The dissertation should be an original contribution to the field as determined by the PhD candidate's department or program. Doctoral dissertations, except those in the department of romance languages and literatures, are normally written in English.

There are several style manuals available in the UB Libraries, including Strunk and White, Turabian and the University of Chicago Press, that answer a host of questions regarding the technical aspects of a properly prepared dissertation. A bibliography is also available which provides further examples that are more specific to various disciplines (e.g., the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association). Students should consult the appropriate professional journals and their major professors to determine the most appropriate style within their area of research.

It is the prerogative and responsibility of the candidate and the sponsoring department to ensure that the canons of organization, presentation and documentation usually prescribed for publication in their discipline are observed. Likewise, the dissertation must be certified as substantially free of errors and ready for publication before it is submitted to the Graduate School.

Since 2005, all master’s theses and doctoral dissertations completed by UB students in fulfillment of graduate program requirements have been archived and accessible through ProQuest’s dissertations and theses database. Beginning with the June 1, 2018 degree conferral, all theses and dissertations will also be accessible for public access through UB’s Institutional Repository. Students will continue to have the option to request a temporary embargo (delayed release) of their thesis or dissertation containing patentable material or content being submitted to peer-reviewed journals or for commercial publication. See the Public Access of Theses and Dissertations and Embargo (Delayed Release) of Thesis and Dissertation policies.