Tag Archives: dissertations

Demystifying Mudd: Dissertation Submission

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Though most of the people who walk through our doors are here for research purposes, we have another role in the lives of Princeton’s graduate students. I sometimes call us “doctor makers,” though there are a variety of other, more official terms for this role, notable for connection to mysterious acronyms: ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations) Administrator for ProQuest and the “Mudd Librarians” whose signatures are on file with the Graduate School for the FPO form (Final Public Oral Examination Report).

Though the deposit of an undergraduate senior thesis into the University Archives was fully electronic as of 2013, Princeton still requires all PhD candidates in all fields to deposit one bound copy of their dissertations into Mudd Library prior to the conferral of the degree. This can be done by proxy, but most candidates bring it themselves, usually still reeling from their FPO (also known as a dissertation defense). The deposit of one’s bound thesis into Mudd Library is something of an anticlimax, and for many students it probably feels daunting less because of our actual requirements and more because it comes at such a stressful time, when there are many different forms to fill out, requirements to meet, and signatures to obtain.

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This Week in Princeton History for February 6-12

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In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the first woman ever to enroll defends her dissertation, the town decides not to rely exclusively on students to fight fires, and more.

February 6, 1975—The Borough of Princeton installs a traffic light at the corner of Washington Road and Prospect Avenue, in front of 1879 Hall.

New traffic light at Washington Road and Prospect Avenue, February 1975. Photo from Daily Princetonian.

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The History of the Princeton University Senior Thesis

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The senior thesis has been a requirement of all undergraduate students at Princeton University since 1926.

Senior Theses lined up for exhibit. Historical Photograph Collection, AC112, MP012, Image 765

Senior Theses lined up for exhibit. Historical Photograph Collection, AC112, MP012, Image 765, 1942.

During a Faculty Meeting on February 19th, 1923, the Committee on the Course of Study submitted a report for a new study plan known as the “Four Course Plan.” The four course plan called for an extensive reading program for the student in his department under the supervision of an adviser, with the goal that students gain a better command of a subject during independent work. “The plan was instituted in 1924 for the degree of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science and put into operation for the Class of 1923 as juniors.” (Luther Pfahler Eisenhart, Dean of the Faculty)

By 1926, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree requirements included a senior thesis and a comprehensive examination, an innovation that soon became a hallmark of a Princeton education.
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Embargo Renewal Information for Ph.D. Graduates

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This post was updated on April 23, 2014

This fall, the first set of dissertation embargoes that were instituted under the Graduate School’s revised policy on Publication, Access, and Embargoing of Doctoral Dissertations will expire. This embargo policy only applies to dissertations submitted on or after August 29, 2011.

Those who wish to request a renewal of an existing embargo must email the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Cole Crittenden, in the Graduate School and provide the reason for the extension. While embargoes may be extended with the request of the student and the approval of the Graduate School, they can never be re-instituted after having expired.

Embargoes automatically expire two years from the date on which the Ph.D. was awarded (degrees are awarded five times per year at Board of Trustee meetings); this date will coincide with the degree date (month and year) on the title page of your dissertation.

An embargo renewal must be requested in writing at least one month before the original embargo has expired, but may not be requested more than three months prior to the embargo expiration date.

Graduates are responsible for keeping track of when their embargoes expire. One can find out exactly when an embargo will expire by checking the dissertation’s record in DataSpace. First, search for the dissertation by the author’s name or its title, click the button at the bottom of the item record that says “show full item record,” and view the date in the “pu.embargo.lift” field. This is the date that the embargo will automatically expire.

The Graduate School will inform the Mudd Library of all embargo extensions and Mudd Library staff will apply the extensions in ProQuest and in DataSpace.

This information can also be found on our dissertations webpage under “Embargoes.”