Master’s Graduation Information
Graduate Information
Master’s candidates
When finishing a degree, students must be registered in the semester in which the final degree requirements are completed.
Please contact the GRS Records office with any questions that are unanswered on this page by emailing grsrec@bu.edu.
Intent to Graduate Form and Deadlines
|
January 17, 2025 |
May 18, 2025 |
August 25, 2025 |
| Intent to Graduate |
September 20, 2024 |
January 24, 2025 |
May 30, 2025 |
|
Thesis Deadlines
|
January 17, 2025 |
May 18, 2025 |
August 24, 2025 |
| Properly Formatted Draft of Thesis emailed as a .pdf to grsrec@bu.edu |
At least three weeks prior to the thesis defense |
At least three weeks prior to the thesis defense |
At least three weeks prior to the thesis defense |
| Last date for submission of Thesis to ETD, Thesis Processing Fee, and signed Approval Page to GRS Office, and Contact Information form |
December 13, 2024 |
April 18, 2025 |
July 18, 2025 |
*students in BA/MA and BA/MS programs only need to submit an Intent to Graduate form to the College of Arts & Sciences in accordance with their deadlines. GRS no longer requires BA/MA or BA/MS students to submit a second Intent to Graduate form to the GRS office. GRS will obtain tentative BA/MA and BA/MS graduation lists from CAS and review in the regular manner.
Thesis Formatting Guide and Draft Submission
Mugar Library has created a Thesis Formatting Guide and samples of Preliminary Pages. The library’s website also includes other useful resources such as instructional videos and templates. Please follow all formatting requirements stated in the library guide while preparing your dissertation draft.
At least three weeks before the last date to submit your thesis (see deadlines above), you must submit a draft of your thesis as a .pdf to grsrec@bu.edu for format review. If your document is too large to send over email, you can also send the draft via dropbox or google docs and share that file with grsrec@bu.edu. Be sure your draft includes all preliminary pages, references, and your CV. You will be notified if the format is approved or if changes are required.
Final Thesis Submission
Submit your final thesis electronically through the Electronic Theses & Dissertation (ETD) website. The submission in the ETD will be reviewed by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) Records Office, then forwarded to the Mugar Library ETD Administrator for the final format review. When that review is complete, the thesis will be submitted to ProQuest/UMI. If GRS or Mugar Library notifies you of necessary corrections or changes, those edits must be made immediately.
In addition to submitting the final thesis in the ETD, you must complete the Contact Information Form and submit the Library Thesis Processing Fee. The processing fee is $25 and can be submitted online and paid for via credit card. The link to do so can found on the Guide for Writers of Theses and Dissertations website.
You must also submit a copy of your dissertation approval page (the third page of your dissertation) with signatures. Once you have obtained signatures from all readers this form will need to be delivered to the GRS office (705 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 112). Physical signatures are required for this form, we can not accept digital signatures.
When uploading your dissertation to ETD, please include an unsigned copy of the approval page. GRS will upload the signed approval page after our review of your dissertation.
Diploma Pickup and Certificates of Completion
Information on diploma pickup and mailing dates can be found on the Registrar’s website.
Boston University also offers Certified Electronic Diplomas and Certificates (CeDiploma/CeCertificate) for $11. For more information about CeCredentials and instructions on ordering one, please visit the Registrar’s CeCredential website.
Certificates of Completion are available if you are in need of an official document stated that you have met all degree requirements before the diploma is issued.
Departmental Commencement Information
Information regarding your departmental commencement ceremony can be found on the BU Commencement Website.
International travelers who wish to attend BU Commencement may be able enter the U.S. in a visitor status, such as B-2 “Visitor for Tourism” or WT “Visa Waiver for Tourism.” For this type of visit, the graduating student may need to request a Letter of Invitation to assist them in applying for a visitor’s visa.
Any questions can be directed to your department coordinators listed.