CTU Dissertation and DNP Project Publication Policy
CTU Dissertation and DNP Project Publication Policy – ProQuest ETD Submissions
This policy outlines the steps and requirements for doctoral students and alumni submitting a dissertation and DNP project for official publication in ProQuest ETD. Strict adherence to the standards below is mandatory for acceptance.
1. Submission Standards & Preparation
Your dissertation or DNP project must be publication-ready before submission. Submitting prematurely, without proper formatting or citation checks, will result in significant delays and possible rejection. Refer to the Dissertation/DNP Project Publication page in the
Doctoral Resource Center for more information.
ProQuest ETD Publishing Requirements:
• CTU Standards: Full compliance with all official CTU formatting and publishing standards outlined in templates and the Dissertation/Project Formatting Checklist.
• APA Style, 7th edition: Complete and accurate APA citations. Refer to chapters 8–11 in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
• Copyright: Verification that all copyright requirements have been met. Any required permission letters for third-party materials (e.g., adapted instruments, proprietary figures) must be included in your appendices with all personal contact information redacted.
2. Library Review and Timeline
Library staff manage the compliance review process. CTU staff, faculty, and committee chairs do not edit content or provide comprehensive APA style review services. All communications with library staff and faculty must remain professional and respectful throughout this process in compliance with the
Library Facilities Policies and Code of Conduct and CTU’s Student Conduct.
| Process Step |
Timeline & Policy |
| Review Limit |
The Library will complete a maximum of 3 reviews per initial submission attempt to ensure compliance with CTU and APA standards. |
| Review Duration |
Reviews may take 2–3 weeks depending on current submission volume. |
| Corrections |
Revised works must be resubmitted to ProQuest ETD. If no response is received from the student within 6 months, the submission may expire. |
| Publication |
Once approved by the CTU Library, dissertations and DNP projects typically appear in the ProQuest database within 2 weeks. Print copies (if ordered) arrive within 4–6 weeks. |
| Indexing |
ProQuest publications are indexed in Google Scholar within a few weeks, and in other major search engines within several months. |
3. Rejection and Resubmission Policy
The rigorous review process aims to uphold scholarly integrity.
- Initial Rejection: If a submission does not meet requirements after the initial three reviews it will be rejected by the Library Director and withdrawn from ProQuest ETD.
- Resubmission Wait Period: Doctoral students and alumni must wait 90 days before submitting the corrected work after the first rejection.
- Final Review Attempt: The resubmission will undergo up to three additional reviews (six total).
- Permanent Rejection: If errors remain after six total reviews and the 90-day resubmission period, the dissertation will be permanently rejected from publication in ProQuest, and a notation of the rejection will be added to the student’s record.
- Appeal Process: The appeal process provides an opportunity to have the dissertation reconsidered for review after rejection, with the understanding that all mandatory publication standards will be met. To initiate this process, please fill out the following form. Requests will be reviewed by the Library Director, University Research Director, and College Leadership.
For questions about this policy, please email doctoralreference@coloradotech.edu.