Designing and printing a PhD Thesis

PhD thesis book cover templates
For the design of your PhD book cover you can download a zip file which contain all the design elements.
There are two editions: One for a general TU/e thesis cover, the other for an edition in the Bouwstenen series.

All necessary elements, info and manuals are embedded in the zip files.
For the downloads go to this intranet page: Cover zip files.

When using the general TU/e thesis book cover you are completely free in the layout. So, you can choose which colors, fonts, placement of text, images, and type of finish you prefer to apply.

Bouwstenen publications are formatted according to the Built Environment identity format. Elements in the house style layer are mandatory in the lay out. Furthermore, you are free to use your own images, you may alter the text and background colors. 

Inner pages
Apart from the title page, there are no regulations for the layout of the inside pages. You are free to choose the margins, headers, font and use of illustrations.

The final book size, most used for a general TU/e PhD thesis is 170 x 240 mm, a Bouwstenen thesis is 170 x 245 mm. However you are free to use another size for a general TU/e thesis.
The number of pages in combination with your choice of paper define spine size of your book. You can find a spine width calculator tool, located under Help and Downloads in the ADC Nederland web portal: https://printservice-tue.dmxprint.nl/spine_thickness.

Bouwstenen ‘formerly published’ pages
For the application of your issue number for your Bouwstenen publication, please contact Silvie van Dam: s.v.dam@tue.nl.
She will send you a pdf-file of the ‘formerly published’ Bouwstenen issues. These pages contain an overview of numbers, titles, subtitles, and names of the authors of the previously published books.
This pdf-file needs to be inserted in your thesis after your last page.

For information about Bouwstenen and other templates, please see:
https://tuenl.sharepoint.com/sites/intranet-communication-expertise-center/SitePages//phd-dissertation-cover-templates.aspx
(intranet only)

Hiring a designer
If you have no access to InDesign, or have no clue how to create a cover design? Then hiring a designer might be an option. For information send an email to tuehuisstijl@remove-this.tue.nl.

Time path

• Preferably eight weeks before the defense ceremony date, or if possible, even earlier, order your first test print. Please note that the purpose of a test print is to check the printer’s output. You can check the layout of the pages, the fonts, readability, images, figures, and colors. If you need a print to check the spelling, it might be better to order a grayscale print or print your file using a multifunctional office printer. That’s faster, cheaper, and sufficient for checking the spelling. To check your margins, reduce the print to 81% when the original layout is A4 size.
• Six weeks before the promotional ceremony, the title page and short cv has to be approved. After this the books can be printed and bound.
• At least two weeks (one month) before your defense ceremony date, you are expected to hand in your books to the office of Doctoral Presentations and Academic Ceremonies.

The portal of ADC Nederland, where you can create an account and login, can be found here:
https://printservice-tue.dmxprint.nl

Upload high-quality pdf-files of your cover plus bookmark, inner pages and if applicable, the theses and follow the instructions in the web portal.
See tthe download at the right of the page for more information about ADC and practical information.

For questions, remarks, or technical issues regarding the order portal, please contact ADC Nederland by email helpdesk@adc-nederland.nl or phone +31(0) 88 2400 280.

If you would like to order a sample book with different kinds of paper in it, you can contact Dylan Reilly: info@adc-dereumaux.nl (native English speaker)

Requesting ISBN
For the application for an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) for your dissertation procedure go to: requesting ISBN