Overview of Manuscript Submission

Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Publishing

  • After you have made the changes from your committee, you will submit the final version of your document electronically to UMI/ProQuest
  • You will upload your Thesis/Dissertation in PDF format to the ProQuest ETD Administrator site.
  • Once you electronically submit your final copy for publishing, no changes are made to the format or content.

Therefore, the burden of how the manuscript looks is entirely the responsibility of the student author.

Important Steps for Thesis/Dissertation Electronic Submission

  • When you submit your final PDF to ProQuest/UMI Publishing, it will be logged, indexed, and published.
  • ProQuest/UMI is a private company that has served for many years as the publisher and distributor for most theses and dissertations written in the United States. Please keep in mind that ProQuest acts as a publisher and does not own the copyright to your Thesis/Dissertation. As the author, you retain control of your work's intellectual content.
  • Published theses and dissertations are listed in the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/databases/detail/pqdt.shtml
  • Your Thesis/Dissertation will also be available at the UND Chester Fritz Library.

Before you begin the submission process you will need to consider these options and have handy this information:

  • Select a Publishing Option (Traditional or Open Access)
  • Traditional - This choice will meet the needs of most students. There is no fee. This choice allows UMI to reproduce, distribute, and sell copies of your work--with royalties paid to you as the author.
  • Open Access - This optional service makes your work freely available for viewing or downloading by anyone with access to the Internet. The Open Access publishing fee is $95.
  • Select whether to request copyright registration or not.
  • There is a fee for Copyright registration (an optional service). You automatically own the copyright to your electronic work as soon as it is published without any special requirement of notice or registration. International copyright law provides full protection and establishment of the author's rights. However, ProQuest offers an additional copyright registration service that registers your copyright, establishes your claim to copyright, and provides certain protections if your copyright is violated. This means that ProQuest will submit your application to the United States Copyright on your behalf and provide you with the certificate from the Library of Congress. The cost to have ProQuest register your copyright with the Library of Congress is $55.
  • Embargo/Hold information: You have the option of restricting access to your Thesis/Dissertation for 2 years. If you choose to delay access, your work will default to whichever publishing method you have selected (traditional or open access) at the expiration of that embargo.
  • A future address and phone number (yours or a relative).
  • Your final Thesis/Dissertation title, ready to copy or type into the ProQuest/UMI website.
  • The names of your committee members.
  • You will have the option to order bound copies of your thesis/dissertation. There is a standing order of one copy that will be sent to the Chester Fritz Library ($30). Any additional copies you order will be sent to you. A credit card is required.
  • You should read the ProQuest information carefully. The initial upload process will take about 1 hour. Clear directions are provided for you at every screen.
  • You can leave the website and re-enter your account at another time before submitting your final PDF.

Graduate School Notification

When you submit your Electronic Thesis/Dissertation, staff will be alerted that your final copy has been submitted.

Ph.D. Doctoral Students Only

Please complete the online Survey of Earned Doctorates

Access to Your Thesis/Dissertation

Once you have submitted your electronic PDF Thesis/Dissertation to ProQuest for publication, your Thesis/Dissertation will be available in approximately 8 weeks in the ProQuest/UMI database, unless you restricted it. The Chester Fritz Library will also receive your bound copy and it will be available in the Library periodicals.