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University of California, Berkeley

Ph.D. Dissertation Formatting Guidelines

Official layout specifications, binding margins, and document formatting requirements.

Governing Body: Graduate Division Degrees Office (CA, US)

Degree Scope:🎓 Ph.D. / Doctoralℹī¸ Master's / M.Tech. format requires departmental / DPGC confirmation unless a central handbook is cited
Official Handbook:
UC Berkeley Graduate Division Dissertation Guide
View Official Handbook ↗
Paper Dimensions
Letter (8.5 in × 11.0 in)
Binding Margins
1 in Left / 1 in Right
Standard Typography
Times New Roman (12pt)
Line Spacing
1x

1. Page Setup & Geometry

Page dimensions, binding margins, and print/digital alignments

Letter
Top: 1 in
Binding: 1 in
[Header]Page 1
[Front matter]
Right: 1 in
Bottom: 1 in
Left (Binding Gutter)
1in(2.54 cm)
Right Margin
1in(2.54 cm)
Top Margin
1in(2.54 cm)
Bottom Margin
1in(2.54 cm)
Margin Specification: At least 1.0 in on all four edges (left, right, top, bottom). Page numbers must be at least 3/4 inch (0.75 in) from edges.

2. Typography & Spacing Hierarchy

Font selections, heading styles, line spacing, and paragraph indentation

Times New Roman
Body Font
Times New Roman
Font Size
12pt
Line Spacing
1x
Paragraph Indent
0.5 in
Approved Typefaces:Times New RomanArialCalibriComputer Modern
Spacing Exceptions: Single-spaced throughout according to UC Berkeley Graduate Division regulations.

3. Technical & Archival Compliance

ETD ProQuest repository requirements, table spanning, and vector DPI rules

ETD / ProQuest Ready
Tables Layout

Table captions: above.

Figures & Graphics

Figure captions: below. Colour photography minimum 300 DPI.

Math & Formulae

Right-aligned equation numbers Not specified. Preserves native MathML and Word equation blocks.

Archival Preservation

Library ETD guideline: PDF (Note: ScholarSpec formats submission-ready Word .docx documents; export to PDF/A upon final committee approval).

4. Preliminary Pages Checklist & Order

Strict graduate school ordering, title page numbering suppression, and Roman pagination

Mandatory Sequence
  1. 1
    Title PageMandatory
    Pagination: suppressed
  2. 2
    Copyright PageOptional / If Applicable
    Pagination: suppressed
  3. 3
    AbstractMandatory
    Pagination: arabic start 1
  4. 4
    DedicationOptional / If Applicable
    Pagination: roman
  5. 5
    Table of ContentsOptional / If Applicable
    Pagination: roman
  6. 6
    List of Figures/TablesOptional / If Applicable
    Pagination: roman
  7. 7
    Preface/IntroductionOptional / If Applicable
    Pagination: roman
  8. 8
    AcknowledgmentsOptional / If Applicable
    Pagination: roman
  9. 9
    Curriculum VitaeOptional / If Applicable
    Pagination: roman

6. Academic Integrity, Similarity & AI Policy

Plagiarism threshold, similarity checking software, and Generative AI disclosure rules

Policy & Disclosure
Generative AI Policy
Disclosure Statement Required

UC Berkeley Academic Senate and Graduate Division require transparent attribution when generative AI tools are used.

Chapter Opening & Print Setup

Chapter start placement, top margin drops, single vs double-sided print, and paper weight

Layout
Printing Format
Single-Sided

8. Institutional & Departmental Policies

WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance required for all ETDs as of April 2026.
Title page must not contain bold text.
Title page must list term and year of degree (e.g., Summer).
Designated Emphasis or Joint Degree must be listed on Title and Abstract pages if applicable.
Abstract page body text must be single-spaced; biographical information double-spaced.
Institutional Policy: Eligibility requires being registered or on approved Filing Fee status.
Institutional Policy: Summer filing has specific eligibility rules regarding prior registration and Filing Fee usage.
Institutional Policy: International students must consult Berkeley International Office for visa implications of summer filing.

Notice a discrepancy in this 2026 handbook?

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  • Verified 2026-10-13 against primary sources: UC Berkeley Graduate Division dissertation formatting guidelines require strict 1.0x single spacing throughout, 1.0 in minimum margins, and page numbers placed at least 0.75 in from edges.
  • Single-spacing (1.0x) is strictly required throughout the manuscript.
  • Page numbers must be at least 0.75 in from edges.
  • Margins at least 1.0 in on all sides.