{"id":95222,"date":"2023-10-19T10:22:03","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T14:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/?page_id=95222"},"modified":"2026-04-07T11:20:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:20:52","slug":"masters-program-research-thesis-capstone-and-dissertation-information","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/academics\/masters-program-research-thesis-capstone-and-dissertation-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Master&#8217;s Program Research, Thesis, and Capstone Information"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">General Research and Thesis Information<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p><span>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.\u00a0 A diploma application must be submitted prior to this step.<\/span> <strong><em>Use only the Thesis template GMS provides, do not use any other templates.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2023\/10\/PhD-Completion-of-Degree-Checklist.xlsx\"><\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/guide\/theses\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Mugar Library Webpage for Thesis and Dissertations<\/span><\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/library.bu.edu\/ld.php?content_id=30310050\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Guide for Writers of Dissertation and Thesis<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/files\/2016\/12\/GMS-THESIS-GUIDELINE-landscape-page-numbering-1.pdf\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">GMS Thesis Guideline Landscape Page Numbering<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/academics\/gms-faculty\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">GMS Graduate Educators and Mentors\u00a0List<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>IRB 101 for BUMC Graduate Students IRB Submission\u00a0with Mary-Tara Roth, Director, Clinical Research Resources Office (CRRO). View \u00a0Video Recording\u00a0or\u00a0Slides.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/researchsupport\/compliance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Research Support<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/buniverse\/search\/?q=&amp;sort=created_on&amp;view=detailed&amp;owner=dioa\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Video Tutorials for Thesis &amp; Dissertation Electronic Submission<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>The Mugar Library requires that a<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>copyright page<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>be added to all theses\/dissertations.\u00a0 Please add a copyright page after the title page and include it on the Table of Contents.\u00a0 Make sure you re-number all the preliminary pages appropriately.\u00a0 Adding the copyright page does not mean you must register for copyright.\u00a0 You can find a sample of the copyright page in the Masters Thesis Prepage Template (updated Jan\/2014).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2024\/05\/STUDENT-FORMAT-REVIEW-CHECKLIST.docx\"><\/a><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2025\/06\/Student-Format-Review-Checklist.docx\">Student Format Review Checklist<\/a><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2025\/03\/Student-Format-Review-Checklist.pdf\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2024\/07\/MAC-Landscape-Instructions-3.28.24.docx\">MAC Landscape Instructions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2025\/06\/Dissertation-and-Thesis-Formatting-Tips-2025-1.docx\">Dissertation and Thesis Formatting Tips 2025<\/a><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2023\/12\/Dissertation-and-Thesis-Formatting-Tips-2023.docx\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2024\/12\/Spellcheck-Tutorial.pdf\">Spellcheck Tutorial<\/a><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2023\/12\/Spellcheck-Tutorial.pdf\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Do not use google documents to write your thesis.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>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<span>\u00a0<\/span><span><a href=\"mailto:theses@bu.edu\">theses@bu.edu<\/a><\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0(617) 353-9387.<\/li>\n<li>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<span>\u00a0<\/span><span><a href=\"mailto:theses@bu.edu\">theses@bu.edu<\/a><\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0(617) 353-9387.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220307182016\/https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/files\/2016\/03\/Requesting-Circulation-Restriction-Thesis-or-Dissertation-sample-letter.pdf\"><span><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2025\/10\/Sample-Embargo-Letter-Requesting-Circulation-Restriction-for-Thesis-or-Dissertation-1.pdf\">Sample-Embargo-Letter-Requesting-Circulation-Restriction-for-Thesis-or-Dissertation<\/a> 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 \u2013 embargo options are one year or two years.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 <em><strong>Signature from the GMS\u00a0 Associate Dean will be obtained by the GMS Registrar.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Master's GMS Thesis Template &amp; Capstone Information<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"\/gms\/files\/2023\/11\/2022-MEDThesisTemplate.docx\">GMS Thesis Template 2022<\/a>\n<ol>\n<li>NOTE: The Research Guide For Writers Of Theses (#1 above) There is no longer a word limit to the length of the abstract, but please be concise.<\/li>\n<li>NOTE: Minimum length for<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>MAMS theses<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>is 40 pages (research thesis) or 45 pages (literature thesis), excluding the Prepages, Appendices, References and Vita.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/brt\/curriculum\/capstone-form-biomedical-research-technologies\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Biomedical Research Technologies Capstone Information<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/mscr\/current-students\/capstone\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Clinical Research Capstone Project, Practicum and Directed Study Information<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/genetic-counseling\/curriculum\/capstones\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Genetic Counseling Capstone Project Information<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/hpe\/current-students\/practicum-and-capstone-guidelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Health Professions Education Practicum and Capstone Guidelines<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/ohs\/current-students\/research\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Oral Health Sciences Capstone &amp; Thesis Information<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Required Plagiarism Check Prior to Thesis Submission<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p><span><strong>All capstone, and thesis documents must be scanned using Turnitin plagiarism detection software prior to final submission to your Program\/ Department and the Registrar.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Turnitin similarity report must be approved by your mentor, advisor, first reader (BU faculty) or external committee member(s) depending on the GMS program.<\/li>\n<li>Turnitin similarity report must be submitted to your program director prior to thesis submission to the registrar<\/li>\n<li>This is the student\u2019s responsibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/academics\/research-thesis-dissertation\/turnitin\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Turnitin Directions<\/a>:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 Turnitin compares your work with existing online publications and allows you to confidentially check your written work for potential plagiarism.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 \u00a0Directions and tips for usage can be<span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/academics\/research-thesis-dissertation\/turnitin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">found here<\/span>.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>PROBLEMS:<\/strong> If you are having difficulty submitted a second or third trial of a paper\/thesis, please wait a couple hours before trying again.\u00a0 Clear your cache and try a different browser.\u00a0 Often that will solve the problem.\u00a0 Students should be able to upload a draft 3 times in 24 hours, but sometimes you need to do need to clear your cache or change browsers to be successful<\/p>\n<p>If you have problems with Turnitin, especially due to previous publications raising your similarity index,\u00a0 please reach out <span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"mailto:tdavies@bu.edu\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\" rel=\"noopener\">tdavies@bu.edu<\/a> <\/span>for assistance<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dli\/2021\/07\/22\/turnitin-draft-coach-for-google-docs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Google Doc Turnitin Draft Coach<\/span>:<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 If you use Google Doc for writing your paper, you also have the option to use<span>\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dli\/2021\/07\/22\/turnitin-draft-coach-for-google-docs\/\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Google Doc Turnitin Draft Coach<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span>for checking the<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>initial drafts<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>of your work. However, note that as a requirement for submitting your thesis, you should generate and download the Turnitin similarity report through this GMS Plagiarism Check Blackboard course.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Thesis Electronic Signatures<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Electronic Signatures For MA &amp; MS Students:<\/strong><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/files\/2022\/02\/Provisional-acceptance.pdf\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Provisional acceptanc<\/span>e<\/a>\u00a0by Boston University Libraries of\u00a0electronic\u00a0signatures in lieu of original signatures on the separately submitted and signed Readers\u2019 Approval pages through electronic signatures or signature images have been extended for theses and dissertations for the<strong> January 2024<\/strong>\u00a0graduation deadline. There are several options for signature, such as electronic via Adobe Acrobat or inserting a signature image.\u00a0 The students should work with their first and second readers to find the best solution and follow guidelines sent by the GMS Registrar\u2019s Office <span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"mailto:GMSRegistrar@bu.edu\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">GMSRegistrar@bu.edu.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">BU Open Access Information and ProQuest<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/open.bu.edu\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Open BU<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/help\/openbu\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Open Access Information<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/help\/openbu\/openbu-faq\/\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Open Access FAQ\u2019s<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/files\/2011\/05\/EmbargoesETDFAQ.pdf\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">FAQ: Embargoes &amp; Electronic Theses &amp; Dissertations (ETD)<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol><\/ol>\n<p><strong>ProQuest Dissertations &amp; Theses<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Theses electronically submitted in 2014 or later are now searchable via <span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/search.proquest.com.ezproxy.bu.edu\/pqdtft\/advanced?accountid=9676#top\" style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Proquest<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":20706,"featured_media":0,"parent":43092,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/95222"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20706"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95222"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/95222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107226,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/95222\/revisions\/107226"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/43092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/gms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}