Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

As we rely more and more on technology in our daily lives, it is no surprise that our scholarly work is also affected.  The Graduate College is committed to providing new capabilities to support the creativity and innovation of our scholars.  To this end we offer the opportunity for electronic submission of theses and dissertations, an option available to all degree candidates. 

An ETD can be many things a traditional thesis or dissertation is not.  It may include hyperlinks to help you navigate through the document, or be rich with embedded multimedia features such as audio or video clips.  Conversely, an ETD can simply be an electronic copy of a printed document. 

Below you will find details of the ETD Program and links of interest to help you get started on your ETD.

New Information:
Dissertations back to 1997 and all ETDs accepted by the University of Iowa are available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.  Follow this link for details.

Any student wishing to submit an ETD may now do so with the approval of their committee chair.  Please note that all deadlines for ETD submission are consistent with traditional paper theses/dissertations submission deadlines.  All electronic submissions must have the ETD submitted online and the required paperwork filed at the Graduate College by the deposit deadline.  Failure to do so will nullify the deposit.  Click here to view the requirements for first and final deposit.

The Graduate College strongly advises you to read all of the material located at the "Thesis Publishing (ProQuest Contract)" site. You need to pay particular attention to the University of Iowa's policy statements regarding Open Access Publishing, Embargoes and Delayed Release, Signature Pages and Doctoral Abstracts. Please remember that in cases where ProQuest/UMI regulations are in conflict with those of the University of Iowa, this institution's policies and specifications take precedence.

NOTICE:  All thesis-related fees at the University of Iowa, with the exception of additional thesis copies ordered from ProQuest, will be billed directly to your student account.  These include the thesis fee, publication fee, open access publishing fee (optional), and copyright fee (optional).  You may not use any of the direct payment methods (check or credit card) offered through ProQuest for these fees.  However, if you wish to order additional thesis copies from ProQuest, you may use a money order or a credit card account.

ETD Contact Information
There are four different sources you may need to contact with questions about the ETD process. 

1. For issues related to Graduate College format requirements, please contact Kris Grinstead (319-335-3599) or Matt Pollard (319-335-3432) in the Graduate Examiner's Office. 
2. For issues related to the Microsoft Word Thesis and Dissertation templates contact the ITS Survey & Desktop Application Services through the ITS Helpdesk at 319-384-4357. 
3. Support for creation of the PDF document is provided at the Main Library Information Arcade, walk in service is available. 
4. Questions about electronic submission of the document through the ETD website should be directed to Andy Jenkins (319-353-2321) in Graduate College Information Technology.

Resources

• ETD Committee Chair Approval Form (PDF 8KB) - brief explanation, approval form, and intellectual property considerations
• Adobe Acrobat - You will need access to a full version (professional or standard) of Acrobat to create your ETD (Acrobat is available on the computers in the Information Arcade).  You may also download a 30-day trial version from Adobe's website.  If you would like to purchase your own copy, it is available from the IMU Bookstore at $99.95 for the standard version.
• Information Arcade - The Information Arcade at 100 Main Library will provide support in the creation of your PDF file.
• University of Iowa ETD Submission Website
• Adobe PDF FAQ - This resource answers many questions about PDF creation.

Additional resources

• Overall ETD Process Description (PDF 14KB) - general overview of what to expect when submitting an ETD.
• Creating Your ETD using Adobe Acrobat (PDF 251KB) - instructions for converting your ETD to PDF format.
• Xythos file sharing - can be used to share your ETD with your committee.  Documentation is also available.
• Graduate College Thesis Manual (PDF)
• Thesis & Dissertation Preparation
• ITS Thesis Templates - You can obtain the thesis templates (for Microsoft Word) and instructions, or find out when workshops will be held.