Submission of the thesis
How to Submit your Thesis Short Course
This short course is presented by staff from the Hub-SAS (Research) with the Graduate School. It is a 1.5-2 hour presentation that summarises the most important aspects in submitting your thesis both prior to examination and your finalised thesis. Current presentation slides and link to the Short Courses for research are given below:
First Submission/pre-Viva Thesis Submission to the Hub
Deadlines
Students wishing to graduate at the degree congregation in July must submit three copies of their thesis not later than 1 May* in any one academic year.
Students wishing to graduate at the degree congregation in December must submit three copies of their thesis not later than 1 October* in any one academic year.
*or the nearest University working day directly after this date.
It should be appreciated that even if you do submit by these dates it cannot be guaranteed that the examination process (viva and sign off of all corrections) will have been completed in time for you to graduate at that ceremony.
It is important to note, your thesis submission to the University is only complete when we are receipt of all applicable thesis copies for examination plus all relevant paperwork. Submitting to a printing/binding service or even your Supervisor is not your formal submission to the University.
Temporary Binding of the Thesis (before the Viva/Exam)
The thesis presented in temporary binding should be perfectly bound with black covers and a black spine and not ring-bound nor presented in folders.
Please refer to the section on Style and layout of the thesis
Arrangements for Printing and Binding
Students should use the printing and binding service provided by Copyzone which is now based within Imprint + Design in WB07 Richmond Building. Each copy of the thesis must be printed on good-quality (100 gsm weight) white paper and not photocopied.
http://www.inprintdesign.com/copyzone/index.html
The thesis must be printed and bound according to University standards. Any thesis not produced according to University standards will be rejected. To avoid disappointment and additional expense, please ensure your thesis complies with University of Bradford Research Regulations.
Front cover and spine
The lettering on the temporary bound copies is done in white on black card.
The bound thesis (both temporary and permanent) must have on the front cover:
- the full name of the candidate
- the title of the thesis (exactly the same as the approved title)
- the name of the degree for which the thesis is submitted
- the year of submission.
On the spine there must be the following printed downwards so that it can be read when the book lies flat, face upwards:
- the name of the candidate (surname or family name and initials)
- the name of the degree
- the year of submission
The approved sub-title must appear on the title page underneath the title, but not on the cover of the thesis. Please do not include any other qualification titles you have received within the title/cover pages of the thesis.
Here you will find a specimen layout of the front cover, spine and title page of the thesis:
specimen layout for front cover, spine and title page (20 KB)
What to include with your Thesis
- Three bound copies of the thesis (these are normally temporarily bound prior to the Viva/Exam). These copies are sent to two Examiners and the Principal Supervisor by the Hub-Student Administration and Support (Research).
- Three copies of any other material which is being submitted with the thesis
- Thesis Submission Form which certifies the work is an original work produced by you (this form is provided when you submit or emailed to you if you away from the University when submitting your thesis)
In addition, you may require:
- A Declaration of English Langugage Assistance in Compiling a Thesis
- A Certificate where part or all of the research was undertaken away from University, signed by the External Supervisor or responsible person, that the thesis consists of the student's own work (this is normally done as a statement signed by the appropriate person and is bound within the thesis)
- If the work was done in co-operation with others, the candidates contribution must be certified in a statement by the candidate as to the share which the candidate has personally taken in the work (this is normally done as a statement signed by the student and is bound within the thesis)
Staff candidates with two External Examiners may wish to consider providing the Internal Chair (link person) with a temporary bound copy of the thesis. Providing this extra copy is optional. This copy can be given direct to the member of staff concerned. At minimum the Staff candidate must provide the Link Person with their Thesis Abstract and Table of Contents.
Students must bring along to their Viva Voce an additional copy of the thesis, paged in exactly the same way as the three copies submitted to the Hub-SAS (Research). This copy is for your own reference during the Viva.
Please note: candidates can choose to present their pre-exam submission in permanently bound form (ready for the Library), however this is not recommended due to the cost involved. That is, nearly all examiners require some changes to the thesis after examination and many mark-up a thesis.
Additional material and appendices
Where applicable, diagrams, maps and similar documents may be submitted in a portfolio of any size but must bear the particulars as shown on the thesis cover and spine.
Where it is necessary to include a substantial amount of support material within a thesis, such information may be contained in an appendix which depending on the size, can form a second volume. Alternatively, or in addition, material may be held in non-paper format (CD-ROM or DVD). Use a permanent marker to label the disc (clearly marked with the your name, UB number, School and thesis title), not a sticky label, and store the disc in a pocket attached to the inside back cover of the thesis. This is subject to Examiners being able to view the content as part of the assessment should they wish to do so. It should be stated in the thesis, at the appropriate point, what software has been used.
Re-submission of the Thesis after First Viva/Exam
If your Examiners have recommended an outcome of Revise and Re-present of your thesis, the process above detailing pre-viva submission must be followed again.
Student Administration and Support are responsible for submitting revised theses to Examiners - no person is allowed to send an unbound copy of a revised thesis to the Examiners prior to formal re-submission.
For further details on Revisions to the thesis, please see Amendments to the thesis.
Final Submission after the Viva/Exam (when the thesis has been finalised) to the Hub
Deadlines
Generally the sign-off of all examination paperwork (this is arranged by academic Schools) has to be with SAS (Research) at least 3-4 weeks before the start of any award ceremony period. The exact deadline in every academic year for each set of ceremonies is always circulated to Schools/Departments in advance. Furthermore, Schools (via the relevant PGR Administrator) select students for ceremony, not SAS (Research), as they will be aware of submission/viva dates (in advance of examination).
The final submission must be with SAS (Research) at least two weeks before the Award Ceremony.
Permanently bound copies of the thesis
- Two permanently bound copies of the thesis with hard covers - perfectly bound (fixed black binding in which the sheets are sewn) with cloth-covered boards in black as per Research Regulations.
- One electronic copy of the thesis on a disk (please make sure your full name, thesis title and School is written on the cover or case for the disk and your name is written on the disk itself). This electronic version will ultimately be available online unless restrictions apply
- An Electronic Thesis/Deposit Agreement Form granting the University the right to make the thesis available online
Please refer to the section on Style and layout of the thesis.
The thesis must be printed and bound according to University standards. Any thesis not produced according to University standards will be rejected. To avoid disappointment and additional expense, please ensure your thesis complies with University of Bradford Research Regulations.
Front cover and spine
The lettering on the permanently bound copies is done in gold on black hard covers.
The bound thesis (both temporary and permanent) must have on the front cover:
- the full name of the candidate
- the title of the thesis (exactly the same as the approved title)
- the name of the degree for which the thesis is submitted
- the year of submission.
On the spine there must be the following printed downwards so that it can be read when the book lies flat, face upwards:
- the name of the candidate (surname or family name and initials)
- the name of the degree
- the year of submission
The approved sub-title must appear on the title page underneath the title, but not on the cover of the thesis. Please do not include any other qualification titles you have received within the title/cover pages of the thesis.
Here you will find a specimen layout of the front cover, spine and title page of the thesis:
specimen layout for front cover, spine and title page (20 KB)
Electronic version of the thesis on disk
The thesis must be submitted as one or more Word files. Appendices will be accepted in alternative formats where appropriate.
The physical media of submission required is CD-ROM or DVD.
On the disk there should be a separate Word file containing the abstract, keywords and Principal and Associate Supervisors' names.
Before you submit the electronic version please make sure all files including Appendices and any supporting material contained in the bound thesis are included on the disk. The the files or not locked and that they can be opened properly from the disk. Use a permanent marker to label the disc (clearly marked with the your name, UB number, School and thesis title), not a sticky label.
The electronic version of the thesis must include any supporting material which has been submitted with the thesis
Arrangements for Printing and Binding
Students should use the printing and binding service provided by Copyzone which is now based within Imprint + Design in WB07 Richmond Building. Each copy of the thesis must be printed on good-quality (100 gsm weight) white paper and not photocopied.
http://www.inprintdesign.com/copyzone/index.html
Theses for permanent binding taken to the Copyzone are usually returned in a week but please check pick-up day direct with the Copyzone.
Copyright and Licensing
The Library has some useful advice in terms of Copyright and thesis submission - particularly in reference to electronic availability of the thesis through the University's online repository Bradford Scholars
Restriction of Access to Theses in Library and Digital Repository
It is hoped that questions around Intellectual Property are undertaken (including discussions around any proposed restriction of access to thesis) well in advance of thesis submission and the University's Statement of Principals and Regulations are detailed here: Intellectual Property Rights of students
Award Pending Letters
All examination paperwork (including confirmation of completion of minor corrections to the thesis) is completed and signed in your School and then sent to Student Administration and Support (Research) for passing on to Research Degrees Committee for approval. After receipt by SAS (Research) you should allow up to four weeks for your Award Pending Letter to be issued, at which stage your award only remains subject to the formal and routine approval by the University Senate (Senate does not meet until one week before the awards ceremonies). This letter will include your viva date and can be shown to employers and sponsors.
Graduation
For Graduation, students are required to clear all debts to the University and research certificates will be withheld until the permanently bound final copies, electronic copy and Thesis/Deposit Agreement Form have been submitted to the Hub. Please note, it is advisable that students retain their submission receipt for future reference.
The final Award Letter will be issued together with your certificate at the ceremony, but if you reply to state you will not be attending the ceremony, you will graduate in absentia; your certificate and letter will be posted to you after the ceremony.
Further information can be found at our Awards Ceremonies pages
