Montclair State University was the first New Jersey state college to offer master’s degrees, the first senior public institution in the state to offer a doctoral program, and the first to offer multiple doctoral programs. Today, it is recognized as a Carnegie R2 doctoral research institution, reflecting its growing research impact.
Doctoral study represents a meaningful contribution to scholarship and the advancement of knowledge. This page is designed to support you throughout that process, offering resources, guidance, and tools to help you navigate each stage of your program. Use the links below to jump to each section.
- Graduation Deadlines
- Doctoral Procedures and Guidelines
- Forms for Doctoral Candidates
- Dissertation Writing Resources
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact docstudy@montclair.edu.
Graduation Deadlines
View the Dissertation Defense and Submission Deadlines for important dates related to dissertation completion and graduation.
Doctoral Procedures and Guidelines
The doctoral procedures manual provides step-by-step guidance for navigating the dissertation process, in addition to The Graduate School policy manual.
Before beginning, review the Dissertation Procedures and Guidelines Manual. This resource addresses most questions related to The Graduate School’s role in your dissertation.
Overview of the Dissertation Process
- Notification of Completion of the Qualifying Assessment and Notification of Admission to Doctoral Candidacy is completed by the department
- The student’s committee is formed and The Graduate School is notified using the Approval of the Dissertation Committee and Request for Approval of Outside Dissertation Committee Member (as needed) forms
- The student’s proposal is approved and The Graduate School is notified using the Approval of the Dissertation Proposal form
- The student’s manuscript is completed and the student, with their committee, has selected a tentative date for the dissertation defense. The student conveys this to The Graduate School by submitting the Application for Dissertation Defense Date form, along with an electronic copy of the dissertation and a PDF copy of their draft signature page. Before submitting this form to The Graduate School, the student should supply each of their committee members with an electronic copy as well.
- Within 24 hours of the student’s defense, the Report of Dissertation Defense form is submitted to The Graduate School.
- The student prepares the signature page, as described in the Doctoral Dissertation Procedures and Guidelines, and submits an electronic copy to The Graduate School at docstudy@montclair.edu for approval.
- Once the signature page is approved by The Graduate School, they will send a PDF version. Following the defense, this version should be circulated to the committee members for their electronic signature. Once complete, the page should be returned to docstudy@montclair.edu.
- Once all revisions are made as instructed by your dissertation committee, an electronic copy in Word format is submitted to The Graduate School at docstudy@montclair.edu. NOTE: prior to submitting the manuscript for review by The Graduate School, please see the Dissertation Final Review Checklist.
- The Graduate School will review the manuscript for formatting requirements, as described in the Doctoral Dissertation Procedures & Guidelines. Any necessary changes will be communicated with the student. Once the manuscript is finalized, The Graduate School will assemble the final copy of the dissertation, including the completed signature page, and send a .pdf of the file to the student.
- The student will be instructed to submit the file for publication through UMI, using the steps provided in the Doctoral Dissertation Procedures & Guidelines. NOTE: The student should be sure to request that UMI file for copyright on their behalf, unless the student has other plans to do so on their own. The student should NOT order bound copies of their dissertation through UMI. Copies ordered from UMI will not be guaranteed by Montclair State University.
- Complete the Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Release Form. If you choose to have an Embargo on your dissertation, this form should match what you indicate on the UMI submission.
- The student will complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates, as described in the Doctoral Dissertation Procedures & Guidelines
You may also browse previously submitted dissertations in the Dissertation Abstracts Online Database.
Forms for Doctoral Candidates
General forms can be found in the Forms page.
After admission to candidacy, the following doctoral-specific forms are required:
- Form A – Qualifying Assessment and Candidacy
- Form B – Dissertation Committee Approval
- Form C – Outside Committee Member Request (if applicable)
- Form D – Proposal Approval
- Form E – Defense Date Application
- Form F – Defense Report
- Forms G/H – Advisement or Extension Application
- Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD) Release Form
Audiology students
- Form J – Research Project Presentation Date
- Form K – Research Project Presentation Report
Additional resources
- Signature page template (3 members)
- Signature page template (4 members)
- Signature page template (5 members)
Dissertation Writing Resources
- APA style dissertation guidelines
- APA dissertation guidelines presentation (September 2021)
- APA dissertation guidelines presentation (October 2021)
- APA dissertation workshop slides
- Articles-based dissertation template
- Chapters-based dissertation template
- Automatic table of contents (Google Docs)
- Automatic table of contents (Microsoft Word)
- Sample ETD form
Professor Michele McCormick is available for individual consultations in-person or via zoom to support doctoral students as they plan, write, edit and revise their dissertation. To schedule an appointment, use Michele’s online booking site or contact Michele directly at mccormickmi@montclair.edu.
You can find more academic support services on our Graduate Student Resources page.