• Graduate School Document Guidelines

  All Dissertations, Theses, and Doctoral Projects are required to be formatted in a template before submission to Aquila. These document guidelines explain how the templates function and which template to use. 

• Template 1 

  Template 1 is most commonly used by students in non-STEM fields. The template may cater to the needs of some scientific fields. This template’s headings are Bold or italicized, rather than numbered as in template 3.

• Template 2 

  Template 2 is most commonly used by used by Creative Writers and students in fields that require a creative project. This template’s Works Cited appears before the creative body text, unlike templates 1, 3, or 4. 

• Template 3

  Template 3 is most commonly used by used by students in STEM fields. It has numbered headings and includes a List of Schemes, which are not present in templates 1,2, or 4. 

• Template 4 

  Template 4 is most commonly used by used by students in the School of Music. It includes a List of Musical examples, which is not present in templates 1,2, or 3. 

• Latex Guidelines (PDF) 

  LaTex Users only

• AI Statement 

  Optional AI statement to appear at the bottom of the Copyright page. Statement should not be altered. It must appear in its entirety or not at all. 

• Title Page with Signatures 

  Optional signature page for bound copies and personal records

• Title Page with Signatures Model

  An example of a formatted title page including signature lines

• LaTeX

Contact the Documents Specialist at DocumentSpecialistFREEMississippi for the LaTeX template files.

Template updated as of January 2025.

• Aquila Submission 

  Instructions that will assist in uploading your dissertation, thesis, or doctoral project into Aquila

• Turnitin Instructions 

  Updated with Fall 2025 Class ID

• Binding My Document 

  What to know about binding the document; some example services for binding

• Copyright 

  How to procure an additional copyright for my document beyond the one on Aquila and why I might want one

• Doctoral Project, Thesis and Dissertation Bootcamp
  

Each fall and spring term, the Graduate School hosts a Doctoral Project, Thesis, and Dissertation Bootcamp. The Spring 2026 Bootcamp will take place on Friday, February 13, from 9:00am to 3:00pm in the Thad Cochran Center, Ballroom I. This workshop is designed to support master’s and doctoral students at any stage of their work, from proposal development through final Aquila submission.

Facilitated by Graduate School and Writing Center staff, the bootcamp will address key topics including the writing process, proper citation practices, document formatting requirements, and the Aquila submission process. Participants will also receive hands-on support with using and editing official templates. The day will combine structured presentations with dedicated work time, allowing students to make meaningful progress on their theses, dissertations, or doctoral projects.

Bootcamp Registration

• Document Formatting Checklist

  A list of formatting specifications to help students ensure their document is formatted correctly prior to Aquila submission [ combine with Steps to Completion] 

• Final Submission Checklist 

  A checklist of all the required items to complete the final submission of your dissertation, thesis, or doctoral project

• Formatting Page Numbers on Landscape Pages on MAC 

  A document that explains how to correctly format landscaped page numbers when using MAC rather than PC.

• How to Upload your Revised Document 

  Demonstrates how to upload your revised document into Aquila after making revisions requested by Document Specialist

• Landscape Pages on PC 

  Document that explains how to correctly format landscaped pages when using a PC

• Landscaping a Page 

  Video shows how to landscape a page and how to correctly format landscaped page numbers on a PC

• ProQuest 

  How to submit my document, why I might and might not want to submit there

• Template 1 Instructional Video
• Template 2 Instructional Video 
• Template 3 Instructional Video
• Template 4 Instructional Video 
• USM Tests and Measurements Research Guide