Before you to submit your Master's thesis
Before you submit your thesis, make sure you’ve completed all required checks, including timeline, formatting, word count, embargo, and sensitive material
1. Discuss your submission timeline with your supervisor
Talk to your supervisor and find out how long they will need to review your final draft so you’re working towards the same dates. Your submission deadline is the final day of your registration period. You can find this date in your Student Record in Pūaha under the “Thesis Information” section at the bottom of the page. If your last day of registration falls on a weekend or University holiday, you may submit by 4pm on the next working day.
Students are normally expected to submit within twelve months of full-time registration (or equivalent part-time study). If you’ve had an approved suspension or extension, your final registration date will be updated in your Student Record and in Panoho.
Find out more on how to submit your thesis or portfolio in Panoho
2. Check your formatting
Review the Library’s thesis formatting guide and the sample for master's tittle page. Make any necessary changes.
3. Check your word count
Your thesis/portfolio is subject to a word count which includes the bibliography, footnotes or endnotes and essential appendices. When you submit, you will be asked to confirm that your work is within this word count. If necessary, complete a Permission to Exceed the Word Limit form in Panoho. See Word limits for Master’s research degrees for more information. Approval to exceed the word limit is rare, so discuss this with your supervisor as early as possible.
Ideally, your request to exceed the word limit should be approved before you submit your Notice of Intention to Submit. However, if approval is still pending, you can submit your Notice of Intention to Submit, but the approval must be confirmed before you submit your thesis for examination.
4. Consider if you need an embargo
If you have a good reason for your thesis/portfolio not to be published in the Library, you must complete a Thesis Embargo request in Panoho. Note: IIML students do not need to apply for an embargo. See Thesis Embargo for Master’s students for more information.
5. Does your thesis/portfolio contains "sensitive material"?
When you submit, you will be asked whether your thesis or portfolio contains "sensitive material that the New Zealand Government might consider sensitive under the Trusted Security – Protective Security Requirements (PSR) framework. This is rare and will not apply to most student's work, but ensures that sensitive research is not sent to examiners in countries for which the New Zealand Government has identified concerns. If you think your thesis/portfolio might contain sensitive material, you should discuss this with your supervisor as early as possible and agree whether anything needs to be declared. See Sensitive Information for more information.
6. Have your abstract ready in PDF format
You will need to attach your abstract in the NOITS form (not required for IIML students).