Concordia University Thesis Formatting Requirements
Concordia’s School of Graduate Studies (SGS) has detailed requirements for thesis presentation. Getting the format right before submission saves you weeks of back-and-forth with the thesis office. This guide covers everything: official requirements, available templates, required sections, and the most common formatting mistakes.
Official Formatting Requirements (SGS)
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Paper size | Standard letter (8.5” × 11”) |
| Margins | 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) on all sides |
| Font | Preferably Times New Roman size 12 (Arial size 11 or similar fonts are acceptable), consistent throughout |
| Line spacing | May be single-spaced |
| Abstract (Master’s) | Title + author name + text not exceeding 250 words |
| Abstract (Doctoral) | Title + author name + degree + year + text not exceeding 350 words |
| Submission format | PDF via Spectrum (institutional repository) |
Charts, tables, figures, appendices, references, and all other pages must conform to the same technical regulations.
Available Templates
Word
Concordia’s School of Graduate Studies does not publish a downloadable Word (.doc/.docx) thesis template. Instead, it provides a detailed preparation guide with sample pages that you can follow when setting up your own Word document:
- Thesis Preparation Guide (PDF): concordia.ca/content/dam/sgs/docs/handbooks/thesispreparationguide.pdf
- The guide includes formatting specifications and sample pages
- Contact the Thesis Office (thesis@concordia.ca) if you have questions about page setup
LaTeX
The School of Graduate Studies does not provide an official LaTeX class, but community-maintained options exist:
- Overleaf template (community): Search “Concordia University Thesis” on Overleaf
- GitHub template: Community-maintained templates are available for engineering and sciences
- Whatever template you use, verify that it matches the current SGS guide (margins, page numbering, sequence of contents)
- Concordia’s library can assist with LaTeX formatting questions
Thesis Structure (Required Order)
Front Matter:
- Title page (no page number)
- Signature page (no page number; a blank copy with examiners’ names and titles is included in the final electronic thesis)
- Abstract (numbered page iii; lowercase Roman numerals begin here)
- Acknowledgements or Dedication (Roman numerals)
- Contribution of Authors (if applicable, Roman numerals)
- Table of Contents (Roman numerals)
- List of Figures (if applicable)
- List of Tables (if applicable)
Body (Arabic numerals starting at 1): 9. Introduction (page 1) 10. Chapters 11. Conclusion 12. References / Bibliography 13. Appendices (if applicable)
Note: the title page and signature page carry no page number. Roman-numeral numbering starts with the Abstract as page iii, and the main text (Introduction) begins at page 1 in Arabic numerals.
Thesis Format Options
Traditional Monograph
Chapters are thematically organized. The most common format across disciplines.
Manuscript-Based Thesis
Accepted at Concordia. Requirements:
- A general introduction stating the rationale and objectives, plus a comprehensive literature review framing the research, are required in addition to each manuscript’s own introduction
- The summary, conclusions, and future directions must address the entire thesis
- Co-authored works require a “Contribution of Authors” section that explicitly states who contributed and to what extent; the supervisor attests to its accuracy at the defence
- A single comprehensive referencing style must be used throughout (reference lists should not appear at the end of individual manuscripts/chapters)
Abstract Requirements in Detail
| Type | Max Length | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s abstract | 250 words (not exceeding) | Yes |
| Doctoral abstract | 350 words (not exceeding) | Yes |
Concordia does not impose a general bilingual-abstract requirement for English-language theses. For Joint PhD programs, however, the student must submit an abstract in both English and French. If you are unsure whether your program requires an abstract in a second language, confirm with the Thesis Office (thesis@concordia.ca).
Language Policy
- Theses may be written in English or French.
- Students writing in a language other than English or French must obtain special permission from SGS.
Official Resources
- SGS Thesis Process: concordia.ca/gradstudies/students/thesis-based/process.html
- Thesis Preparation Guide (PDF): Concordia Thesis Preparation Guide
- Spectrum (institutional repository): spectrum.library.concordia.ca
- Concordia Library thesis support: library.concordia.ca
Most Common Concordia Thesis Formatting Mistakes
- Abstract exceeds word limit: 250 words for Master’s, 350 for PhD. Count carefully.
- Incorrect margin settings: exactly 1 inch on all sides; use page setup, not ruler dragging.
- Missing signature page: a blank copy of the signature page (with examiners’ names and titles) must be included in the final electronic thesis deposited on Spectrum.
- Table of contents doesn’t match actual headings: always update fields before exporting to PDF.
- Inconsistent heading styles: use Word styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) so the TOC auto-generates correctly.
- No contribution statement: required for manuscript-based theses with co-authored work.
Format Your Concordia Thesis with Uniformat
Uniformat supports Concordia SGS formatting requirements out of the box. Generate a compliant Word or LaTeX document with correct margins, front matter, and heading structures in minutes.
Sources: Concordia School of Graduate Studies, Thesis Preparation Guide (April 2026 edition) and Thesis process (accessed June 2026). Last verified: June 2026.