Thesis Information

We strongly encourage you to use LaTeX for your thesis or dissertation. Even if you are just learning LaTeX, this will save you a great deal of time and effort on formatting and reduce related delays to graduation. 

You may install a LaTeX compiler on your system or use an online system (e.g., this template and style has been tested in Overleaf, which is free and does not require installation). 

Using MS Word for a thesis is deprecated and the old template is not being maintained, but is here for diehard fans of difficult formatting challenges.  Using this package does not ensure that the thesis will satisfy the Graduate School requirements. It is deprecated specifically because standard things done in theses will break the template and create a very difficult to format thesis. 

All format checking is performed after you upload your thesis or dissertation to ProQuest. We recommend you upload a copy (searchable pdf) when you send your first copy to your advisor. 

You should read the ProQuest section on copyright at http://www.proquest.com/products-services/dissertations/submitting-dissertation-proquest.html and the linked document Copyright and Your Dissertation or Thesis: Ownership, Fair Use, and Your Rights and Responsibilities that you will find in the ProQuest page. These documents provide excellent guidance on copyright law in the United States for academic work. Legally, we must follow the law and it is easier for you to prepare to meet the copyright requirements as you proceed with your research rather than have to address them at the completion stage. 

What must be completed	Recommended Date	Required Date
Submit Intent to Graduate Form to registrar (see forms)		6 months prior to expected completion
Draft independent study/thesis/dissertation to graduate research advisor	8 weeks before Defense
Defense copy of independent study/thesis/dissertationto graduate committee	2 weeks before Defense
Defense copy of thesis/dissertation in pdf format submitted to ProQuest for format check/correction		2 weeks before Defense
Defense: independent study/thesis/dissertation defense	3 weeks before Completion
Make corrections to independent study/thesis/dissertation resulting in final version -- watch for emails and check carefully that all corrections are completed before resubmitting.
iThenticate check of final versions of thesis/dissertation (or independent study for MST) by academic advisor. Student must submit all copyright permission forms to advisor before the check can occur. The report must be signed by the advisor and submitted with completion paperwork.	2-3 weeks before Completion
Get committee signatures for completion	2-3 weeks before Completion	2 weeks before Completion
Completion: All paperwork signed and delivered to CGS; pdf version of final thesis/dissertation (correctly formatted) submitted to ProQuest AND advisor must submit iThenticate report		10 business days before completion (see NOTES below)

• Completion NOTES
• • During the semester: 10 business days before the last day of final exams or proposed completion date.
  • During the semester to be conferred at graduation in May: 10 business days before the last day of final exams;
  • Between semesters: 10 business days before the first day of class in the subsequent semester (spring, summer, or fall)

Thesis/Dissertation Manuscript Requirements  

All theses and dissertations must be submitted via the NMT ProQuest site.

Every thesis and dissertation will be checked for plagiarism before it is accepted. If you are found to have plagiarized your thesis or dissertation, you will be suspend from the program. Read the Academic Honesty Policy and Guide to Conduct and Citizenship for Graduate Students is found in the current Student Handbook on the Catalogs page. If you have questions, get help; do not commit academic dishonesty.