PhD Program Research and Dissertation (Thesis) Information

All Boston University theses and dissertations are submitted to the library electronically. Submitting your thesis or dissertation to Boston University Libraries is the last step to fulfill at the University before you graduate and are awarded your degree.  A diploma application must be submitted prior to this step. Use only the Dissertation template GMS provides, do not use any other templates.  

PhD Completion of Degree Checklist

1. Mugar Library Webpage for Thesis and Dissertations
   • Guide for Writers of Dissertation and Thesis
   • GMS Thesis Guideline Landscape Page Numbering
2. GMS Faculty List
3. IRB 101 for BUMC Graduate Students IRB Submission with Mary-Tara Roth, Director, Clinical Research Resources Office (CRRO). View  Video Recording or Slides.  Video Tutorials for Thesis & Dissertation Electronic Submission
4. The Mugar Library requires that a copyright page be added to all theses/dissertations.  Please add a copyright page after the title page and include it on the Table of Contents.  Make sure you re-number all the preliminary pages appropriately.  Adding the copyright page does not mean you must register for copyright.  You can find a sample of the copyright page in the Masters Thesis Prepage Template (updated Jan/2014).
5. Dissertation and Thesis Formatting Tips 2025
6. MAC Landscape Instructions
7. Spellcheck Tutorial
8. Do not use google documents to write your thesis.  
9. Sample Embargo Letter Requesting Circulation Restriction for Thesis or Dissertation Most students do not request delayed circulation however if desired (due to special circumstances such as a pending patent), you will need to submit an Embargo letter requesting Circulation Restriction – embargo options are one year or two years.  Embargo letter must be signed by student and primary reader and submitted to the GMS Registrar with the final thesis/dissertation paperwork by the deadline.  Signature from the GMS Provost will be obtained by the GMS Registrar.
10. When graduate students submit a dissertation to the Library via the online ETD Administrator, they are now able to complete the process with an online payment. If you have any questions about this service you can contact Brendan McDermott, Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator at theses@bu.edu or (617) 353-9387.

1. MDPHD Student Transitioning to M3 Curriculum 2024
2. MDPHD Abstract Template
3. MDPhD DissertationTemplate
4. MDPhD Completion of Degree Checklist
5. PhD Dissertation Template 2022
6. PhD Completion of Degree Checklist
7. BU Library Student Resources

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All capstone, thesis and dissertation documents must be scanned using Turnitin plagiarism detection software prior to final submission to your Program/ Department and the Registrar.

• Turnitin similarity report must be approved by your mentor, advisor, first reader (BU faculty) or external committee member(s) depending on the GMS program.
• Turnitin similarity report must be submitted to your program director prior to thesis/dissertation submission to the registrar
• This is the student’s responsibility.

Turnitin Directions:  Turnitin compares your work with existing online publications and allows you to confidentially check your written work for potential plagiarism.  With a close inspection of the Turnitin results, you may also identify incorrect quotations and missing citations. All students have access to the online tool throughout their time in GMS.   Directions and tips for usage can be found here.

If you have problems with Turnitin please reach out to Dr. Theresa Davies for assistance ( tdavies@bu.edu )

Google Doc Turnitin Draft Coach:  If you use Google Doc for writing your paper, you also have the option to use Google Doc Turnitin Draft Coach for checking the initial drafts of your work. However, note that as a requirement for submitting your thesis or dissertation, you should generate and download the Turnitin similarity report through this GMS Plagiarism Check Blackboard course.

The Deadline: to submit a dissertation will be set by the GMS Registrar.  Do not submit prior to Dissertation/Thesis format review has been done by GMS Registrar.

PhD and MD/PhD students graduating and needing to collect electronic signatures from their dissertation readers on their Readers’ Approval page: GMS in collaboration with BU Libraries, has launched an initiative to simplify the collection of electronic signatures.

DocuSign for the use of PhD & MD/PhD Students Only:  Once a doctoral student has successfully completed their defense and format review, they will be instructed to fill out a webform to initiate the signing of their readers’ approval page through DocuSign. The student will enter their name, BU email address, and then the contact information for their readers. Their readers will then be sent emails from DocuSign, all at the same time, letting them know to sign the form. Once the form has been completely signed, a copy is automatically sent to GMS Registrars, the Libraries, and to the student.

Please go to the following link:  Docusign for PhD & MD/PhD Dissertations

Open BU

1. 1. 1. 1. Open Access Information
         2. Open Access FAQ’s
         3. FAQ: Embargoes & Electronic Theses & Dissertations (ETD)

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

1. 1. 1. 1. Theses and Dissertations electronically submitted in 2014 or later are now searchable via Proquest