All graduate students are required to submit their thesis or dissertation (T/D) to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) for the format review, certification, and submission approval process.
Students are required to provide their T/D to their supervisory committee chair for preliminary approval and completion of the Preliminary Approval Kuali form, so it is received by the SGS for format review by the posted deadlines shown below. The following Kuali forms should be submitted online by the initial format review deadline:
SGS staff will conduct an initial format review of the T/D document and provide the student with requested revisions they will need to complete.
Immediately following the T/D defense, the supervisory committee chair/primary advisor should initiate the online Kuali forms:
Note: Any additional assessment/evaluation forms needed by an individual program/department are not included in this SGS process.
SGS staff will perform a final format review after receiving the required Kuali forms and a student's final, committee-approved T/D. A student may be asked to complete formatting revisions before the SGS will issue a certificate of acceptance of the T/D and provide the student with instructions to submit it as a PDF/A or PDF/UA to UMKC’s Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Administrator ProQuest. After acceptance in, and delivery to, ProQuest, full-text versions will be available through ProQuest and MOspace, a digital institutional repository of the University of Missouri System.
For more information see: Submitting Your Thesis or Dissertation for Review
Thesis and dissertation deadlines downloadable PDF
| Deadline | Spring 2026 | Summer 2026 | Fall 2026 |
| Submit application for graduation (Registrar) | Tues., March 31 | Tues., June 30 | Fri., Oct. 31 |
| Submit T/D for initial format review | Tues., March 31 | Tues., June 30 | Mon., Oct. 26 |
| Complete T/D defense | Fri., May 1 | Fri., July 17 | Fri., Nov. 20 |
| Submit final T/D for final format review, committees submit T/D forms | Mon., May 11 | Fri., July 24 | Fri. Dec. 04 |
| Submit T/D to ProQuest | Fri., May 29 | Mon., Aug. 3 | Mon., Dec. 21 |
The “University of Missouri-Kansas City Guide to Formatting Theses and Dissertations” is the main document resource for formatting guidance. The formatting guide was revised in February 2026.
A template based on the guide is available:
According to University of Missouri-Kansas City policy KC-ACA-3751,
[t]he School of Graduate Studies (SGS), guided by the Graduate Council, establishes the format regulations for theses and dissertations (T/Ds) at UMKC. Degree candidates must adhere to the formatting regulations outlined in the “University of Missouri-Kansas City Guide to Formatting Theses and Dissertations” which is available on the SGS website. While adhering to the formatting guidelines, students can use a citation style that is typical in their field, approved by their supervisory committee, and communicated to the SGS. Students must indicate their chosen citation style on their Preliminary Approval form. (SGS Revised Spring 2025)
The candidate, as author, is responsible for the following:
[1] Words in all CAPITAL LETTERS in this guide are illustrations of the headings and titles that should be in all capital letters in T/Ds. In T/Ds, words should not be capitalized to show emphasis.
The formatting guidelines draw on Turabian et al. (2018) and earlier editions, which is referred to as Turabian, and the American Psychological Association (2020) “Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association: The Official Guide to APA Style,” which is referred to as APA.
After defining a new multilevel list, in general, students should use the automatic functions in Microsoft Word to insert and label illustrations and tables and to generate their lists. [...]
Alternative text (Alt Text) must be added for each illustration. Tables are more likely to be readable by a screen reader when they are inserted as tables and not as images. Alt text should be for tables. [...]
Each T/D has three sections: (1) the preliminary matter (i.e., front matter), (2) the text, and (3) the back matter. Some elements of each section are required, others are optional.
UMKC requires the following sequence of preliminary matter parts in all T/Ds (This mandatory sequence varies from that cited in Turabian.).
The title page includes the title of the manuscript; identification of the type of manuscript and name of degree program; purpose of the manuscript; name of author; author's previous degree(s), institutions and dates and year(s) received; location and date of publication; and the names of your committee members. The wording and format of the elements of the title page must be exactly as noted here and as illustrated in Appendix A.
When selecting the title, keep in mind that many computer retrieval systems use the words in the title—and sometimes a few other descriptive words—to locate documents. The T/D will be a valuable source for other scholars only if it can be located easily. The title should be a meaningful description of the T/D’s subject. Be sure to use word substitutes for formulae, symbols, superscripts, Greek letters, etc. The typeface used on the title page must be the same, in style and size, as the rest of the manuscript. Boldface or larger size typefaces are not allowed.
On the title page, place the T/D title approximately 1-3/4” from the top of the page in all CAPITAL LETTERS. Put the title on 2 or more lines if it is longer than 48 characters (or about 4.5”) with the longest line on the top. Double-space multiple lines in the title.
Approximately two inches below the first line of the title, center the words “A THESIS IN” or “A DISSERTATION IN” (as appropriate to the paper) using all capital letters. On the next line below that and centered, insert the official name of the degree program, with only the initial letter(s) capitalized (e.g., Nursing, Music Composition). Do not include emphasis area designations. Two double-spaced lines below the degree program name, insert the three lines of text shown below, centered, single-spaced, and capitalized as shown:
Presented to the Faculty of the University
of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree
Two lines below that insert the appropriate official name of degree using all capital letters:
OFFICIAL NAME OF DEGREE (e.g., DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OR MASTER OF ARTS)
Approximately 7” from top of page, center the word “by,” typed in lowercase letters. On the next line below that, center the author’s full name, typed in all CAPITAL LETTERS. On the second line below the author's name, using upper and lowercase letters, center information on the author’s previous degree(s), the institution where they were received, and the year awarded. The following is an example of how this should look:
About 1-3/4” above the bottom of the page, using upper and lowercase letters, center the words, “Kansas City, Missouri.” On the next line below this, center the year the T/D is being submitted. The following is how it should look:
The second page of each T/D is either a blank page or a page with the copyright notice on it (see the section on Copyrighting the Work). The copyright notice should be centered in the lower third of the page and the circled “c” must be lowercase. The following is an example of a copyright notice:
Most word-processing programs can insert this symbol as a graphic character. The year of copyright is the year in which the T/D is deposited with the UMKC Libraries.
The abstract is a required element. It immediately follows the blank or copyright page and is numbered beginning with the small Roman numeral “iii.” The abstract should summarize the problems dealt with by the research, the research methods employed, and the major findings. As a digest of the entire T/D, the abstract should be organized to correlate with the T/D outline. The same, careful attention given to the writing of the T/D should be given to writing the abstract. The purpose of the study, the research methodology, and a summary of the findings should be included. The abstract should not be a mere rephrasing of the table of contents; and it should not include footnotes or references. The abstract must be in English. Diagrams, photographs, or abbreviations are not allowed in the abstract.
The heading of the abstract begins at the top of the page. Each line of the abstract heading is centered. The abstract heading includes, in the order listed: (1) the T/D title; (2) the author's name and the degree to be received; (3) University of Missouri-Kansas City, year; and (4) the word abstract in all capital letters.
The title is in all capital letters. Put it on 2 or more lines if it is longer than 48 characters (or about 4.5”) with the longest line on top. Double-space multiple lines in the title. The title on the abstract page must exactly match the one on the title and approval pages.
Triple-space between the title and the author's name. Initial letters only are capitalized in typing the author's name and the degree (e.g., Jane Person Doe, Candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree). The author's full legal name should be used. Any official changes must be made by affidavit through the Office of the Registrar. Double-space between the author's name and degree line and the next line which says, “University of Missouri-Kansas City, year.”
Consistently space before and after the line which says “ABSTRACT.”
Start the text of the abstract on the same page as the heading, on the third line below the word “ABSTRACT” in the heading. The text portion of the abstract must be double-spaced and should not exceed 350 words. Do not include the heading, T/D title, or author's name in the word count. (See the example in Appendix A).
The approval page is required and is placed immediately following the abstract. The approval page indicates the names of the student's faculty committee and a statement that they have read and approved the T/D. (See an example in Appendix A).
The table of contents is required. List all major parts of the T/D in the table of contents except the following: title page, blank or copyright page, approval page, contents, and dedication. CAPITALIZE all letters of the titles of all major parts: abstract, list of illustrations (required if there are any figures in the manuscript), list of tables (required if there are any tables in the manuscript), list of abbreviations (if used), glossary (if used), acknowledgments (if used), preface (if used), parts (e.g. PART I, PART II), chapter titles, appendix titles, notes, bibliography, references, and vita. Use the same words in the chapter titles, subheadings, and appendix titles exactly as they appear in the text.
Students must use Microsoft Word Styles (or similar software) to automatically create their table of contents (see the table of contents of this guide for an example).
Subheadings in the chapters may be included in, or omitted from, the table of contents at the discretion of the author. If they are included, however, they must be included for all chapters, in the order of their rank, with page numbers. This means the author cannot begin with first level subheadings in the table of contents’ listing for one chapter but skip to third- or fourth-level subheadings in another chapter without listing the first two levels. Subheading titles that are longer than one line are single-spaced. If the author includes more than one level of subheading in the Table of Contents listing, each level is indented 0.5” or at least three spaces from the last indentation of the next higher level. The first level subheading is indented 0.5” or at least three spaces from the last indentation of the chapter heading. Page numbers listed in the table of contents are justified right following a line of periods one space apart (i.e., period leaders) separating the listing of the title from the page number on which that part of the T/D begins (See Turabian, page 390). In the table of contents, the word “Chapter” is included before each chapter number (e.g., CHAPTER 1) (see the table of contents of this guide for an example).
If the T/D includes any illustrations, then a list of illustrations must be included. The list should begin on a new page following the table of contents. Be sure all entries include the corresponding page numbers of illustrations as they are indicated in the text; word the titles exactly as they appear in the text (including capitalization). If captions are lengthy, then they can be shortened when added as entries in the list (see Turabian 2018, 393) (see the list of illustrations in this guide for an example).
If the T/D includes any tables, then a list of tables must be included. The list should begin on a new page following the list of illustrations. Be sure all listings include the corresponding page numbers of tables as they are indicated in the text; word the titles exactly as they appear in the text (including capitalization). If table titles are lengthy, then they can be shortened when added as entries in the list (see Turabian 2018, 393) (see the list of illustrations in this guide for an example).
If your T/D has numerous abbreviations beyond common ones, then a list of abbreviations can be created. Put the heading at the top of the page, then after two blank lines start the list; single-space items within themselves but put a blank line between items (see Turabian 2018, 342-57, 398-99).
If used, arrange the words alphabetically.
If an acknowledgments segment is included, the heading acknowledgments, in all uppercase letters, is centered on the first page. The text begins on the third line below the heading. In this section, the author may thank mentors and colleagues and list people, organizations, or institutions that supported the research. Credit may be given to works cited in the text for which permission to reproduce has been granted (see Turabian 2018, 398).
A preface may be used to explain the writer's motivation for the study, “the background of the project, the scope of the research, and the purpose of the paper” (Turabian 2018, 393).
If used, the dedication is the last page in the preliminary matter. The dedication page is counted and numbered (see Turabian 2018, 389) It is not listed in the table of contents.
Divide the text into chapters. Begin each chapter on a new page. Center the word "CHAPTER" followed by the number (in either Arabic or Roman numerals as long as they are consistent and the same as used in the table of contents) at the top of the page. On the second line below that, center the first line of the chapter title (all uppercase letters). Begin the text (or first subheading) on the third line below the chapter title. Page numbers must be at the bottom of the page in the footer, centered, and 0.75” from the edge of the page (i.e., Footer from Bottom). There is not any content in the header (e.g., no text, numbers, symbols or running head).
If chapters are subdivided, carefully plan the subheadings based on the citation style chosen to be used throughout the T/D or according to the five levels of subheadings in Turabian (2018, 404-05). The chapter title should not be treated as a subheading level. If you have more than three levels of subheadings, you may want to think about if it adds to your paper to have more than three levels. Be consistent throughout the manuscript when choosing and placing all headings.
Divide centered subheadings of more than 48 characters (or about 4.5”) into 2 or more single-spaced lines with the longest line on the top. Divide subheadings that are flush with the left margin into two or more single-spaced lines if they extend more than half a line. Except for the fifth level subheading that is run-on into the paragraph and followed by a period, there is not any punctuation at the end of a subheading (Turabian 2018). Headings/subheading should have at least one line of text below them at the bottom of a page.
Carefully follow all of the requirements for line spacing, margins, pagination, insertion of tables and figures, etc. listed in the Formatting Standards sections of this guide.
Arrange the back matter sections in the following order:
One can place supporting material that does not fit in the body of the paper in an appendix. Center the heading (i.e., APPENDIX) at the top of the page. On the second line below that, center the first line of the title. If you have more than one appendix, then give each a letter or number (e.g., APPENDIX A and APPENDIX B or APPENDIX 1 and APPENDIX 2). After the title leave two blank lines before beginning the text or placing an item (see Turabian 2018, 410).
This section is freer regarding type size and so forth, because it may include a variety of materials, such as letters, documents, and case studies. Type page numbers for appendix pages that are photocopies of other documents at the bottom center of each page, enclosed in brackets. Also, consider whether it is necessary to seek permission to use copyrighted materials you may want to add in this section and any part of the T/D. If so, request permission to use them as early as possible and well before the final submission of the T/D.
Endnotes are formatted like footnotes but are placed at the end of the T/D rather than on the bottom of each page (see Turabian 2018, 161-62, 411-12).
In Turabian the defaults for reference or bibliography entries are to start each entry on a new line, single space within entries, use a special hanging indent of 0.5” on each additional line after the first, and have a blank line space between entries. See the reference list of this guide for an example. Students can use a citation style that is typical in their field, approved by their supervisory committee, and communicated to the School of Graduate Studies.
This last section of the T/D, VITA, is written in paragraph form, in third person, and is double-spaced. It is a type of biographical sketch, and it is different from a Curriculum Vitae. In the vita, the date, place of birth, and schools attended are optional, and it is not recommended to include them. The bio should only include professional information, such as degrees previously earned, academic positions held, academic honors, and major research accomplishments or publications.
If the T/D contains forms of copyrighted material, such as works of art, photographs, maps, tables, or standardized tests, request to obtain permission to use them as early as possible and well before the final submission of the T/D. The dissertation cannot be microfilmed until all necessary permissions have been obtained.
If you and/or your chair have questions about copyright matters, then you can email a team of librarians with UMKC University Libraries at copyright@umkc.edu. They are also the ones who manage the copyright research guide, which provides information on copyright (see UMKC University Libraries n.d. for more information).
If one is going to include mention of permissions, then the guidance is for students to include them in an appendix (if that is fitting to what is needed) and to provide copyright attributions in captions, footnotes, and/or in-text citations, etc., and the reference list. If permission letters are included in appendices or as supplemental files that are uploaded and publicly viewable, then students are encouraged to cover up the email addresses and physical/electronically written signatures of the people involved in providing permission with a shape or something comparable, so it appears redacted.
When quoting material used by others, authors must observe the legal rule of “Fair Use.” Because this rule is not precisely defined, various organizations have set different guidelines for requesting permission to reprint material from copyright owners. Some universities suggest the author request the copyright owner's permission for any quotation totaling 150 words or more. Some publishers set the number of words at 250; university presses have agreed to a reciprocal use of not more than 300 words. If the author has questions about this, check with the individual publisher, the author's supervisory committee, and UMKC University Libraries.
Although the author may have permission to use copyrighted materials, when that permission is extended to ProQuest, letters of permission from the author of the copyrighted material must be included with the submission to ProQuest. ProQuest checks especially for copyrighted tests in education and psychology T/Ds, copyrighted music, and previously published copyrighted items (See ProQuest n.d.-a for more information).
“Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression.” (U.S. Copyright Office n.d.). Your T/D is fixed after you type it, write it, and/or record it. Students are not required to register a copyright for their T/D. A benefit of registering a copyright is that it allows one to file a suit for infringement.
ProQuest can assist in applying for registration of a U.S. copyright for doctoral and master's degree candidates. An option to do so is available when uploading the final PDF copy to ProQuest. As of February 12, 2026, the cost of having ProQuest register the copyright is $75.
If questions arise about copyrights that UMKC University Libraries cannot answer, then one can contact the following:
UMKC’s Office of Technology Commercialization (n.d.) states the following on their website:
Publishing your research or publicly disclosing it before filing a patent application can severely limit your patentability and could completely bar you from receiving a U.S. or foreign patent.
Seeking a patent does not preclude publication of research results, and, in most cases, does not delay publishing. To retain the potential for foreign patents, a U.S. patent application must be filed before any description of the invention is publicly disclosed.
They mention several examples of what constitutes public disclosure and when items are considered “published.” T/Ds are on their list and are considered published when the T/D is shelved at the library (i.e., electronically deposited with the library).
Therefore, if the author has a patent pending on the T/D or plans to pursue one, then the student should indicate the need for an embargo when submitting their T/D to the School of Graduate Studies for format review, so the dean can review it for approval. The student would also need to request an embargo when uploading the T/D to ProQuest.
APPENDIX A: EXAMPLE PAGES (Web Version)
The example pages follow the UMKC T-D formatting guidelines and T-D Template (which is in Microsoft Word). On the pages, students would replace the text in brackets or delete it since it is instructional or an optional element.
Sign in with your UM System SSO to view the example pages:
APPENDIX B: LISTING OF UMKC GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS WITH THESIS OR DISSERTATION REQUIREMENT OR OPTION
Only the official names from the list may be used on the title page of a T/D.
|
Major or Official Degree Program |
Degree (i.e., Official Name of Degree) |
|
Art History |
Master of Arts |
|
Bioinformatics |
Master of Science |
|
Biomedical Engineering |
Master of Science |
|
Cellular & Molecular Biology |
Master of Science |
|
Chemistry |
Master of Science |
|
Civil Engineering |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Civil Engineering |
Master of Science |
|
Computer Science |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Computer Science |
Master of Science |
|
Conducting |
Doctor of Musical Arts |
|
Counseling Psychology |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Creative Writing & Media Arts |
Master of Fine Arts |
|
Criminal Justice & Criminology |
Master of Science |
|
Economics |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Economics |
Master of Arts |
|
Education |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Educationa |
Doctor of Education |
|
Electrical & Computer Engineering |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Electrical Engineering |
Master of Science |
|
English |
Master of Arts |
|
Entrepreneurship & Innovation |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Environmental & Urban Geosciences |
Master of Science |
|
History |
Master of Arts |
|
Humanities |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Master of Laws |
Master of Laws |
|
Mathematics |
Master of Science |
|
Mechanical Engineering |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Mechanical Engineering |
Master of Science |
|
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studiesa |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Music Composition |
Doctor of Musical Arts |
|
Music Composition |
Master of Music |
|
Music Education |
Master of Music Education |
|
Music Therapy |
Master of Arts |
|
Musicology |
Master of Music |
|
Natural Sciences |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Nursing |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Oral & Craniofacial Sciences |
Master of Science |
|
Performance |
Doctor of Musical Arts |
|
Physics |
Master of Science |
|
Psychology |
Master of Arts |
|
Psychology |
Doctor of Philosophy |
|
Statistics |
Master of Science |
Source: Data adapted from UMKC Office of the Registrar diploma information file received in June 2025
aprogram title
Students in the IPh.D. program (i.e., Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies program) will insert their discipline names in place of the official name of the degree program on their title page as shown below:
If one has more than one co-discipline, insert “and” on the line above the last co-discipline.
The following are excerpts of title page examples:
MASTER OF SCIENCE
Formatting guidance workshops are typically held each Fall and Spring semester for students who are ready to start, or are already, working on their T/D. Attendance at a workshop is highly encouraged.