Features of Doctoral Dissertations
- Dissertations should be the result of the original investigation and/or should embody a critical appraisal or analysis of a primary or secondary source.
- Dissertations should be deemed a contribution to a body of knowledge and be worthy of publication.
Regarding dissertation format, please see the clause "Doctoral Dissertation" of the Procedures for the Conferral of a Doctoral Degree in the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies.
Submission of Doctoral Dissertations
Submission Requirements
Doctoral candidates may apply for Doctoral Dissertation screening after they have obtained candidacy and prepared the required documents.
Required Documents
- Completed dissertation
- Abstract of the dissertation
- Dissertation Register
- Curriculum Vitae (candidates may submit their CV in their format of choice)
- Doctoral Dissertation Screening Application and Certificate of Authority (signed by both the candidate and their supervisor)
- Declaration Form Regarding Making My Doctoral Dissertation Available Online (signed by both the candidate and their supervisor)
Turnitin
All graduate students are provided with Turnitin accounts and the login information is sent from "Turnitin HelpDesk" to students' APU email addresses at the beginning of every semester. Please follow the provided instructions from that email and set up your account. We encourage all graduate students to take advantage of this free software.
Procedures for the Conferral of Doctoral Degree
For information on the process of Doctoral Dissertation submission and evaluation, please refer to the "Procedures for the Conferral of Doctoral Degree in the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies" via the following links.
For students enrolled in Fall 2021 or earlier:
- English version (PDF)
- Japanese version (PDF)
For students enrolled in Spring 2022 or later:
- English version (PDF)
- Japanese version (PDF)
The Handling of Dissertations after Program Completion
Once candidates have successfully completed their oral defense, they are asked to submit the final version of their dissertation to the Academic Office for preservation. A hard copy of the dissertation will be printed and stored in the APU library. The soft copy will be uploaded to the APU Library / R-cube and the National Diet Library in accordance with the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) requirements that all doctoral dissertations be made publicly available online.
Candidates are asked to submit a consent form confirming that they agree to make their dissertation available via the APU Library / R-Cube and the National Diet Library of Japan. If the candidate does not agree to immediate uploading, they can request a deferral of the date of making the dissertation publicly available online for up to 5 years (see the application form).
Declaration Form Regarding Making My Doctoral Dissertation Available Online
Points to be aware of:
- Candidates retain the copyrights of their dissertation even after they are made publicly available online.
- If the copyright of the candidate’s work is held by a third party (e.g. a publisher or academic society), the candidate must obtain permission to upload the dissertation by the copyright holder.
- If information from interviews or surveys is included in the dissertation, candidates should make sure they handle all personal information appropriately and gain informed consent in writing regarding the information used.
- APU does not prepare hard copies of dissertations. Please contact the Co-op or other companies to discuss printing options.