Submission and Binding of Graduate Student Theses
Theses must be prepared and submitted as outlined in the Graduate Thesis Regulations.
When all other requirements for the degree have been met including the acceptance of the thesis by the department/faculty the student must provide to the University an electronic copy of their approved thesis as a final University degree requirement.
Degree requirements for paper bound copies of the approved thesis for the department and/or supervisor(s) are regulated by each department/faculty. Students must check with their department/faculty regarding binding requirements and deadlines. Students may choose to have the department and supervisor copies as well as any personal copies of the approved thesis bound privately or through the services provided by UW Graphics.
Thesis approved by the Graduate Studies Office will be indexed by the Library and Library and Archives Canada, and will be accessible electronically.
Deadlines for the submission of the theses to the GSO and to Graphics for Spring and Fall Convocation are listed in the Graduate Studies Calendar.
Guidelines for Thesis Examination Without Public Disclosure
When an oral defence for a Master's thesis is a requirement and where the protection of intellectual property is sought by the filing of a patent application, the student and supervisor(s) may request a closed thesis examination and a restriction on the circulation of the thesis.
Any request for a closed thesis examination must be forthcoming, at the latest, one week prior to the submission of the thesis to the Faculty Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for the examination committee, by completing a Request to Restrict Circulation of Thesis Form.
Theses are withheld by the Graduate Studies Office for a maximum of one year. Requests for extensions must be sent in writing to the Graduate Studies Office writing at least two months before the date of release.
Committee members will be asked by the University of Waterloo to sign a Non-disclosure Agreement regarding the contents of the thesis before examining the thesis.
The requirements for non-disclosure by the committee members as requested by the University of Waterloo and the restriction on the circulation of the thesis will expire after one year from the date of the original thesis submission date, unless the graduate student and supervisor(s) have obtained the consent of all non-disclosing parties to extend the term of the agreement.
The complete guidlines and forms are available at: www.grad.uwaterloo.ca/students/Guidelinescloseddefense.html
Theses Written in French
L'université de Waterloo offre aux étudiants la possibilité de rédiger les théses de doctorat et de maîtrise en français. Ceci n'est pas un droit de l'étudiant ou de l'étudiante. Mise à part la condition évidente de la compétence linguistique du candidat ou de la candidate par rapport au domaine étudié, il est nécessaire de satisfaire à d'autres exigences.
Lorsqu'un candidat ou une candidate demande à son département de rédiger sa thése en français dans le cadre de ce réglement, il ou elle doit soumettre une déclaration d'appui de la part de son directeur ou sa directrice de thése, des membres éventuels du comité de supervision et d'évaluation ainsi que leur accord d'appartenir à ce comité.
Tous les membres du comité doivent posséder un niveau de compétence linguistique tel qu'il leur permettra d'evaluer avec pertinence, à la fois le contenu et la présentation du matériel examiné.