Theses & Dissertations

The Graduate and Professional School (GPS) at SHSU oversees and implements the thesis and dissertation policies, guidelines, and submission process. GPS provides resources to assist graduate students during the thesis and dissertation writing process, including professional development workshops, formatting guidance, and submission support.

Students should submit GPS requirements within the semester they intend to graduate. GPS requirements are university-wide and separate from internal department or college requirements. Students are responsible for completing requirements for both their academic program and the Graduate and Professional School.

For questions regarding the thesis and dissertation process and requirements, contact tgsthesis@shsu.edu.

Important Upcoming Deadline

Use the countdown below to track the next thesis and dissertation deadline.

Fall 2026 - 1st Draft Deadline

Last day to submit 1st draft theses/dissertations to the Thesis/Dissertation Specialist for format and style review: September 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

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Important Information for Students and Faculty

Students should submit GPS requirements within the semester they intend to graduate.

GPS does not process thesis or dissertation proposals or prospectuses. Students should refer to department or college requirements regarding this stage of their program.

Failure to fulfill all GPS, department, and college requirements may delay graduation.

Theses and Dissertations Submission Process — Order of Requirements

Below is the order of requirements for the thesis/dissertation submission process. For more detailed information on each submission requirement, review the GPS Theses & Dissertations Submission Process.

1. Initiation Sheet Submit after coursework, registration, and official committee formation.
Initiation Sheet

The Initiation Sheet should be submitted once the graduate student has completed coursework, registered for thesis/dissertation writing courses, and formed their official thesis/dissertation committee.

2. Non-SHSU Employee on Committee Form Required if a committee member is not employed by SHSU.
Non-SHSU on Committee Form

If a committee member is not employed by SHSU (this includes faculty who have retired), a Non-SHSU Employee Committee Request form must be submitted to GPS for approval.

3. First Draft Review Submit by the stated semester deadline.
Submit 1st Draft

Thesis/dissertation first drafts must be submitted by the stated deadline. Drafts must include all required sections plus a minimum of three chapters. After review, students will receive a Draft Review Checklist.

4. Public Defense Complete by the Academic Calendar deadline.

A public defense of the thesis/dissertation must be completed by the deadline stated in the Academic Calendar.

Academic Calendar
5. Route Sheet Submit immediately after a successful final public defense.
Route Sheet

Graduate students must submit a Route Sheet immediately after successfully defending their thesis/dissertation. This completed form is sent to the Registrar’s Office for degree conferment and graduation purposes.

6. Embargo Request (If applicable) Required for one-year, two-year, five-year, or permanent embargo requests.
Embargo Form

Graduate students seeking an embargo must submit an Embargo Request Form by the stated deadline.

7. Final Draft Review Submit after successful defense and Route Sheet completion.
Submit Final Draft

The final draft must be completed in its entirety. The Route Sheet must be received by the Thesis/Dissertation Specialist before the review and approval process can continue.

8. Vireo and Embargo Submission Submit the GPS approved final PDF through Vireo.
Vireo

The Thesis/Dissertation Specialist will email the final PDF version of the approved thesis/dissertation document and instructions for submission through Vireo. No additional edits can be made to the approved document.

9. Permanent Embargo Submission (If applicable) If approved for a permanenent embargo, follow separate instructions for permanent embargo submissions (DO NOT submit through Vireo).

Graduate students approved for a permanent embargo cannot submit their final approved thesis/dissertation through Vireo. Students should follow the Permanent Embargo Instructions to submit their approved thesis/dissertation to the Newton Gresham Library.

Fall 2026 Deadlines

Students can also find deadlines in the SHSU Academic Calendar.

September 15, 2026 First Draft Deadline

Last day to submit first draft theses/dissertations to the Thesis/Dissertation Specialist for format and style review.

November 6, 2026 Final Defense, Route Sheet, and Embargo Request Deadline

Last day to complete a public final defense of theses/dissertations. Last day to begin electronic Route Sheet. Last day to request an embargo for a thesis/dissertation.

November 17, 2026 Final Draft Review Deadline

Last day to submit defended and committee-approved theses/dissertations to the Thesis/Dissertation Specialist for final draft review.

December 1, 2026 Vireo / Permanent Embargo and Route Sheet Approval (T/D Specialist) Deadline

Last day to complete publication of theses/dissertations through Vireo or in print for permanent embargo. Last day for Thesis/Dissertation Specialist to approve Route Sheet.

December 3, 2026 Route Sheet Approval (Dean of GPS) Deadline

Last day for the Dean of the Graduate and Professional School to approve Route Sheet.

GPS forms and documents below are provided as additional resources

Draft Review Checklist Copyright Request Letter Template Graduate Student Research and Travel Funding

Formatting Requirements and Resources

Overview Formatting guidance for thesis and dissertation submissions. For more detailed information on formatting requirements (e.g., traditional vs. journal-model, etc.), review the GPS Theses & Dissertations Submission Process.
ETD Manual

SHSU has established formatting guidelines that graduate students must follow when submitting a thesis or dissertation. Detailed instructions can be found in the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Manual. Students can also use the Draft Review Checklist to review formatting requirements.

Formatting Workshops Virtual workshops for thesis/dissertation formatting support.
Formatting — Registration

GPS offers virtual workshops to assist students with formatting their thesis/dissertation to meet SHSU standards. These workshops are especially helpful for students using GPS pre-formatted templates.

Students must register to attend. Once registered, students will be emailed a Zoom link and passcode.

Fall 2026 Formatting Workshop Schedule

  1. Tuesday, September 1, 2026 @ 11:00am-12:30pm
  2. Friday, September 11, 2026 @ 6:00pm-7:30pm
  3. Tuesday, October, 20, 2026 @ 11:00am-12:30pm
  4. Friday, NOvember 6, 2026 @ 6:00pm-7:30pm
Thesis/Dissertation 101 Workshop Overview of the GPS thesis and dissertation process.
T/D 101 — Registration

GPS hosts a virtual workshop to discuss the thesis and dissertation process and requirements. Information on copyright and library resources will also be discussed.

This workshop does not cover formatting thesis or dissertation drafts.

Fall 2026 Thesis/Dissertation 101 Workshop - August 28, 2026 @ 2:00pm-4:00pm

Video Tutorials Formatting and Microsoft Word support resources.
LinkedIn Playlist

GPS has created a video tutorial playlist to assist students with common formatting issues. Additional video tutorials are included for troubleshooting common issues in Microsoft Word.

Use SHSU credentials to log in to LinkedIn Learning.

Pre-Formatted Templates

GPS has created pre-formatted templates to simplify the formatting process. It is strongly recommended that graduate students use a template, as the templates follow SHSU formatting guidelines. Note: Creative templates are reserved for M.F.A degree-seeking students (i.e., English)

Traditional Template Journal Model Template Creative Thesis Template (Ver. 1) Creative Thesis Template (Ver. 2) IEEE LaTeX Template Common Mistakes

Approved List of Style Manuals

Students must use one of the approved style guides listed below. Select the most recent edition standard or preferred style manual for their field of study. SHSU formatting guidelines supersede any style manual.

View Approved Style Manuals Approved by the SHSU Graduate Council. Qualified journal-model theses/dissertations are the only exception to this requirement.
  1. ASC Guide to Scholarly Communication
  2. Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition
  3. AMS Style Guide
  4. MLA Handbook, 9th Edition
  5. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition
  6. Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual, 9th Edition
  7. ASHS Publications Style Manual or ASHS Author Information
  8. Journal of Animal Science
  9. AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition
  10. ASA Style Guide, 7th Edition
  11. IEEE Editorial Style Manual, 2025 or Reference Guide, 2023
  12. International Journal of Legal Medicine

ADA Accessibility and Compliance Regulations

In accordance with federal law regulations, ADA Title II, students are required to ensure their thesis or dissertation draft (.docx) is universally accessible for submission, GPS approval, and publication. Accessbility standards apply to all digital components of the Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs). GPS strongly encourages students to use the pre-formatted templates as well as attend formatting workshops offered every semester to ensure they meet these requirements. Note: when using the Word templates, only use Microsoft applications (i.e., Word desktop) to create and edit your draft; using applications such as Google Docs will drastically alter the templates.

Accessibility Checklist

Policies, Procedures and Compliance

GPS Embargo & Vireo Policy GPS Permanent Embargo Instructions Institutional Review Board Unmanned Aircraft Systems Institutional Biosafety Committee Export Controls IACUC

Additional Research and Writing Resources

The Newton Gresham Library and campus partners provide resources to support graduate students throughout the thesis and dissertation process.

Newton Gresham Library (Main Webpage) Academic Success Center Interlibrary Loan Subject Librarians One to One Program Copyright and Fair Use Citation Guides