Bishop’s University Thesis Formatting Requirements
Bishop’s University is a small, primarily English-language liberal arts university in Sherbrooke, Quebec. For graduate students in Computer Science, the thesis formatting requirements are specific and strict: LaTeX is mandatory, and the buthesis.cls document class must be used.
Important: LaTeX is Mandatory for Computer Science MSc
Unlike most universities that offer both Word and LaTeX options, Bishop’s Computer Science MSc program requires LaTeX using the official buthesis class. No Word template is available for this program.
Official Formatting Requirements
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Document class | buthesis.cls (mandatory) |
| Body font size | 10, 11, or 12 pt acceptable; 11 pt is recommended and the default |
| Abstract | Maximum 350 words |
| URLs | Must be clickable (hyperlinks) in the final PDF |
| Format | PDF submission to the graduate coordinator |
All margins, fonts, and paper size are defined by the buthesis.cls class. The documentation states explicitly: “You can use as many LaTeX packages as you like as long as they do not modify the fonts, the paper size, or the margins.” Do not override the class defaults.
Getting the buthesis Template
Download
- Class file: cs.ubishops.ca/tex/buthesis.cls
- Sample thesis source: cs.ubishops.ca/tex/buthesis.tex
- Official documentation / sample PDF: cs.ubishops.ca/tex/buthesis.pdf
Basic usage
\documentclass{buthesis}
\begin{document}
% Your thesis content here
\end{document}
The default font size is 11 pt. To use a different size, pass the 10pt or 12pt option (for example, \documentclass[12pt]{buthesis}). For a thesis proposal, use the proposal option. Refer to the buthesis.pdf documentation for all available options and required front matter commands (\beforepreface, \prefacesection, \afterpreface).
Required Thesis Structure
- Title page (generated by
buthesis) - Abstract
- Acknowledgements (optional)
- Table of Contents
- List of Figures (if applicable)
- List of Tables (if applicable)
- Introduction
- Chapters
- Conclusion
- Bibliography / References
- Appendices (if applicable)
URL and Hyperlink Requirements
All URLs in the thesis must be clickable hyperlinks in the final PDF. The buthesis class already sets up hyperlinks, so do not add packages that would modify the fonts, paper size, or margins. The documentation requires that every URL be wrapped in the \url command:
\url{www.example.com}
In other words, do not write a naked URL such as www.example.com; write \url{www.example.com} instead. The same requirement applies to the bibliography: every reference title should be hyperlinked to an appropriate URL (for example, a DOI or publisher page). This is an explicit requirement, and submissions with non-clickable URLs may be returned for revision during copy editing.
Official Resources
- MSc program requirements: ubishops.ca: Computer Science Masters
- buthesis documentation: cs.ubishops.ca/tex/buthesis.pdf
Formatting Your Bishop’s Thesis with Uniformat
Uniformat supports LaTeX thesis generation compatible with Bishop’s buthesis specifications. Generate a properly structured LaTeX document ready for the buthesis class.
Sources: Bishop’s University Computer Science, Master’s Theses Requirements and the buthesis documentation (accessed June 2026). Last verified: June 2026.