Boston College Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

If you are in a Master's degree program that requires a thesis, you must turn in your completed thesis into the Dean's Office by the date indicated on the Academic Calendar, in order to qualify for graduation.

You must make sure that your graduation date listed in Agora matches the semester you plan to graduate. If you plan to graduate and your graduation date is not correct you must contact Associate Dean Candace Hetzner to have this corrected.

Follow the Thesis Checklist below to ensure you have completed all requirements.

For May 2008 graduation, the deadline for submission is April 1st.

Please submit your thesis to the Grad A&S Dean's Office.
The best time to do this is during the following hours:
MWF: 9am-12pm and 2pm-5pm
TTh: 9am-10am and 12pm-5pm

***********************************************
CLICK HERE to obtain the thesis forms available online.
***********************************************

Thesis Checklist

UMI Agreement

UMI Info

Information Form

Payment

2 unbound copies of your thesis:

One copy printed on archive-quality paper (20 lb. bond minimum, acid-free), which is currently available in our bookstore.

The other copy must be a clean photocopy.

The two copies must include,

in the following order:
(Click for examples only)

Original Signature Page

Title Page

Abstract

You must also provide:
2 additional copies of the Title Page
1 additional copy of the Abstract

A message from

Associate Dean Candace Hetzner

Congratulations on nearing the end of your graduate work at Boston College!

If you have any questions about the format of your thesis, please contact the Dean's Office, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, McGuinn 221, (617) 552-3268. A thesis that does not conform to the following minimum standards may be returned to the candidate, and the awarding of the degree delayed.

Payment
The fee for theses includes the mandatory cost of microfilm and binding. The exact amount paid in cash or by check (payable to Boston College) must be presented when you submit your thesis:

$ 90- without copyright option

$ 135- with copyright option

Signature Page

Type in the names of your advisor and readers as designated under the signature line; and print out two copies of this form. Both pages will be signed on the first line by the thesis advisor and then by the designated readers, one reader (in addition to the advisor) is required for a Master's thesis. Both copies of your thesis submitted to GSAS must include these two originals pages; photocopies are not acceptable.

Traditional Title Page

The Title Page must conform to this sample; if it does not, the Graduate School reserves the right to require this page be redone. Make sure that the title of your thesis is concise and meaningful. Sample Title Page

Regardless of which option you select with UMI, this page is required and must conform to this sample; if it does not, the Graduate School reserves the right to require this page to be redone. Sample Copyright Page

Abstract

The abstract must include the title of your thesis, your name, and that of your thesis advisor as the heading.

The abstract must be double-spaced in the same type font as the text of your thesis.

Thesis Form & Style

The Signature Page, Traditional Title Page, Copyright Page and the Abstract must not be numbered.

The Graduate School does not require use of one particular style manual. This decision is up to the student and advisor. Make sure that you consistently follow one method of reference and bibliographic notation throughout your thesis.

The typing of all textual material must be letter-quality, clear, dark black, and double-spaced on one side of the page; notes, bibliographic references, and long quotations may be single-spaced. The font size must be at least 10 point. While the font size and style should be consistent throughout your text, the notes, bibliographic references, and long quotations may be in a size smaller than your text, but must still be at least 10 point. The use of correction fluids and tapes is not acceptable.

Margins & Page Numbers

Page Numbers must be 1 inch from paper edge on top or bottom of page. Left Margin & Margin with Page Numbers must be 1.5 inches. Right Margin & Remaining Top or Bottom Margin (whichever does not contain page numbers) must be 1 inch. These margins must be strictly maintained throughout your work.

Pagination

The signature page, the traditional title page, the copyright page and the abstract cannot be numbered and should be submitted in this order. Table of Contents, Acknowledgments, lists of tables, etc. are considered the introductory material of the manuscript (and are optional) and therefore the pages should be numbered in lower case Roman numerals (i, ii, etc.). Every page of the body of your thesis, after the introductory material, must be sequentially numbered.

Charts, Graphs, Tables

Illustrative material should be produced in black ink. Colors should not be used for shading or in graphs, but should be replaced with labels or cross-hatching. Photographs should be high-contrast black and white, and be affixed with dry mounting tissue or high-quality glue. Over-sized material may be used if carefully folded to 8 1/2 x 11 inches.

Revised February 2008