Note: What appears below, with permission, began as a slightly edited version of unofficial advice from MGSA, the UC Berkeley Mathematics Graduate Student Associate, with Berkeley specific information removed. Over time this document has evolved to contain a great deal of UC Davis-specific information as well as current LaTeX templates.

(Thanks to Megumi Harada) Steps to your goal:

• Start early. Jot down notes when you talk to your advisor. Keep them somewhere that you'll be able to find them again. Often, you find that little notes you write can serve as a “seed” to start the writing process.
• Write a little each day. Obvious, and yet few people follow this advice. Even just one hour a day, divided into four 15-minute sessions, goes a long way if you keep at it for a month.
• Ask for feedback early. Get your advisor to look at small parts of drafts and chapters early on.

This is an unofficial guide, and all information is subject to change. Current information about filing a thesis or dissertation at UC Davis can be found on the Graduate Studies thesis and dissertation filing page.

There are several websites dedicated to Using LaTeX to Write a PhD Thesis. But since you're in the UC Davis math department, your best bet is to use a template that was specifically created for UC Davis math students.

Download: Dissertation Template 2026

This template was originally created by Tyrell McAllister, with later edits by Jeff Irion, John Challenor, Will Wright, and David Haley to keep the template current with UC Davis formatting requirements. In 2024, Greg DePaul updated the template to be Overleaf compatible. In 2026, Lisa Johnston reorganized and cleaned up the template to make it easier to edit.

The 2026 version separates the front matter, chapters, and preamble into clearer files and adds a Dissertation_Info.tex for easier access.

Once you pass your Qual, download the dissertation template! Fill in the Dissertation_Info.tex file, and add to your dissertation while you work on your research. After all, it's easier to write and cite as you go than to do it months/years later when that stuff isn't fresh in your mind.

This is an unofficial guide. Please see Preparing & Filing Your Thesis or Dissertation for the official set of instructions.

• Take note of the filing deadlines. They recommend completing your dissertation in time to give it to your committee for review at the beginning of the quarter in which you intend to graduate. In most cases, your committee probably won't need that much time, but you should check in with your committee members well in advance to make sure they'll be around when you need them.
• Once your committee members have signed your dissertation's title page, you can file your dissertation electronically (see the Grad Studies website linked above for the specific instructions).
• Grad Studies will review your dissertation to make sure that it is formatted correctly and let you know if any corrections need to be made. They will then inform you when your dissertation has been approved, after which time no further changes are allowed.
• The signed title page must be submitted by your committee chair or program chair. You cannot submit the signed title page yourself.
• The title page must be a single form signed by all committee members. Electronic signatures are accepted, and committee members may use any format or application to sign, except only typing their name. The signed title page must be submitted via GradSphere during your Filing Process.
• You may need to make an appointment with the Senior Academic Advisor for Mathematics and Applied Mathematics to file remaining paperwork and confirm that your materials are complete.
• Remember that you must schedule an exit seminar before the Program Exit Information form can be signed.

As of Spring 2021, the documents needed for filing included the following. Check the official Graduate Studies checklist for current requirements.

• Your title page with the signatures of your committee members.
• One copy of your abstract.
• The dissertation embargo agreement, which requires your advisor's signature even if you are not planning to embargo your dissertation.
• Two online surveys: the Survey of Earned Doctorates and the Graduate Studies Exit Survey. Each survey gives you a completion code that you will need to provide.
• The Graduate Program Exit Information form.

Older versions of the dissertation template are kept here for reference, but most students should use the current 2026 version above.

• Dissertation Template 2024: The first Overleaf-compatible version of the math department template.
• Dissertation Template 2020: An older version of the math department template. It differs from later versions mainly in how page numbers are formatted.
• Sean Whalen's 2012 UC Davis thesis template: An older template that is no longer maintained.
• ucdavisthesis: An older LaTeX class/package based on an earlier UC Davis thesis template. It may be useful for reference, but it may require extra work to keep current with formatting requirements.