UDTS Frequently Asked Questions

If your college or school has specific guidelines regarding a proposal’s formatting (as opposed to the formatting of a thesis or dissertation), and those guidelines are different from University Formatting Guidelines, then you should not submit your document to us for review at the proposal stage, and we will not review it.

However, if you are formatting your proposal or the early sections of your document according to University guidelines, please feel free to email your document to us whenever you are ready. Students often begin to format their documents according to UDTS guidelines at the proposal stage, and we highly recommend doing so. Formatting your document from the very beginning can be extremely helpful in the long run.

No. Your committee is responsible for reading and approving the content of your document. We will never comment on what you are writing.

While all theses and dissertations are required to adhere to the guidelines set forth by the university, neither George Mason University nor UDTS requires any specific style manual (APA, Chicago, MLA, IEEE, etc.) in the creation of individual theses and dissertations. If you do not know what style manual you should use, please check with your committee/department/school to see if there is a required or preferred style. If your committee/department/school does not require or prefer any particular style manual, you are free to choose whatever style you wish.

You, the student, are primarily responsible for making sure that the style you are using is the correct (or preferred) style for your discipline. You are also responsible for making sure that you have applied it to your document correctly. Your committee/discipline/school may be able to assist you in confirming its proper usage, but you are ultimately responsible for using and applying the correct style.

No. We do not confirm whether you are using your chosen/required style correctly. That is up to you, and to your committee.

Format Review is the process by which all dissertations, theses, and projects are examined for compliance with University regulations for appearance. During the Format Review, the UDTS Coordinator examines the component parts of the dissertation (the preliminary pages, figures and tables, if any, and the text). Please contact the UDTS Coordinator at [email protected] with questions.

Format Reviews are required to ensure that your submission meets Mason’s standards for uniformity and quality. If you are writing a thesis or a dissertation, you have to have a Format Review–there are no exceptions to this rule.

No. Your document’s content does not have to be in its complete, final, approved form during any point of the Format Review process.

When you send your document for the first round of review, we like to see as much of the document as possible, as that gives us a much deeper view of the document as a whole, but as long as we can see at least a couple of chapters (for chapter-based theses and dissertations) or at least one manuscript (for manuscript-style theses and dissertations), and as long as we can see at least a few Tables and Figures (if your document contains Tables and Figures), that amount of material should be sufficient for us to review the document.

Similarly, your document’s content does not have to be in its final/approved form for subsequent rounds of the Format Review.

Your document’s content ONLY has to be perfect/final/set/approved at the time you submit it for Final Submission.

Please contact the UDTS Coordinator at [email protected] with questions.

First of all, we recommend emailing your document to UDTS ([email protected]) as soon as possible for the Format Review.

Second: There is a deadline each semester by which you must send your document for the first round of the Format Review. Failure on your behalf to send your document for the first round of review on or by the deadline in your intended semester of graduation will result in your ineligibility to graduate in that semester.

Upcoming deadlines by which you must send your document for the first round of the Format Review are as follows:

• Summer 2026 Semester: In order to remain eligible to graduate in the Summer 2026 Semester, you must email your document to UDTS ([email protected]) for the first round of the Format Review on or by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 29. If UDTS does not receive your document for the first round of the Format Review by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 29 for the first round of the Format Review, then you will no longer be eligible to graduate in the Summer 2026 Semester.
• Fall 2026 Semester: In order to remain eligible to graduate in the Fall 2026 Semester, you must email your document to UDTS ([email protected]) for the first round of the Format Review on or by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2. If UDTS does not receive your document for the first round of the Format Review by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2 for the first round of the Format Review, then you will no longer be eligible to graduate in the Fall 2026 Semester.
• Spring 2027 Semester: In order to remain eligible to graduate in the Spring 2027 Semester, you must email your document to UDTS ([email protected]) for the first round of the Format Review on or by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 29. If UDTS does not receive your document for the first round of the Format Review by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 29 for the first round of the Format Review, then you will no longer be eligible to graduate in the Spring 2027 Semester.

This is the deadline by which you must pass the Format Review. That means that you must receive an email from us stating that your formatting is correct, and your Format Review is over. Starting in the Fall 2024 Semester, the Format Review deadline is 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before the Final Submission deadline. Upcoming Format Review deadlines are as follows:

• Summer 2026 Format Review deadline: You must receive an email from UDTS ([email protected]) on or by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29 stating that your formatting is correct, and your Format Review is over.
• Fall 2026 Format Review deadline: You must receive an email from UDTS ([email protected]) on or by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 2 stating that your formatting is correct, and your Format Review is over.
• Spring 2027 Format Review deadline: You must receive an email from UDTS ([email protected]) on or by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28 stating that your formatting is correct, and your Format Review is over.

No. You do not need to make an appointment for a Format Review, and you do not need to be present when it takes place. In fact, we will not perform in-person Format Reviews for any reason. When you are ready for your Format Review, email your thesis or dissertation to us at [email protected]. We will check it, and will respond to you as soon as possible with any changes you may need to make.

No; we will check it and respond to you via email. If you have technical questions about formatting, you can set up an appointment with us through our LibCal Scheduler; however, we do not perform in-person Format Reviews for any reason.

No. We no longer accept hard copies of any documents for the Format Review. When you are ready for this step, please email it to us at [email protected]. If your document is too large to send via email, we can work with Google Drive, DropBox, YouSendIt, SkyDrive, etc. If none of those options will work, please contact us, and we will find a way to get an electronic copy of your document.

• For the Summer 2026 Semester:
  • For documents sent for the first round of the Format Review:
    • Any document received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, May 1 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 26 should be reviewed within 2 – 3 business days of receipt.
    • It may take us up to 2 weeks to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, June 26 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 29.
    • Any document sent for the first round of review after 5:01 p.m. on Monday, June 29 will not be reviewed until Tuesday, August 4.
  • For documents sent for subsequent rounds of the Format Review:
    • Any document received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, May 1 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 26 should be reviewed within 2 – 3 business days of receipt.
    • It may take us up to 2 weeks to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, June 26 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 13.
    • It may take us up to a week and a half to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Monday, July 13 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 20.
    • It may take us up to a week to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Monday, July 20 and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22.
    • For documents received after 5:01 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22: we will be in touch as soon as possible, but please be advised that a 3-day turnaround is the fastest you can expect.
• For the Fall 2026 Semester:
  • For documents sent for the first round of the Format Review:
    • Any document received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, July 31 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30 should be reviewed within 2 – 3 business days of receipt.
    • It may take us up to 2 weeks to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, October 30 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2.
    • Any document sent for the first round of review after 5:01 p.m. on Monday, November 2 will not be reviewed until Tuesday, December 8.
  • For documents sent for subsequent rounds of the Format Review:
    • Any document received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, July 31 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30 should be reviewed within 2 – 3 business days of receipt.
    • It may take us up to 2 weeks to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, October 30 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2.
    • It may take us up to a week and a half to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Monday, November 2 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 16.
    • It may take us up to a week to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Monday, November 16 and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18.
    • For documents received after 5:01 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18: we will be in touch as soon as possible, but please be advised that a 3-day turnaround is the fastest you can expect. Furthermore: please remember that the Thanksgiving holiday will be taking place from November 25 – 29, which will also cause delays.
• For the Spring 2027 Semester:
  • For documents sent for the first round of the Format Review:
    • Any document received between 5:01 p.m. on December 4 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26 should be reviewed within 2 – 3 business days of receipt.
    • It may take us up to 2 weeks to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, March 26 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 29.
    • Any document sent for the first round of review after 5:01 p.m. on Monday, March 29 will not be reviewed until Tuesday, May 4.
  • For documents sent for subsequent rounds of the Format Review:
    • Any document received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, December 4 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26 should be reviewed within 2 – 3 business days of receipt.
    • It may take us up to 2 weeks to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Friday, March 26 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 29.
    • It may take us up to a week and a half to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Monday, March 29 and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 12.
    • It may take us up to a week to review documents received between 5:01 p.m. on Monday, April 12 and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14.
    • For documents received after 5:01 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14: we will be in touch as soon as possible, but please be advised that a 3-day turnaround is the fastest you can expect.

We will inform you via email ([email protected]) that your document’s formatting adheres to University Formatting Guidelines, and that you have passed the Format Review. We will then email the Submission Instructions to you.

Yes. As long as whatever you add to or delete from your document continues to adhere to the formatting we have approved, your document should be fine.

No, you are not required to resubmit your document for further review in that case. With that said: if you feel that your formatting has changed, or if you want us to look at your document’s formatting to confirm that it is still in compliance, you are welcome to send your approved document back to us for review at a later time.

Everyone listed under “Committee:” on the Signature Sheet. That includes not only your committee members, but also (but not limited to) Department Chairpersons, Program Directors, Deans, and so on. Signature Sheet templates for all degree programs can be found on our website.

We will accept electronic signatures, to include the following methods: sign/scan/send; electronic signatures that look like “real” signatures; and “certified” electronic signatures. We will also accept typewritten signatures, as long as they are in a “cursive” font (e.g., Juanita Cierva).

No. If your college/school/department requires you to place a review copy of your dissertation on reserve at the library, please view the steps outlined in the Course Reserves InfoGuide on how to place your review copy on reserve.

That is up to you and your College/School/department/committee. Some Colleges and Schools have deadlines by which you must defend in order to graduate that semester; others do not have a defense deadline. We always recommend defending your document earlier rather than later, but when you do so is entirely up to you.

No. If you are planning to graduate in, for example, Summer 2026, you must defend before the Final Submission deadline (e.g., 5:00 p.m. on July 31, 2026) in order to graduate in that semester. No exceptions. For example: if you defend on August 4, 2026, then you will graduate in Fall 2026. Again, there are no exceptions to this rule.

Final Submission deadlines are set by the Registrar’s Office. With extremely rare exceptions, the deadline is and has always been 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before the last day of class in a semester.

You can learn more on our website. Furthermore: after you have passed the Format Review, we will email the Submission Instructions to you. That email will explain all of the steps you must complete in order to graduate on time.

Final Submission takes place entirely via email and online, so your physical location at the time of Final Submission is irrelevant.

Students no longer submit hard (printed) copies of their documents to UDTS. We do not accept hard copies of theses or dissertations.

With that said: individual schools/colleges/departments may still require you to turn in a hard copy of your thesis/dissertation to them; that is entirely up to them, and we have no say over their policies or requirements.

No. We offer a list of suggested binderies; of course, you are by no means required to use these–they’re simply suggestions. Also, doctoral students can order bound copies of their dissertations through ProQuest, when they submit their documents using the Administrator.

Yes. Every student who submits a document to our office for Final Submission must turn in a completed, signed Embargo Intent Statement, regardless of intent to delay. We must collect a completed, signed Embargo Intent Statement from EVERY student. No exceptions.

If you plan to delay the availability of your work in MARS through an embargo, you are required to collect the signatures of your Committee Chair and the Graduate Associate Dean of your College/School on the Embargo Intent Statement.

If you are not planning to embargo your work in MARS, you do not need to collect either of the aforementioned signatures.

No.

Once a student has submitted the final (i.e. defended, formatted, and signed) version of his/her project, thesis, or dissertation to University Dissertation & Thesis Services (UDTS), subsequent edits WILL NOT BE ALLOWED EXCEPT under the following circumstances:

1. Incidence of fraud or plagiarism. The relevant college/school must conduct a review of the thesis or dissertation and determine an appropriate course of action in accordance with the university catalog and approved by the Dean. If the approved course of action includes allowing the student to resubmit a corrected version of a thesis or dissertation, the UDTS Coordinator must be informed in writing by an appropriate college/school or LAU official. UDTS will not allow corrections of theses and dissertations for the following: Rewording the Dedication, Acknowledgements, Abstract, or Biography. Correction of citations or quotations. Addition of new text, or deletion of existing text, in the body. Correction of misspellings or grammar issues. Replacing, adding, or deleting Tables, Figures, or Equations. Correction of any other minor errors or omissions.
2. A formatting error has been introduced into the PDF document when converting from another document type that affects the meaning of the dissertation. For example: in the process of formatting the document into a PDF, all of the ampersands (&) have disappeared and the error is not discovered until after final submission to UDTS. Re-submission would not be allowed to revise margins, fonts, or other non-substantive items.

This is a survey that is administered by the National Science Foundation. From their website: “The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is an annual census conducted since 1957 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by five other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, National Endowment for the Humanities, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient’s educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans. Results are used to assess characteristics of the doctoral population and trends in doctoral education and degrees.” 

All Doctoral students must complete and submit the SED. With that said: you do not have to answer any questions you find too intrusive.

You most likely completed the Graduate Student Exit Survey. That survey is administered and collected by Mason, and it is completely different from the SED, which is administered by the National Science Foundation. If you are a doctoral student, you are required to complete and submit the SED. However, you do not have to answer any questions you find too intrusive.

MARS (Mason Archival Respository Service) is offered through Mason Publishing and the Digital Scholarship Center at the George Mason University Libraries. Home of the Electronic Theses and Dissertations, as well as faculty research publications and data files, MARS provides access to the intellectual work of the Mason community.

No. All theses and dissertations are required to be uploaded to MARS. You can delay the availability of your work with an embargo of 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years (and you have the option to renew the embargo for any of those periods, regardless of the original embargo period), but you are required to submit your document as an electronic copy that will be held in MARS.

The amount of time between the day you turn in the final copy of your document and all necessary paperwork to UDTS and the day your work appears in MARS varies. It has to do with our current workflow, the time of year, and our other responsibilities/duties. The document may be uploaded to MARS within a week of its receipt, or it may take up to 6 months. The average amount of time between final submission and upload to MARS is 6 weeks; however, again, that depends on our schedule.

Once your document becomes available (either as soon as it is uploaded or after your chosen embargo lifts), anyone who has access to the Internet and is able to find your document through an online search will be able to view and read the full-text, open-access version of your document. MARS users do not have to register or pay to see the materials it stores. We cannot block search-engine discoverability of documents in MARS.

If you have chosen to embargo your work, you will still have a record in MARS; the repository is not a dark archive. That record can be located through online searches. Your name, the title of your work, and the Abstract will be visible during your chosen embargo period. If there is anything you do not want people to see, do not include it in the title or Abstract.

ProQuest is a system of databases and resources. It is a subscription service, and George Mason University Libraries pays a fee to make their materials free (for the most part) to our students, faculty, and staff.

We require our doctoral students’ dissertations and our master’s students theses to be submitted to ProQuest’s Dissertations & Theses Global Database.

Yes. Please see the following rules in the University Catalog:

AP.6.9.4 Thesis Submission, Project, and Embargo: “All theses must be successfully submitted to University Dissertation and Thesis Services (UDTS) for upload to ProQuest.”

AP.6.10.9 Dissertation Submission and Embargo: “Doctoral students are required to submit their dissertations to University Dissertation and Thesis Services (UDTS) for upload to ProQuest.”

The amount of time between the day you upload your document to ProQuest via the Administrator and the day your work appears in ProQuest varies. UDTS must first process the submission; we may be able to do so within a week of that semester’s Final Submission deadline, or it may take longer. The length of time depends upon our current workflow, the time of year, and our other responsibilities/duties.

After we have processed and sent your document to ProQuest, then ProQuest must perform further steps. The amount of time their process takes also depends on their workflow and the amount of other documents they receive from hundreds of other schools. It may take them 2 – 3 months to complete their side of submission.

If you have questions regarding the status of your submission to ProQuest, you may want to contact them directly.

As stated in the above response, it may take a few months for ProQuest to process your submission and order. Therefore, if you have ordered bound copies of your document from ProQuest, it may take up to 3 or 4 months for them to process, bind, and ship your order. If you have questions about bound copies from ProQuest, please contact them directly.

If you need a bound copy (or copies) of your document faster than the aforementioned period, you may want to investigate other binderies.