All graduate students submitting a Master’s thesis or Doctoral dissertation (ETD) at UC Riverside are required to ensure their final manuscript meets universal accessibility standards prior to final submission and publication. Below you will find the campus accessibility policy, formatting requirements, and resources to help prepare your manuscript.
Policy Requirement for Graduate Theses & Dissertations
In accordance with the UC Electronic Information Security & Accessibility Policy (IT-715), all electronic theses and dissertations submitted to ProQuest and UC eScholarship must be fully accessible to individuals using assistive technology (such as screen readers).
Key Compliance Requirements:
- Mandatory Pre-Filing Review: All manuscripts must pass a PDF accessibility audit before final Graduate Academic Affairs approval.
- PDF Tagging: Final documents must be exported as Tagged PDFs (scanned or non-searchable image PDFs are strictly prohibited).
- Inclusive Research: Ensuring equal access to public academic publications is a fundamental part of UC scholarly communications.
Manuscript Formatting & Accessibility Requirements
To meet UCR Graduate Division requirements, your thesis or dissertation manuscript must implement the following core accessible design principles:
1. Heading Hierarchy
Use built-in Heading Styles (Heading 1, Heading 2) in Microsoft Word or LaTeX rather than bold or enlarged text. Do not skip heading levels.
2. Figure Alt Text
Every visual element (charts, images, diagrams, maps) must include concise alternative text describing the image content and purpose.
3. Table Structure
Designate explicit Table Header Rows and avoid split, merged, or nested cells. Do not use tables solely for page layout styling.
4. Color Contrast & Meaning
Ensure high text-to-background contrast (4.5:1 minimum ratio). Do not use color as the only method to convey information in figures or graphs.
Preparing & Testing Your Final PDF
- Create from Document Source: Export your manuscript directly from Microsoft Word using Save as PDF (with "Document structure tags for accessibility" checked) or compile using an accessible LaTeX template. Do not use "Print to PDF."
- Set Document Language & Title: Open the final PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro, go to File > Properties, and set the Document Title and Primary Language (e.g., English).
- Run Acrobat Accessibility Check: Use Adobe Acrobat Pro’s built-in Accessibility Checker (Full Check) to identify and resolve missing alt text, tab order issues, or un-tagged content.
- Verify Reading Order: Ensure structural tags follow the logical reading flow of your chapters, footnotes, and appendices.
Graduate Support & Technical Assistance
The Graduate Division and campus partners offer direct guidance to help you make your manuscript compliant prior to graduation:
- Graduate Writing Center / GradSuccess: Offers thesis formatting workshops and 1-on-1 consultations for document structure.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro Access: Available at no cost to UCR graduate students through campus software licensing for PDF auditing.
- Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC): Assistance for graduate researchers requiring specialized assistive technology tools or accommodations. Visit SDRC Website →