Part 16: Masters thesis format and submission

Requirement to be enrolled at time of thesis submission

Candidates must be currently enrolled at the time of their thesis submission.

Candidates may not submit work previously accepted for a degree

A candidate may not submit for the degree work previously accepted for a degree in this or another university, nor may the candidate without the permission of Faculty Board, submit work which has previously been submitted for any such degree.

Submission of thesis copies

Candidates shall present four copies of their thesis to the Faculty of Science office no later than the candidature due date.

Soft-bound copies

Candidates may wish to submit, in the first instance, four soft (securely) bound copies of the thesis for examination. Each copy must be labelled with the author's name on the spine. Candidates are advised that spiral soft cover binding may not be practicable for rebinding in hardcover since a substantial amount of trimming is often required.

Thesis format

The copies must conform to the requirements set out below. A thesis may be rejected as unsuitable for examination if it does not conform to these requirements.

• the thesis should be on international standard paper, size A4 (measuring 297 mm x 210 mm);
• the sheets should be numbered consecutively and clearly; interpolated sheets should be marked distinctly (for example, '69(a)' or as the case may require);
• folding diagrams or charts should be arranged so as to open out to the top and right margins must be 3 cm, uniform on all sheets; and
• the thesis should be typed in double or 1.5 spacing.

The pages may be printed single-sided or double-sided.

Acid free paper is required for the final, bound copies, but not for the copies for examination.

Title page

A title page must show:

• the full title of the thesis; the name and degrees of the candidate;
• the degree for which the thesis is submitted;
• a statement of whether the thesis is submitted in total or partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree;
• the name of the school and faculty to which the thesis is submitted;
• the name of the university; and
• the month and year the thesis was submitted for the degree.

Table of contents

A table of contents should be included after the title page, and where applicable, a list of plates, tables, and other relevant items.

Acknowledgement page

An acknowledgement page may also be included at the front of the thesis.

Statement addressing sources of information used / collaboration

Candidates must state in the thesis, generally in a preface and specifically in notes, the sources of all information used or alluded to and shall indicate the extent to which the thesis represents work done in collaboration with other persons. This declaration must be signed in each of the four thesis copies. (See also 'Part 17: Submission of a thesis based or partially based on conjointly published or unpublished work'.)

Statement from the supervisor

When a candidate submits his or her thesis, it should be accompanied by a statement from the main supervisor, endorsed by the head of the school, certifying to the best of his or her knowledge, the extent to which the work was carried out by the candidate (except where otherwise acknowledged in the thesis) and whether, in his or her opinion, the thesis is properly presented and is prima facie worthy of examination.

An "Application to submit a masters thesis" form should be used for this purpose and is available from the Faculty of Science website or the Graduate Studies Officer.

Where the supervisor does not certify that the thesis is properly presented and is prima facie worthy of examination, Faculty Board shall determine whether or not the thesis is to be examined. The candidate will receive, via postal mail, formal notification of receipt of the thesis by the faculty.

Where the candidate will be outside of Melbourne

A candidate who will be departing from Melbourne after the submission of the thesis and who wishes to submit the thesis copies in soft cover binding should consult his or her school concerning arrangements for the hard binding of the thesis.

Submission of hardbound copies following examination

Following the examination process candidates are required to submit four hardbound copies of the thesis. Formal award of the degree cannot occur until the hardbound copies of the thesis are submitted to the Faculty of Science office.

The final hard-bound copies should have the following information printed on the spine in gold lettering of suitable size, reading from top to bottom:

• candidate's surname;
• title of thesis (abbreviated if necessary); and
• the year of submission.