Formatting - Master's Theses

Congratulations on moving one step closer to completion of your graduate degree and graduation! Master's theses are representative of Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) scholarship and are considered University records. The University Library keeps a digital, permanent, copy of theses within the Bronco ScholarWorks institutional repository and retains non-exclusive rights to the work as a matter of record.

Master's Thesis

All graduate students completing a master’s thesis must submit the full document.

To support the submission process, the University Formatting/Uploading Review Team will work with students to review their document. Prior to submitting their final thesis to Bronco ScholarWorks, students are required to have it reviewed for formatting errors and to ensure that it meets the University’s standards for publication in the institutional repository. Students can schedule a thesis preliminary format review with the Graduate Resource Center. Please review this sample guide (pdf) BEFORE requesting a formatting review appointment.

Additional Information

The University Formatting Review Team has prepared an additional guide with resources to assist students in formatting theses.

Please note that some programs format their theses using LaTeX instead of Microsoft Word. Please check with your department for preferred formatting software. The use of LaTeX is highly encouraged, mainly for theses with any mathematical content, because program provided templates automatically format documents to CPP standards. The sample guide is just a sample of a standard thesis with tips on how to navigate some functions within Microsoft Word. It is not intended to provide a complete template for your thesis. Please contact your thesis advisor about which citation style is standard in your field, and for any other specific expectations.