activities and Hours of Operation” in Chapter I) prior to the deposit deadline. There are no exceptions to deposit deadlines.
Materials Required for Master's Candidates:
- Two (2) single-sided, unbound copies of the thesis on plain white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
- Two (2) pocket folders that hold 8.5 x 11-inch paper. Do not use legal-size (8.5 x 14-inch) folders. Each copy of the thesis should be in a pocket folder for protection during storage and shipping to the University Library. Acceptable folders are available in several campus bookstores and local office supply stores.
- Two (2) extra title pages.
- One (1) original Departmental Format Approval form, signed. The student’s name on this form must exactly match the student’s name on the title page, and it must be typed or laser-printed. Refer to “Departmental Format Review” in Chapter II and “Departmental Format Approval Form” in Chapter III for important information regarding this form.
- One (1) original Certificate of Committee Approval form, signed by department head and adviser. The student’s name and thesis title on this form must exactly match the student’s name and thesis title on the title page, and they must be typed or laser-printed. Refer to “Adviser/Committee Approval” in Chapter II and “Certificate of Committee Approval” in Chapter III for important information regarding this form.
- One (1) copy of any permission letters for use of previously copyrighted material, if any such material is included in the thesis. Students are encouraged to make inquiries regarding copyright ownership of any previously published material well in advance of their deposit. Refer to Chapter IV, “Intellectual Property Considerations,” for important information regarding copyright and requesting permission.
- $20 deposit fee. This fee will be charged to your student account within 3 to 5 business days after your thesis has been deposited. The Thesis Office does not accept payment of any kind.
- (Optional) Graduate College Exit Survey. This survey is an important opportunity for students to relay their graduate experience at the University of Illinois to the Graduate College. Find a copy of this form at www.grad.illinois.edu/forms/ExitSurvey.pdf.
Materials Required for Doctoral Candidates:
- Two (2) single-sided, unbound copies of the thesis on plain white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
- Two (2) pocket folders that hold 8.5 x 11-inch paper. Do not use legal-size (8.5 x 14-inch) folders. Each copy of the thesis should be in a pocket folder for protection during storage and shipping to the University Library. Acceptable folders are available in several campus bookstores and local office supply stores.
- Three (3) extra title pages.
- One (1) original Departmental Format Approval form, signed. The student’s name on this form must exactly match the student’s name on the title page, and it must be typed or laser-printed. Refer to “Departmental Format Review” in Chapter II and “Departmental Format Approval Form” in Chapter III for important information regarding this form.
- One (1) original Certificate of Committee Approval form, signed by the entire committee. The student’s name and thesis title on this form must exactly match the student’s name and thesis title on the title page, and they must be typed or laser-printed. Refer to “Adviser/Committee Approval” in Chapter II and “Certificate of Committee Approval” in Chapter III for important information regarding this form.
- Two (2) copies of any permission letters for use of previously copyrighted material, if any such material is included in the thesis. Students are encouraged to make inquiries regarding copyright ownership of any previously published material well in advance of their deposit. Refer to Chapter IV, “Intellectual Property Considerations,” for important information regarding copyright and requesting permission.
- One (1) completed ProQuest/UMI Publishing Agreement, signed by student. Refer to “ProQuest/UMI Publishing Agreement” in Chapter III for important information on downloading the agreement and selecting a publishing option.
- One (1) ProQuest-formatted abstract for publication in Dissertation Abstracts International. Refer to “ProQuest Abstract” in Chapter III for formatting requirements for the ProQuest abstract. This item is not a part of the thesis.
- $95 deposit fee. This fee will be charged to your student account within 3 to 5 business days after your thesis has been deposited. The Thesis Office does not accept payment of any kind.
- Survey of Earned Doctorates. Refer to “Survey of Earned Doctorates” in Chapter III for information on downloading and completing this item.
- (Optional) Graduate College Exit Survey. This survey is an important opportunity for students to relay their graduate experience at the University of Illinois to the Graduate College. Find a copy of this form at www.grad.illinois.edu/forms/ExitSurvey.pdf.
Post-Deposit Considerations
Update Your Address Information
Diplomas are mailed to graduates approximately 9 weeks after the degree conferral. To ensure delivery of the diploma to the correct location, students should go to the following link before leaving campus to enter a “Diploma Address”: https://apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice/. If there is no “Diploma Address” in your record, the diploma will be sent to your “Mailing Address.”
Access to Email After Deposit
For information regarding discontinuation of access to email and other network services, please refer to the following Web page of Campus Information Technologies and Educational Services (CITES): www.cites.illinois.edu/accounts/leaving.html.
Students with further questions regarding email and network access should contact the CITES Help Desk at (800) 531-2531.
Certification of Degree
Prior to the date of degree conferral, a student may need verification that he or she has completed all requirements for the degree (e.g., for employment or visa renewal). The University’s Office of Admissions and Records issues such evidence in the form of a Certification of Degree Letter (CDL).
After you have completed all degree requirements, including the deposit of your thesis, you may request a CDL by downloading the “Request for Certification of Degree Letter,” which can be found at www.grad.uiuc.edu/forms/Cert_of_Deg.pdf. Fill out the form and bring it to the Graduate College Thesis Office for verification that the thesis has been deposited. You must then submit the form to your department for verification that you have met all departmental requirements for graduation. The department will then send the form to the Office of the Registrar for processing. Students may not deliver the form to Office of the Registrar.
Each term there is a deadline to request the CDL that corresponds to the date on which degrees will be posted to the transcripts. Students who miss the deadline but cannot wait to receive the diploma in the mail can request a transcript when their degree is posted. To do this, visit www.registrar.illinois.edu/transcripts/index.html and follow the instructions. You must pay for each transcript copy.
Note: The Graduate College Thesis Office can only verify thesis deposit; under no circumstances will the Thesis Office issue a statement of degree completion.
Participation in Commencement Ceremonies
For more information about participation in the campuswide ceremonies and convocations sponsored by colleges, schools, or departments, contact the Commencement Office at (217) 333-8834 or visit their Web page at www.illinois.edu/commencement/.
Binding of Personal Copies
The two copies of your thesis that you deposit in the Thesis Office become the property of the University of Illinois and will be forwarded to the University Library. The Thesis Office does not provide or distribute thesis copies to students or departments. If you want to have copies of your thesis bound for yourself, your family, or your adviser, you will need to procure them independently. Three options are:
- Book binderies. At present, the Lincoln Bookbindery is the only local company that does hardcover binding. Contact Lincoln Bookbindery at (217) 328-2613 or visit their Web site at www.lincolnbindery.com for further information. You can search for additional binderies in other locations on the Web.
- Copy shops. Local copy shops (e.g., Kinko’s and UpClose Copies) can make softcover copies.
- (Doctoral students only) ProQuest. ProQuest provides an order form for hardbound copies in its publication Publishing Your Graduate Work with UMI Dissertation Publishing. The ProQuest order form is available at www.grad.illinois.edu/forms/diss_pub/1-07dpa-4.pdf.
ProQuest advises students to allow 2 to 3 months after the end of the semester in which they deposited before anticipating delivery of their hardbound copies. Students who wish to inquire about the status of their ordered copies should contact ProQuest directly at (800) 521-0600, ext. 7020.
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