Dissertation and Thesis Forms

You will need Adobe Acrobat to use the signature page template. 

Before Your Defense

• Download the appropriate signature page from the Signature Page Box File based on the number of committee members including your chair. (4 committee members = 4 Line Signature page, etc.)
• Fill it with your information using the signature page model and upload it to Vireo along with your formatted thesis/dissertation.
• We will check this for accuracy at your preliminary review.

At or Immediately After Your Defense

• Obtain signatures from all committee members
• Obtain the signature of your department chair 
• The Graduate School will obtain the Dean's signature upon final approval.
• Upload the signed PDF to Vireo along with your revised manuscript within 10 days of your defense.

See FAQs if you are having trouble downloading, signing, or scanning the signature page.

Complete the Doctoral Investment Form before your preliminary review.

After your Defense

Do not submit this form until AFTER you have defended.

Complete your Copyright and Final Approval Form. 

• Discuss and agree on an embargo option with your committee chair. Information about embargos is listed below as well as on the form itself.

• Within 10 days after the defense, students must submit this form using Bear ID and Duo Authentication. 

• Committee chairs will receive an automated email with a link to approve the student's embargo selection and the final manuscript using Bear ID and Duo Authentication. 

• Students and advisors will receive a confirmation email after the advisor's approval response has been received.

Information about Embargo Options

Options
Immediate Release
Two-year embargo
Five-year embargo

Baylor University’s Policy
Unless you choose to embargo (delay release) your Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD), your document will be findable and openly accessible on the Internet via BEARdocs (http://beardocs.baylor.edu) in the semester following your graduation.

Why would I choose a two-year embargo?
You may desire this option if you have a pending journal publication and the publisher requests that you delay access to your thesis or if you have patent and/or similar proprietary reasons for withholding your thesis from open access. This option restricts access to your work for a period of two years. This embargo may be extended if an email is sent to the address below before the initial embargo ends. Note: Once your article is published, please send library personnel the citation information so that we can add this information to the descriptive information associated with your ETD so researchers will be aware of the publication.

Why would I choose a five-year embargo?
You may desire this option if you are (or will be) submitting material to a journal or book publisher. Some publishers prefer not to publish material that has been openly accessible. This option restricts access to your document for five years. This embargo may be extended if an email is sent to the address below before the initial embargo ends. Note: Once your article or book is published, please send library personnel the citation information so that we can add this information to the descriptive information associated with your ETD so researchers will also be aware of the publication.

Can I extend my embargo?
Yes. If you find it necessary to extend your embargo, send an e-mail to libraryquestions@baylor.edu before the initial embargo period ends.

Questions about availability options?
If you still have questions or concerns about availability options, please e-mail us at libraryquestions@baylor.edu. 

PhD candidates may use prior publications as chapters in their dissertations when approved by their departments. While students are typically the sole or first author on publications included in their manuscript, sometimes exceptions may be made with Graduate School approval. We also recognize that some disciplines list authors alphabetically or using other criteria within their publications. Committee chairs may petition on behalf of their student to include publications on which students are not the first author by completing this form.