The dissertation should be an original contribution to criticism or scholarship. Dissertations in English are usually between 200 and 300 pages long. Copies of all dissertations written at UCSB may be seen in The Special Collections Department of the library. Students may also wish to check Dissertation Abstracts in the Reference Department.

For filing and the precise format for the dissertation (paper, margins, pagination, footnotes, etc.) see the information at the Graduate Division website. Students should submit a Doctoral Degree Form III-a: Waiver of Final Examinations for the Degree for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy approved by the student’s dissertation committee and the Department Chair to the Graduate Division. When filing the dissertation, students must also submit two approval pages (or signature sheets) and include original faculty signatures on both in permanent black or blue ink. The signatures must correspond to the names of committee members listed on the title page. The Committee Chair and the Department Chair sign on the bottom line.