An electronic copy of the work must be submitted to the Doctoral College (Registry) for examination. The thesis must be written in English. Text, should be 1 ¹/₂ spaced on A4 format.

Hard copies may be exceptionally requested, but usually only when it is necessary as a reasonable adjustment for an examiner.

For a submission which is in conventional book form, hereafter referred to as ‘a standard thesis’, presentation should be as follows:

• The pages are to be numbered consecutively; a table of contents and an abstract are to be included.
• If a printed copy is required, a candidate may print text on both sides of the paper provided that the paper is of sufficient weight to ensure that the text is perfectly legible. Otherwise the text should be printed on one side of the paper only.
• The title page must take a form similar to that shown in Appendix III. This includes the precise format of the © Notice to claim copyright protection in all countries which are signatories to the Universal Copyright Convention.
• The thesis must contain a statement indicating the author's responsibility for the work submitted, including the extent of their contribution of original work, and a complete thesis access conditions form which must be inserted into the front of each copy of the thesis.
• In addition to the submitted work a signed certificate stating that neither the thesis nor the original work contained therein has been submitted to this or any other institution for a degree must be included.

For a submission which consists of a thesis plus an artefact (or artefacts) which are integral to the research process and output the same presentation of the thesis as in 1(a) is required except that in addition the artefact (or artefacts) should be listed in the contents and referred to in the abstract.

The artefact(s) will be either a creative work(s) or invention(s) which together with the thesis constitute an integrated thesis for new understanding.

A permanent record of the artefact(s) submitted shall be bound within the thesis.

For a submission which consists of a media production other than a conventional thesis the candidate, through their Associate Dean (Research), will apply to the Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Doctoral College at least six months before submission for permission to submit in a non-thesis form. In considering their decision the Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Doctoral College will assess whether the advancing of knowledge in the candidate’s research project requires a non-conventional media to achieve its full potential. If the non-conventional media submission is accompanied by an artefact(s) the presentation will follow 1(b) above.

The thesis should be presented in satisfactory literary form (including references, notes and bibliography, as appropriate) and should not be of unnecessary length. Doctoral researchers are advised not to exceed 80,000 words or their adjudged equivalent for a doctoral thesis. It is the responsibility of the author to check the submission for spelling and accuracy.

The award of a research degree will not be made until an electronic version of the final version of the thesis, as approved by the Examiners, has been deposited with the University Library for inclusion in the Institutional Repository together with a signed Thesis Deposit Agreement.

Access will normally be ‘open' except in cases where industrial sponsorship, or other special circumstances, warrant restriction of access. Normally this should have been determined at the outset of the research project, and certainly not later than at the time of submission. Where restriction of access is necessary the primary supervisor or Dean of School will specify a moratorium period of normally up to three years. The ‘restricted' access classification is used for example where the overall project is a continuing one to be carried on by others or when access is delayed to allow further development of ideas which are not protected by copyright. (Copyright can only protect phraseology and there can be no copyright on ideas).

The ‘confidential' classification is used where a patent is pending or where a sponsor specifies security for this or any other reason.

For both ‘restricted' and ‘confidential' submissions it will be necessary for anyone wishing access to seek the written permission of the Dean of School.

Restricted and Confidential submissions revert to ‘open' classification at the end of the moratorium period.

It should be noted that, in respect of a Restricted or Confidential submission, the author is themselves subject to the moratorium conditions; in respect of a desire to publish, this means seeking the prior approval of the relevant Supervisor or University Dean of School.

Where a thesis contains third party copyright material the student must obtain permission for its publication, including on the Internet via the University’s Institutional Repository.  If the student is unable to obtain permission for the use of substantial copyright material, then an indefinite moratorium of the thesis can be applied.  Where a student is unable to obtain permission for use of a limited range of copyright material, then the electronic copy of the thesis can be submitted in two versions, a full version with a moratorium on publication and a second version without the third-party copyright material (maintaining the original pagination) which will be placed on open access.