A “papers option” is available only to students in certain fields or by approved petition. If you choose the papers option, your dissertation or thesis is organized as a series of relatively independent chapters or papers that you have submitted or will be submitting to journals in the field. You must be the only author or the first author of the papers to be used in the dissertation. The papers-option dissertation or thesis must meet all format and submission requirements, and a singular referencing convention must be used throughout.

Fields Permitting the Use of Papers Option

• Animal Science
• Applied Economics and Management
• Applied Physics
• Astronomy and Space Sciences
• Atmospheric Science
• Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology
• Biological and Environmental Engineering
• Biomedical and Biological Sciences
• Biophysics
• Chemical Engineering
• Chemistry and Chemical Biology
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Classics
• Communication 
• Computer Science
• Development Studies
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Economics
• Entomology
• Fiber Science and Apparel Design
• Food Science
• Genetics
• Geological Sciences
• Horticulture Biology
• Industrial and Labor Relations
• Linguistics
• Management
• Materials Science
• Mathematics
• Microbiology
• Neurobiology and Behavior
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Plant Biology
• Psychology
• Public Policy
• Regional Science
• Soil and Crop Sciences
• Statistics

Subject to the approval of Special Committee

• Aerospace Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

M.A. Only

• Asian Studies

Ph.D. Only

• Design and Environmental Analysis
• Systems Engineering

Approved for Ph.D. and M.S.

• Biomedical Engineering
• Natural Resources and the Environment
• Nutrition
• Plant Breeding
• Plant Pathology

Subject to approval of special committee; approved for Ph.D.

• Human Development

Subject to approval of special committee; approved for Ph.D. and M.S. See the director of graduate studies for further restrictions.

• Sociology