General Thesis and Dissertation Information

This website outlines the key steps and requirements for submitting your thesis or dissertation at San José State University. It is intended to help graduate students navigate the process efficiently.

Quick Thesis/Dissertation Guide

• Early Planning

  • • Form your committee.
    • Confirm if IRB, IACUC, or Biosafety approvals are needed.
    • Choose your graduation semester and review all key deadlines.
    • If using Montezuma Publishing for editing, begin that process before your defense.
    • Consider using a Montezuma Publishing formatting template to ensure your document meets university standards. Templates are available on their website.

• Formatting and Style

  • • Choose a style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) or follow your department's requirements.
    • Follow SJSU's 14 mandatory formatting rules, including margins, spacing, and page numbering.
    • Montezuma Publishing provides templates that can help with layout and formatting.

• Required Submission

  • (Due by 11:59 PM on the deadline).  Submit one email to thesis@sjsu.edu that includes:

    • Thesis or dissertation in PDF or Word format (no Google Docs)
    • Thesis Information Form (include style guide used)
    • Committee Approval Form (signed by all members)
    • SJSU License Agreement
    • Research protocol approvals (if required)
    • Copyright permissions (if applicable)

• Review and Publication

  • • Montezuma Publishing reviews your submission for formatting.
    • Make any required corrections by the publication deadline.
    • Upon approval, your work is submitted to ProQuest and SJSU ScholarWorks.

• Fees and Optional Services

  • • ProQuest submission fee: $45
    • Optional services from Montezuma Publishing:
    • Editing: $3 per page
    • Formatting: $3 per page
    • Editing and formatting combined: $ per page.
    • Printing and binding: pricing varies

• Graduation Completion Steps

  • • Committee submits the Graduate Verification of Culminating Experience form.
    • Your advisor updates your RP grade to CR.
    • Your degree is conferred once all requirements are met and your work is published.

• Additional Resources

  • • College of Graduate Studies Thesis Website
    • Complete Thesis and Dissertation Guide
    • Montezuma Publishing Services and Templates
    • Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations

Note: All corrections and payments must be submitted to Montezuma Publishing by 3:00 PM on the publication deadline.

Thesis/Dissertation Workshop Presentation