Submitting your thesis electronically

Submitting Your Thesis Electronically

The Graduate Division requires two copies of your thesis: one copy on archival paper for the library, and one copy on normal paper to be submitted to ProQuest.

Instead of submitting the ProQuest copy on paper, it is possible to submit it electronically. It is recommended that you do so, because copies submitted on paper are converted to pdf format by scanning, resulting in an inferior copy. Also, you save paper.

The Graduate Division provides instructions for electronic submission of the ProQuest copy of your dissertation. This web page provides a variant set of instructions, based on pdflatex.

New for Fall 2009

The Graduate Division recently changed its requirements for electronic submission of theses. The ucthesis LaTeX document class for producing theses has not yet been updated for the new requirements. Watch this space for further developments. The updated document class should be ready by December 12.

Creating the PDF file

• Instead of typing latex to create a dvi file, type pdflatex instead. If you have just run latex several times to create a dvi file, then you need to type pdflatex only once; otherwise you should run pdflatex and bibtex in the same sequence as you would run latex and bibtex, respectively, to create a dvi file.
• Check the thesis by running acroread, evince, or gv on the resulting pdf file.

Sending the PDF file

• If your pdf file is over 10 megabytes in length, you will need to send it as a zip file. To convert it to a zip file, use the zip command. For example, if the pdf file is named thesis.pdf, then you can convert it to a file thesis.zip by typing the command:

zip thesis thesis.pdf

• Send your file or zipped file as an e-mail attachment to edegrees@uclink4.berkeley.edu. Be sure to include your full name, degree and major, and expected filing date in the body of your e-mail. To send a file as an attachment, you should use a modern e-mail program such as pine or mutt; the Unix mail program is not sufficient.
• Currently it takes two working days for Graduate Degrees staff to approve and issue receipts for dissertations filed electronically. If you plan to submit your dissertation electronically during the week of the filing deadline, please allow two working days for approval of your dissertation.
• After your file has been reviewed, you will receive a verification e-mail that certifies whether or not your file has been accepted and gives you a receipt number.
• Bring your receipt number and your signed ProQuest agreement form with you when you file the library copy of your dissertation at 302 Sproul Hall.
• E-mail the Graduate Division at edegrees@uclink4.berkeley.edu if you have any questions regarding submitting an electronic dissertation, or Paul Vojta at vojta@math.berkeley.edu if you have questions about pdflatex.