uiowa grad college thesis template

Navigation Menu

Search code, repositories, users, issues, pull requests..., provide feedback.

We read every piece of feedback, and take your input very seriously.

Saved searches

Use saved searches to filter your results more quickly.

To see all available qualifiers, see our documentation .

• Notifications You must be signed in to change notification settings

a template that resembles the word template provided the grad college of uiowa

zhiyzuo/uiowa-thesis-dissertation

Folders and files.

Repository files navigation

this is a (semi-official?) minimalistic template that resembles the word template provided the grad college of uiowa (see here )

while the template conforms to the requirement and has been checked by the thesis examiner Erin Kaufman , you might still receive feedback to correct your thesis format due to long tables or other issues.

Center for the Book

Third semester review, thesis abstract and thesis guidelines.

The following overview is to assist students in planning for the key events leading to the MFA degree. You should feel free to consult with your advisor if you have any related questions. For a complete timeline and list of requirements see Summary of Procedures for Graduation .

3rd Semester Review, Thesis Abstract and Thesis Guidelines

Third semester review.

As part of the MFA program, students take up a 3rd-Semester Review. This is a chance for students to show their progress and discuss potential thesis work with UICB faculty. At start of the 4th semester students will display their work for three hours and faculty may visit to see the work and talk with each of them. This is not an assessment of finished work or a ‘show and tell’ of everything accomplished in the previous 3 semesters. Rather, it is an assessment of progress and potential and an opportunity to help the student hone and focus for their thesis. Students are expected to carefully prepare what work to show (both finished and in-progress—the ability to edit is an important part of this process). By opening the review to all interested UICB affiliated faculty, the Review gives students the opportunity to receive feedback from faculty not regularly involved in their course work. Normally the Review will be held early in the spring semester.

Students should have a statement on hand that details a proposed direction. The writing can take the form of an artist’s statement, or an account of what the student has produced so far and the direction the student is considering from here.

The Review is the students’ primary opportunity to introduce their work to faculty, and to both receive feedback and begin a dialogue with specific faculty members. The one-on-one meeting between student and faculty member during review is an opportunity for faculty to ask questions, elicit conversation, conduct critique and communicate reservations, concerns, or optimism about the present state of the student's work directly to the individual. These conversations held with individual faculty during review are the most important component of this process. It will benefit the student to fully engage with each faculty member attending the Review session and to take notes on those conversations.

Faculty will meet following the Review, and will be invited to provide input on the progress of each student. Faculty will vote on each MFA candidate, with options of “Pass” “Caution” and “Not Pass.” Students will receive notification on the Monday following the Review of the outcome of the vote.

For a majority vote of “Pass” The student may proceed with preparation for their thesis work. Students should feel free to contact their advisor, or other faculty post-review via email or in person.

For a majority vote of “Caution” The student’s advisor and UICB Director will confer on what action should be taken. In the two weeks following Review, the advisor will meet with the student to address concerns raised during the faculty meeting, and discuss plans moving forward. The student will meet with the advisor and the Director before the end of finals week, to assess their progress and readiness to proceed with their thesis work. The meeting will function as a typical critique of completed pieces and works-in-progress.

For a majority vote of “Not Pass” In the two weeks following Review, the advisor will meet with the student to address concerns raised during the faculty meeting. The student is required to participate in a follow-up review, to be scheduled before the last Friday in April of that semester. A smaller group of faculty will be invited to attend this review; typically this will be the student’s advisor, the UICB director, and one additional faculty member of the advisor or director’s choosing. The student is invited to request one additional UICB faculty member to be present at this second review [for a total of four faculty, maximum]. The student is welcome to meet with their advisor prior to the follow-up review to discuss expectations. The review will function as a typical critique. It is expected that the student address concerns from the initial review meeting. The student should bring work that indicates significant progress and a readiness to embark upon thesis work.

Following this meeting, the faculty present will determine whether the student is cleared to proceed with their Thesis year. The student’s only option to remain in the MFA Book Arts program is to pass the follow-up review meeting. The UICB director will notify the student of the decision within five business days. In the event of a not pass vote, the student may not continue with the MFA in Book Arts program. If the student’s accrued credits allow, the student may graduate with a UICB Graduate Certificate.

Working Abstract

A working abstract, submitted at the start of your thesis work, is a document you will return to and edit multiple times as you refine your thinking. It serves as a starting point, a guidepost for your thinking, which will likely evolve through the process. It also provides your committee with a summary idea of what you are thinking about and plan to accomplish.

The working abstract should consist of a 1-2 page statement that lays out a rationale, plan, and rough timeline for the work the students intends to produce for the student's thesis show. The abstract should indicate how the student's prior work and interests led to the plan for the thesis, and how the thesis plan, in turn factors into the student's career objectives, or creative directions, or both. Students may wish to prepare the abstract prior to this date in order to provide potential committee members with the abstract when requesting their participation on the Thesis Committee. It is expected that the abstracts to be read and carefully edited prior to submitting to your committee.

Thesis Guidelines

As part of the MFA program, students will complete a thesis that consists of two components: 1) studio work that is exhibited in a group or solo exhibition during their last semester and 2) a written thesis that is submitted to the Graduate College. Protocols established by the Graduate College and the UICB govern this process.

Institutional requirements for the thesis are established by the Graduate College and published at https://www.grad.uiowa.edu/academics/thesis-and-dissertation . Students will need to consult the UICB Summary of Procedures for Graduation for specific dates and additional requirements.

Studio Work

Thesis work can take a variety of forms, from a body of work with thematic relationships, to a single bookwork, to an installation, to a research project involving a specific technique or process. In an interdisciplinary program such as the Center for the Book, with a variety of media and approaches, the direction a student’s work may take has a very broad range. The student will work with her or his committee and instructors to bring shape and focus to that direction. Regardless of format or media, the work should show rigor, well-developed skills, and aesthetic sensibilities. It should pursue a clear goal, addressing artistic, technical, or craft-based considerations that represent the student’s chosen direction. A requirement of the thesis is to mount an exhibition of the studio work, either in a solo venue or a group exhibition. Exhibits will take place during the student’s final semester, before the Final Examination Report is due. Students will have space to exhibit in the UICB's K.K. Merker Gallery, but are welcome to find alternate space if desired.

Detailed Thesis Outline

The detailed outline will delineate the content and structure of your written thesis. Return to your working abstract; what themes and references can you use and what new ideas have emerged? How do you want this written document to work with or to complement your studio work? The detailed outline is intended to 1) provide you a roadmap to the written thesis and 2) provide your thesis committee a clear indication of your intended direction and content in the written thesis. The detailed outline will be presented in a clear hierarchical structure of main ideas, supporting ideas, and supporting details, including where you plan to incorporate figures and any citations.

Submission of Digital Images

10-20 digital images from your thesis work will be submitted to the Program Administrator. Image files should be 300 dpi and 2000 pixels ion the longest side. Please also include an image list including: title, date complete, dimensions, materials, edition size (if applicable).

Written Thesis

A written thesis is required and a copy will be deposited with the Graduate College. The Graduate College’s specific formatting requirements, found here or at the above link, must be followed, and failure to submit materials meeting these standards will delay a student’s graduation.

As with the studio work, the thesis exposition can take many forms. Content is up to the student, subject to the thesis committee’s approval. It can be a brief artist’s statement that describes artistic intent, supplemented with a series of figures (images) from the creative component of the thesis. It could also be an expanded artist's statement or research documentation that describes the process and thinking that went into this particular project or puts the work into a larger context, including discussion/analysis of contemporaries working in a similar vein. It could be a research project that examines a historical, technical, or critical area that the student finds pertinent to his or her direction in the book arts.

Students will submit a final draft of the written thesis to their committee early in the 3rd month, 6th semester in order to receive feedback prior to submission of your written thesis to the Graduate College. For specific dates and deadlines, see the Graduate College Thesis Manual and the UICB Summary of Procedures for Graduation.

University Libraries - Special Collections and Archives

University archives: resource guide to master’s theses and doctoral dissertations.

• Special Collections and Archives
• Reading Room Policies
• Instruction services
• Rights, Permissions, Copyright, & Citations
• Reference & Scanning Services
• Gifts and Donations
• Collections Policies
• Main Library Gallery
• Third floor exhibits
• Borrowing Special Collections and Archives materials for exhibits
• Online Exhibitions
• Iowa Bibliophiles
• Robert A. and Ruth Bywater Olson Graduate Assistantship
• Special Collection and Archive staff

To find a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation: Copies of theses and dissertations approved by the Graduate College are held by the University Libraries and may be searched using the University Libraries catalog, InfoHawk . Patrons may search by name of author, title, subject, or year of release. Electronic theses and dissertations approved since 1999 may be accessed through The University of Iowa’s institutional repository, Iowa Research Online, at http://iro.uiowa.edu/etd/ .

Titles approved between 1900 and 1950 are also described in: Edwards, Sarah Scott, comp. Theses and Dissertations Presented in the Graduate College of the State University of Iowa, 1900-1950 . Iowa City: State University of Iowa, 1952. Titles listed in this work are arranged by subject and indexed by author. It is available online courtesy of the HathiTrust.

Theses and dissertations are shelved in several locations in the Main Library. Many related to specific disciplines are housed in departmental or branch libraries. Those housed in the Main Library and approved within the last 20 years are arranged by call number in the east stack area of the third floor. Those approved more than 20 years ago are located in Main Library Storage and may be retrieved by staff at the Service Desk.

To borrow a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation: Theses and dissertations circulate to UI patrons like other books. They are available to off-campus readers by way of interlibrary loan. To arrange for interlibrary loan, contact the ILL department of your home library. UI electronic theses and dissertations published online since 1999 may be accessed at Iowa Research Online .

To purchase a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation: UI doctoral dissertations approved since January 1, 1952 and electronic theses and dissertations approved since January 1, 2003 are available for purchase from Dissertation Express , a product of ProQuest.

To access titles in the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database: Full-text access to all U.S. titles listed in ProQuest’s database, dated from 1861 to the present, is available at http://guides.lib.uiowa.edu/dissertations . The database includes citations to works produced outside the U.S. as well.

Related materials at the University Archives: Theses and dissertations pertaining to the history of the University of Iowa are listed by subject in A Bibliography of the History of the University of Iowa . Originally prepared by Earl M. Rogers as a printed guide (University of Iowa Libraries, 1997), the online resource includes additions through the current year.

• The School of Art and Art History Graduate Archive contains on-line representations of works of art by students who have attended the School’s graduate program. Works dated from 1963 to the present may be searched and viewed in this Iowa Digital Library database.
• For an inventory of theses and dissertations written in the UI College of Education between 1933 and 1946 that pertain to elementary, junior high and senior high social studies programs, see: Reeves, Stanley B. Digests of Social Studies Theses at the State University of Iowa .
• Titles of master’s theses and doctoral dissertations are included in the commencement programs and official graduate lists, issued at the end of each term and maintained by the University Archives (RG 24.0001.001).
• Undergraduate Engineering Theses (Engineering Bachelor’s Theses) in the University of Iowa Archives, 1905-1918 . Included are titles pertaining to public works projects throughout Iowa that were designed and, in many cases, implemented by College of Engineering undergraduate students. These titles are available for research only in Special Collections (RG 10.0007.001).
• Degrees Granted, Summary of . A statistical summary of all degrees conferred by the University of Iowa since 1847, listed by type of degree and including discontinued curricula. The list is updated annually by the Office of the Registrar.

Return to the Search and Find Resources page

University Libraries

• Contact a Librarian
• Databases A-Z
• Guides by Subject
• Resources by Type
• Find Books & Articles
• Government Information
• Iowa Digital Library

Iowa Research Online

• Special Collections & University Archives
• Iowa Women's Archives
• Course Reserves
• Office Delivery
• Borrowing From Another Library & Document Delivery
• Undergraduate Research Services (The SEAM)
• Research Consultations
• Instructional Services
• Research Data Services
• Open Educational Resources
• Distance Education
• Scholarly Publishing & Copyright
• More services...
• Check My Account
• Renew My Books
• My Interlibrary Loan
• Recommend Library Purchase
• EndNote Basic
• Departments
• Collection Management
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Publications, Plans & Reports
• Make a Gift
• History of the Library
• For the Media
• Research Guides & Tutorials
• Directions & Maps
• Assistance for Users with Disabilities
• All Campus Libraries
• Learning Commons
• Main Library Gallery
• Art Library
• Business Library
• Engineering Library
• Health Sciences Library
• Law Library
• Music Library
• Sciences Library
• Contact a Librarian or the UI Libraries
• Staff directory by name
• Staff directory by organizational unit
• Campus Libraries

About Iowa Research Online

• Faculty Output
• Researcher Profiles
• Dissertations & Theses
• Frequently Asked Questions

Iowa Research Online (IRO)

ISSN 2476-1680 (online)

FAQ  |  Contact us

About the Dissertations & Theses Collection

The Iowa Research Online Dissertations & Theses collection includes theses and dissertations submitted electronically. You can search only for theses and dissertations using the Dissertations & Theses search . To find theses from a single department you can click research units to navigate to the department or search for the department name and then select both the dissertations and thesis (two check marks) resource type facets in the sidebar. If the results are still too broad, you may wish to further facet by the research unit name or date.

All PhD dissertations from 1997 to present are available to University of Iowa faculty, students and staff from ProQuest . Most dissertations prior to 1997 are also available via ProQuest.

Prior to Dec 2009, electronic submission was optional. Beginning with the Fall 2009 semester, electronic submission of doctoral dissertations and master's theses, excluding MFA theses, is mandatory. For more information, please visit the Graduate College website . If you need to extend an embargo on your thesis, please contact the Graduate College using this form .

Almost all theses and dissertations have their title, author, committee members, and abstract available even when they are under an embargo. Theses and dissertation which have been placed under an embargo for a pending patent are not available at all.

All print theses and dissertations are available at the University of Iowa Libraries. Please search our catalog . You can add the word “thesis” to your search to help narrow your search. Click the focus on box and search for the name of the department plus the word thesis to find everything for a department.

Additional information about our older, print theses can be found in University Archives' Resource Guide to Master’s Theses and Doctoral Dissertations .

Digitization

Theses and dissertations previously submitted in print will be digitized with permission of the author or copyright holder. The University Libraries encourages graduates to provide this permission so that their work can reach the widest possible audience. If you would like to grant this permission to the University Libraries, please use this form . Theses and dissertations will be digitized as time allows and will not become immediately accessible.

• << Previous: Researcher Profiles
• Next: Frequently Asked Questions >>
• Last Updated: Aug 30, 2024 9:23 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uiowa.edu/iro

College of Education

Thesis defense schedule.

Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Alfonso Martinez Friday, September 6, 2024; 10:00 AM; Zoom Title: Topics in Bayesian Generalized Latent Variable Modeling Committee Chair: Jonathan Templin

Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Tasha Lindo Thursday, November 14, 2024; 1:30 PM; Zoom Title: Engaging in critical conversations with secondary school Asian American and Pacific Islander girls in an AAPI young adult book club Committee Co-Chairs: Amanda Thein; Saba Vlach

Epidemiology MS (Thesis)

  A Sample Plan represents one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with your academic advisor(s).

Academic Career

Any Semester

Second Year

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Want to graduate with distinction learn how.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is excited to share the updated criteria for graduating with distinction. Whether you’re a first-year student just starting your academic journey or a senior preparing for graduation, this is an opportunity for you to aim high and achieve excellence. 

The criteria will be based on GPA only, no longer percentile. This change will create more transparency and consistency for students no matter their college. The three levels of distinction are: 

• With highest distinction: 3.95 GPA or above (3 stars)
• With high distinction: 3.85–3.94 GPA (2 stars)
• With distinction: 3.75–3.84 GPA (1 star)

To be eligible for consideration, degree candidates must complete the final 60 semester hours in residence as an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, and at least 45 graded semester hours must have been completed before the final semester or session of registration. 

The grade-point average (GPA) used to determine distinction is cumulative GPA and overall cumulative GPA and includes all work undertaken before the beginning of the final semester or session.

For more information on distraction, visit this page on the commencement website.

If you are graduating this academic year, please be aware of these important dates and deadlines: 

• Deadline to apply for graduation: Friday, Oct. 4, 2024
• CLAS Commencement: Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, at 1 p.m.
• Deadline to apply for graduation: Friday, Feb. 28, 2025
• CLAS Commencement: Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.