How To Use the Dissertation and Thesis Center
Looking for something else? Visit the Dissertation and Theses page.
The online Dissertation & Thesis Center in Axess is currently available to PhD, JSD, DMA, and Engineer degree students only.
If you are a master's degree student, and need to submit a master's thesis or master thesis signature pages, you will need to do so through your department.
Steps to Access the Dissertation and Thesis Center
Before you can access the Center, you must apply to graduate and enroll in the program you are submitting. The submission portal opens on the first day of instruction each quarter. For submission deadlines, pleases see Deadlines by Quarter.
- Log on to Axess
- Select the "My Academics" tab, and then click on “Dissertation and Thesis Center”
- Select the "View/Submit Dissertation/Thesis" link.
- In the Review/Edit dissertation information box, review and update each pre-submission requirement.
Do not cut and paste text into the Dissertation & Thesis Title box, as this can carry over specialized or embedded text and cause cataloging issues in the library. Rather, type in the text directly.
If the status is not valid or complete for items 4 (Candidacy) or 5 (Milestones), check with your department who maintains student candidacy and milestones.
- After updating the status of all six pre-submission requirements, the "Proceed to Dissertation/Thesis Submission" button will become ungrayed. Clicking the button will redirect you to your submit page. We recommend that you bookmark the submit page for future reference, as it will contain the PURL to your completed submission.
Steps to Complete on the Submission Page
- Verify your citation details.
- Enter your abstract.
Avoid cutting and pasting paragraphs, text or special characters into this field, as it may carry over embedded formatting that may affect cataloging processes.
- Review your dissertation, D.M.A., J.S.D., or Engineer thesis formatting.
Top Tip: It is important to remove both the copyright page 'ii' and signature page 'iii' in the dissertation or thesis before uploading and final submission.
Following the title page (which is not physically numbered but counts as 'i'), page numbering should start with 'iv' at the Abstract (or a blank page with 'iv', if your document is formatted for double-sided printing and you want the Abstract to start on a right-hand page). Stanford Libraries will automatically insert both the copyright page (ii) and signature page (iii) into your electronic copy of the dissertation.
Additionally, when selecting a file name for your PDF, please keep in mind the following file naming requirements, and examples of allowable file names.
- Upload the final version of your dissertation, D.M.A., J.S.D., or Engineer thesis.
- Upload any obtained permissions, if applicable.
- Apply copyright and license terms, and select a Creative Commons attribution.
After completing the six steps, you may click on Step 7, which is the "Submit to Registrar" button, and finish submitting the D.M.A. final project, Engineer thesis, or doctoral dissertation.
Students are not allowed to submit in Axess, then reapply to graduate and resubmit at a later time, during a future quarter. Since the D.M.A. final project, dissertation, or thesis must be submitted during the quarter in which you graduate, please speak with your department's Student Services Officer if you are still deciding when to graduate.
