Thesis/Dissertation Preparation

Students Studying

 

TURNITIN LINK INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THESIS/DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIRS

The Graduate School is accepting all thesis/dissertation related documentation via email to deannacobb@southalabama.edu or gradschool@southalabama.edu.  Electronic signatures will be accepted on the required forms.  

Please select the link below to access the official USA Thesis and Dissertation Guide. This guide gives the required process to successfully complete the master's thesis and the doctoral dissertation at USA. Please note the rules and requirements shown in this document must be followed to achieve a thesis or dissertation that will meet the standards for final approval.

Students are welcome to call the Graduate School office at (251) 460-6310 to set up an appointment to discuss any questions they may have with the thesis/dissertation process at any time during the academic year.

Submission Dates

For information on due dates for each semester of the academic year, please check the following dates or link to the current Academic Calendar.

Spring 2024

  • First submission due date 3/25/24 (Students submit their successfully defended thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School for review)
  • Final submission due date 4/15/24 (Students have made any requested edits, have resubmitted their paper, and have received final clearance to proceed with finalizing their submission)

Summer 2024

  • First submission due date 6/24/24 (Students submit their successfully defended thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School for review)
  • Final submission due date 7/8/24 (Students have made any requested edits, have resubmitted their paper, and have received final clearance to proceed with finalizing their submission)

Fall 2024

  • First submission due date 10/21/24 (Students submit their successfully defended thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School for review)
  • Final submission due date 11/18/24 (Students have made any requested edits, have resubmitted their paper, and have received final clearance to proceed with finalizing their submission)

Spring 2025

  • First submission due date 3/24/25 (Students submit their successfully defended thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School for review)
  • Final submission due date 4/14/25 (Students have made any requested edits, have resubmitted their paper, and have received final clearance to proceed with finalizing their submission)

Summer 2025

  • First submission due date 6/23/25 (Students submit their successfully defended thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School for review)
  • Final submission due date 7/14/25 (Students have made any requested edits, have resubmitted their paper, and have received final clearance to proceed with finalizing their submission)

 

USA Thesis and Dissertation Guide


Zotero is an excellent and free tool to use for your citations and references.

Some graduate students preparing a thesis or dissertation may find it useful to look at a previous thesis that has been through the approval process. A past student has graciously given permission to use the attached thesis for this purpose. You should follow the USA Thesis and Dissertation Guide to understand all the requirements for a thesis or dissertation document, but the attached model may be useful to visualize the document that you are preparing. The document can serve as a template to help you properly set up your own document. Note that the Thesis and Dissertation Guide allows some variation as to preferred styles in different academic disciplines, so depending on your discipline there will be some variation from this sample document.

 

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