Thesis submission and publishing

Once your supervisor has signed off the required administrative forms, you are ready to submit your thesis for examination.  Once you have submitted your thesis, you should apply to graduate.  

Your application to graduate should be made as soon as you have submitted your thesis, this will hold a place in the ceremony for you. Please wait until your results are available to make any related travel arrangements. 

Thesis submission

For most students, your thesis will be reviewed by your Supervisor who will advise if it is ready for submission.  We strongly recommend you also get someone to peer review it for grammar and errors of fact, as these are the leading reasons for emendations (corrections having to be made after it has been marked) that may delay your graduation.

Once your supervisor has signed off the required administrative forms, you are ready to submit your thesis for examination.

PDF creation instructions

To submit your thesis you will need to save it as a pdf (Portable Document Format) document. Many modern software applications allow you to save your documents as a pdf without any extra software or add-ons.

Submitting your thesis online

The on-line submission of your thesis starts the examination process. To start the submission process you are required to submit online an electronic copy of your thesis and two administrative forms RF7 Copyright Form and RF6 Certificate of Regulatory Compliance.  If your thesis needs to be embargoed, form RF5 Application for Approval to Embargo a Thesis is also submitted at this time.

Download required forms

How to submit online

To upload your thesis please login to your student homepage and chose the ‘Research’ tab. You will need to ensure you have each required document saved separately so you can upload them. Step by step instructions will guide you through the upload of each file.

You are only able to upload your thesis and associated documentation once (should you make a mistake, you will need to contact Examinations and request they delete all your uploads so you can start again).

Thesis Printing Options

As part of the uploading process you will have the option to leave all printing requirements with the University (this is the default option) or you can opt to self-print your thesis. For the majority of students, having the thesis printed by the University will be the preferred option. It is more cost effective and timely than self-printing.

Choosing to have the University print your thesis will provide 2 spiral bound copies for the examiners and when completed a final Hot melt version for the Library. A one-off fee will be charged against your Fees Account. The cost associated with this can be viewed on our fees page.

Self-Print Option

If you choose to print your own Thesis then you must supply 2 spiral-bound copies for examination, an electronic final version and a hardbound final copy for the Library once examination is complete.

You are still required to upload the administrative forms and your electronic copy as above and forward the spiral bound copies of your thesis to:

Examinations
Massey University
Private Bag 11-222
Palmerston North

Under either option a hardbound and an electronic copy will be provided for the Library Archives.  This will meet the University completion requirements for your thesis.

If your thesis cannot be uploaded electronically due to the nature of your thesis i.e. it is not in a print form (this may apply to some COCA students) or it exceeds the maximum upload capacity (200Mb), Form RF11 Thesis - Manual submission needs to be uploaded instead.  Please contact your School/College Postgraduate Administrator for instructions regarding your specific situation.

Your supervisor will contact you once your thesis has been examined and advise if any emendations are required. If emendations are permitted in your College/School, you will then be required to submit the final revised digital copy of your thesis to Examinations. If you have opted the self-print option, you will need to arrange the printing of a hard-bound copy and also forward this to Examinations. Your thesis will then be forwarded to the Library.

Publishing

When your thesis is completed, it will be available electronically through Massey Research Online. Even if your thesis is confidential (embargoed), the title and abstract will still be available for searching. The hard copy of your thesis is stored in the Library vault at the Manawatū Library.

Journal publications after your thesis is finished

Where appropriate, you will be encouraged to publish your recent findings in academic and professional journals. If you wish to prepare publications from your research, you need to recognise that authorship encompasses not only the person who does the actual writing but also those who made a substantial contribution to the study. Normally articles will be jointly published by you and your supervisor.

All postgraduate research is regarded as Massey University research. Accordingly, if you wish to disseminate any research findings, in the form of conference presentations, on-line, or academic and/or professional journals prior to the completion and assessment of the thesis, you must consult with their supervisors in order to obtain prior approval. Before proceeding, there should be a clear understanding of issues such as authorship, means of dissemination, and timing.

Embargo

If your thesis contains sensitive information, you may need to apply for an embargo – please discuss this with your Supervisor.  If required, form RF 5 Application for Approval to Embargo a Thesis needs to be completed and justification supplied (see 'Submitting your thesis' above).  An embargo blocks public access to your material for a specified time; the standard embargo is for a maximum of two years.

Page authorised by Director, Student Administration
Last updated on Monday 14 May 2018