How to Write a Dissertation Title Page: What to Include

The title page is the first thing your examiner sees, and it takes about ten seconds to read. In those seconds it should tell them who you are, what the project is about, and that you followed the rules. A missing student number, an unclear title, or the wrong date does not usually cost marks directly, but it sets a tone of carelessness that is hard to undo.

Most universities supply a title page template or specify exactly what to include. This guide explains the usual content, how to write a strong title, and how to check the page before submitting.

Always Check Your Department First

Requirements differ widely between institutions, so start with your handbook or template. Some require a specific layout, a logo, a declaration, or a student number instead of a name for anonymous marking. If your department provides a template, use it exactly. Everything below describes common practice, not a rule that overrides your own guidelines.

What a Title Page Usually Contains

Most title pages include:

• The full title of the dissertation, and a subtitle if you have one.
• Your name, or your student or candidate number if marking is anonymous.
• The degree being awarded, such as Bachelor of Science in Psychology or Master of Education.
• The department, school, and university.
• The submission date, often the month and year.
• Your supervisor's name, if required.
• The word count, if your department asks for it on the front page.
• A declaration or statement of originality, either on this page or on a separate one.
• The university logo, where the template includes one.

Optional items, such as a module code or a student number, depend on local rules. Do not add extras that are not requested.

How to Write a Strong Title

A good title tells the reader exactly what the dissertation is about. It should describe your topic, your focus, and usually your context in as few words as possible.

Useful guidelines:

1. Be specific. Name the population, setting, or method where it helps.
2. Use keywords that people in your field would search for. This also helps if your dissertation is added to a university repository.
3. Avoid vague words such as "an investigation into" or "a study of" unless your department's style requires them.
4. Keep it manageable. Most titles run between 10 and 20 words, including a subtitle.
5. Match the work. If your focus changed during the project, update the title.
6. Avoid abbreviations and jargon that readers outside your field may not know.

Examples

Weak: A Study of Social Media and Students

Stronger: Social Media Use and Academic Performance Among First-Year Undergraduates: A Survey Study at a UK University

Weak: Nursing and Patient Safety

Stronger: Nurse Staffing Levels and Medication Errors in Acute Medical Wards: A Systematic Review

The stronger versions identify the topic, the group, the setting, and the method, so a reader knows immediately what to expect.

Using a Main Title and Subtitle

A subtitle can separate the concept from the context. A common pattern is a short, interesting main title followed by a colon and a descriptive subtitle:

"Silent Struggles: Mental Health Help-Seeking Among International Students in Scottish Universities."

This works well if your department allows it. In more conservative fields, a single descriptive title is usually safer.

Formatting Tips

• Center the text and use a clean, readable font, normally the same as your main text.
• Use a clear hierarchy: the title largest, other lines smaller, with consistent spacing.
• Use title case for the title, unless your style guide says otherwise.
• Don't decorate. Avoid borders, clip art, and unusual fonts.
• Fit it on one page.
• Leave the page unnumbered, as is customary, and count it as page i or not at all, depending on your department.

If the title page needs to appear in your table of contents, check the department's rule. Usually it is not listed. Our guide to the dissertation table of contents explains what is.

The Statement of Originality

Many departments require a declaration, for example: "I declare that this dissertation is my own work, and that all sources have been acknowledged." Some expect a signed copy, and some require it as a separate page. Use the exact wording your department specifies. If you used any assistance beyond what the rules allow, you cannot sign this honestly. For where that line sits, read How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Dissertation.

Title Page Variations by Region and Level

Practices differ. UK undergraduate dissertations often use short title pages with a candidate number, because marking is anonymous. Many US master's theses and doctoral dissertations follow a formal layout set by the graduate school, sometimes with a signature page for the committee, a copyright notice, and a specific order of front matter. Doctoral work usually follows stricter rules than undergraduate work, so read the graduate school's formatting guide carefully if you are at that level. When in doubt, ask your supervisor or the administrator who handles submissions.

Common Mistakes

• Using an old template with last year's date or wrong module code.
• Spelling your name, supervisor's name, or department incorrectly.
• Including your name on a submission meant to be anonymous.
• Using a title that no longer matches the content.
• Making the title too long or too vague.
• Forgetting the word count or declaration when required.
• Exporting to PDF and finding the layout has shifted.

A Quick Checklist

1. Does my department require a specific template?
2. Is the title accurate, specific, and not overlong?
3. Are all names, the degree, and the date correct?
4. Is the declaration included in the form required?
5. Is the page clean, centered, and on one page?
6. Does the PDF look the same as the Word file?

Ask someone else to read it, since spelling errors on a page you have seen a hundred times are invisible to you.

Summary

A title page is simple but unforgiving. Follow your department's template, write a specific title that reflects the final work, check every name and date, and include any required declaration. Then have another person read it before you submit.

Where to Go Next

• Build the next page: How to Write a Dissertation Table of Contents.
• Write the summary examiners read second: How to Write a Dissertation Abstract.
• Get a last proofread with our dissertation editing service.
• Review the pricing or our academic integrity policy.

From choosing a topic to polishing a final draft, CampusScribe's subject-specialist editors and coaches help with dissertations, capstone projects, presentations, and more - whether you need topic guidance, structural feedback, or a final edit before your deadline.