Penn State University Dissertation Format
The rules Penn State University sets for thesis or dissertation, summarized from the official guide, plus a formatter that applies them to your Word file for you.
Try It Free on Your Paper →The Rules at a Glance
| Margins | 1 inch on all sides. Handbook: a 3/4-inch or 1-inch margin on all sides is acceptable; a wider left margin (e.g. 1.5 inch) may be more appropriate for binding. Template uses 1 inch all sides with header/footer at 0.5 inch. |
|---|---|
| Font | Standard typeface, 10, 11 or 12 point. Title and chapter headings may be larger but not over 18 pt. Bold allowed on title page, headings, and text. Reduced type in tables, figures and appendices at least 9 pt and legible. Italics limited to foreign words, titles, and emphasis. Color permitted. Template default: Times New Roman 11 pt. |
| Spacing | Text may be single-, double- or one-and-a-half-spaced (template default double). Multi-line title on title page double spaced. |
| Title Page Number | Counted as page i, number not shown. |
| Front Matter Page Numbers | Lowercase roman numerals; committee page is ii, Abstract begins on iii. Position: upper right, lower right, or centered top or bottom (never left); template uses upper right. |
| Body Page Numbers | Arabic starting at 1 on the first page of the text; upper right, lower right, or centered top/bottom (template: top right). Appendices numbered consecutively with the text (no A-1). No punctuation, no word 'page', no running headers. Vita unnumbered. |
| Chapter First Pages | Same position as other pages (handbook gives no separate rule; template shows numbers on chapter first pages top right). |
| Citation Style | No required style. Choose one citation system (author-date parenthetical, numbered reference list, or footnotes/endnotes) and use it throughout; follow a scholarly style manual in your field or a recent issue of a leading journal; text citations must match the reference list exactly. |
| Copyright Page | No separate copyright page; the optional copyright notice ('© [Year] [Full Name]' or 'Copyright [Year] [Full Name]') appears on the title page. |
| Contents Heading | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Chapter Headings | 'Chapter [#] [Title]' on one line, centered, bold, rendered in all caps by the Heading 2 style (e.g. 'CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION'); each chapter begins on a new page; optional 'display' page with only the chapter title if used consistently and counted. |
| Bibliography Heading | Not mandated; template TOC uses 'References', handbook sample TOC uses 'Bibliography'. |
Title Page Wording
Lines from top to bottom, as the guide shows them. Words in brackets are yours to fill in. All centered. University and Graduate School lines at top (blank line between); gap of ~5 blank lines; title (multi-line title double spaced); gap; 'A Dissertation in' / blank / major / blank / 'by' / blank / name; gap of ~4 blank lines; copyright line; gap of ~4 blank lines; 3-line 'Submitted in Partial Fulfillment / of the Requirements / for the Degree of'; blank lines; degree; blank lines; month and year at bottom.
Title capitalization: ALL CAPS.
Front Matter Order
- Title Page (page i, unnumbered)
- Committee Page (page ii, required)
- Abstract (begins page iii, required)
- Table of Contents (required)
- List of Figures
- List of Tables
- Other lists (abbreviations, nomenclature, maps, multimedia; each separate)
- Acknowledgments (optional unless copyrighted material or federal/grant funding must be acknowledged)
- Preface (optional)
- Epigraph / Frontispiece / Dedication (optional, last, not in TOC)
- Chapters
- Bibliography/References and Appendices (either order, or references at end of each chapter)
- Vita (required for doctoral; last page, unnumbered, max one page, not in TOC)
Rules Students Often Miss
- Required Committee Page (page ii) listing approvers: 'The dissertation of [Name] was reviewed and approved by the following:' then each member's name, professorial title, and roles (Dissertation Advisor, Chair of Committee, Co-Chair, Special Member/Signatory) plus the program head or DGS; no 'Dr.' or 'Ph.D.'.
- Copyright notice sits on the title page, not on a separate page.
- Abstract comes before the Table of Contents; Acknowledgments come AFTER the lists (near end of front matter).
- Page numbers may be top right, bottom right, or centered top/bottom but NEVER on the left; template places them top right.
- Margins as small as 3/4 inch allowed.
- Text may be single spaced.
- Vita required for doctoral dissertations as the final page, unnumbered, one page max.
- Federal funding acknowledgment with specific disclaimer text is mandatory when applicable.
What Style Guide Pro Does for You
- Builds the title page in Penn State University’s wording, order, and spacing.
- Sets the margins and puts page numbers where the guide asks, with roman numerals in the front matter when required.
- Builds the contents page with dot leaders and the real page numbers filled in.
- Styles every heading level, block quotation, footnote, and bibliography entry.
- Gives you a short list of what only you can fix, like signature pages.
- Formatting software only. It never writes or rewrites a word of your paper.
Format Your Dissertation in About a Minute
Pick your school, drop in your Word file or PDF, and see your own title page done to these rules before you pay. Your paper never leaves your computer.
Common Questions
What margins does Penn State University require?
1 inch on all sides. Handbook: a 3/4-inch or 1-inch margin on all sides is acceptable; a wider left margin (e.g. 1.5 inch) may be more appropriate for binding. Template uses 1 inch all sides with header/footer at 0.5 inch.
Where do page numbers go in a Penn State University dissertation?
Front matter: Lowercase roman numerals; committee page is ii, Abstract begins on iii. Position: upper right, lower right, or centered top or bottom (never left); template uses upper right.. Main text: Arabic starting at 1 on the first page of the text; upper right, lower right, or centered top/bottom (template: top right). Appendices numbered consecutively with the text (no A-1). No punctuation, no word 'page', no running headers. Vita unnumbered.
What citation style does Penn State University use?
No required style. Choose one citation system (author-date parenthetical, numbered reference list, or footnotes/endnotes) and use it throughout; follow a scholarly style manual in your field or a recent issue of a leading journal; text citations must match the reference list exactly.
Can Style Guide Pro format my Penn State University dissertation?
Yes. Choose Penn State University when you upload your Word file or PDF. Style Guide Pro rebuilds it with the title page, margins, page numbers, contents, headings, footnotes, and bibliography laid out the way the guide asks, then lists anything only you can fix. You can preview your own title page free before you pay.
Sources
- Thesis and Dissertation Handbook: Requirements and Guidelines for the Preparation of Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations (file dated 2026-08-27 (sample pages show 2023))
- PSU Dissertation Template (Word) (current (title page shows (c) 2026))
- Thesis and Dissertation Templates page (accessed 2026-10-29)
Summarized from Penn State University’s official guide, which J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School, Office of Theses and Dissertations publishes. Checked October 2026. Programs sometimes add their own rules, so confirm with your graduate school or program before you submit.