Thesis Cover Page APA | Format That Passes First Review

Your thesis cover page is the first thing a reader sees, and it sets the tone. In APA Style, that first page is called the title page. It’s not decorative. It’s a clean, standardized page that tells the reader what the work is, who wrote it, and where it belongs.

If your department asks for “APA format,” they usually mean APA 7th edition. Still, thesis requirements can add extra lines like a department name, degree name, or submission statement. So your job is two-part: follow APA’s title page structure, then layer in any campus rules without breaking the layout.

This article walks you through exactly what goes on an APA thesis title page, where each line goes, what stays out, and how to format it in Word or Google Docs. You’ll also get copy-ready line templates and two check tables you can use while formatting.

What Counts As An APA Title Page For A Thesis

In APA terms, a “cover page” is the title page. A thesis title page uses the same core setup as an APA student title page, then may include thesis-specific items your institution requires.

APA 7th edition splits title pages into two types: student and professional. Most theses fit the student structure for the main block (title, author, affiliation), yet some graduate schools prefer the professional structure, or they request parts of it. The clean way to handle this is to start with the student title page layout, then adjust only what your school specifies.

One detail students miss: APA title pages are still page 1 of the paper. That means the page number shows in the header on the title page.

Student Versus Professional Title Page Differences

Student title pages include course and instructor details. Professional title pages replace that block with an author note and can include a running head. Many theses do not use course lines, even if they keep the student layout. They also often skip an author note unless the graduate school asks for it.

If you’re unsure which title page type your thesis needs, use your department’s thesis manual as the tie-breaker. If it calls for APA 7 and shows course lines, follow that. If it shows a submission statement or degree line, follow that instead.

Common Thesis Add-Ons That Can Still Fit APA Layout

• Department or program name (placed with the affiliation line or just below it)
• Degree name (like “Master of Arts in …”)
• Submission statement (like “A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment …”)
• University location (some schools request it)

The trick is spacing. APA wants double spacing across the title page. If your thesis adds lines, keep them double-spaced and centered, and keep the title block in the upper half of the page.

Thesis Cover Page APA Checklist For Student Papers

Use this section as your build order. If you follow it line-by-line, you’ll end up with a title page that looks APA-clean and reads like a thesis, not a class handout.

Step 1 Set The Page Setup First

Before you type any title page text, set your document format so spacing and alignment don’t shift later:

• Margins: 1 inch on all sides
• Line spacing: double
• Text alignment: centered for the title page block
• Paragraph spacing: 0 before and 0 after (so double spacing stays consistent)
• Font: a readable, standard font accepted by APA 7 (your school may name a preferred one)

Set these globally in the document. Then the title page inherits the same rules.

Step 2 Add The Header With Page Number

On the title page, APA student papers use a page number in the top right. It should be “1.” No words. No extra symbols. If your graduate school requests a running head, add it only if they explicitly require it.

If you want to confirm the header rules straight from the source, use APA’s official page on page header rules and match your document to that standard.

Step 3 Type The Title In The Upper Half

APA expects the title to sit in the upper half of the page, centered, in bold, in title case. Many templates place it around three to four double-spaced lines down from the top margin. If your thesis title runs long, keep it readable and wrap it to the next line. Don’t force it into one line by shrinking the font.

Also, keep the title specific. A thesis title can be longer than a class paper title, yet it should still be clean and direct. If you use a colon, the word right after the colon starts with a capital letter in title case.

Step 4 Add Your Name And Affiliation

Under the title, add your name on its own line. Use your preferred name format and keep it consistent with the rest of your thesis.

Next line: your affiliation. In student papers, that’s often the university name. Some theses list “Department, University.” If your school wants the department included, add it. If it doesn’t, use the university alone.

Step 5 Add Thesis-Specific Lines Only If Required

This is where many cover pages go off track. Students add extra lines because they’ve seen them elsewhere, then the page stops matching the required template. Add thesis lines only if your school’s thesis instructions call for them.

When you add them, keep them centered, double-spaced, and placed below the affiliation block. Avoid mixing fonts, adding logos, or shifting to single spacing to squeeze in more text.

Step 6 Keep The Title Page Free Of Extras

APA title pages aren’t a place for quotes, decorative rules, clipart, photos, or epigraphs. If your department requires a logo, follow their rules, yet note that this is a department standard, not an APA standard.

Also skip page borders. They tend to print badly and can look like a template, not a thesis.

If you want the official APA breakdown for title page elements in one place, APA’s title page setup page lays out what belongs on student and professional title pages.

APA Thesis Cover Page Format For 7th Edition Submissions

Now let’s turn the rules into a clean layout you can copy. Below is a practical template you can adapt. Each item is its own centered, double-spaced line.

Copy-Ready Line Order Template

• Line 1–2: (blank lines from the top margin, based on your template)
• Next lines: Your Thesis Title In Title Case (bold)
• Next line: Your Name
• Next line: Department, University (or University only)
• Next line: Degree name or program line (only if required)
• Next line: Submission statement (only if required)
• Next line: Month Year (only if required)

That’s it. If your school asks for more, add it as centered, double-spaced lines, and keep the page balanced in the upper half.

Title Case That Looks Right On A Thesis

Title case means you capitalize major words and keep short articles and prepositions lowercase, unless they start the title or follow a colon. If you’re writing a long thesis title, title case helps it read like a publication title instead of a sentence.

One practical tip: don’t capitalize words just because they feel big. Stick to title case rules so your title doesn’t look uneven.

What To Do With A Long Thesis Title

If your title is longer than one line:

• Wrap naturally at a phrase break.
• Keep it centered as a block.
• Keep both lines bold.
• Keep double spacing between lines.

Avoid manual line breaks that create odd spacing. Let your word processor wrap the line, then adjust only if it breaks at an awkward spot.

Table One Title Page Elements And Placement

This table works like a checklist. It covers the core title page parts and the thesis add-ons that schools often request. Use it while formatting so you don’t miss a line or put something in the wrong place.

Element	What To Enter	Where It Goes
Page number	1	Header, top right
Paper title	Thesis title in title case, bold	Centered, upper half
Author name	Your name (no titles)	Centered, one line under title
Affiliation	University, or Department and University	Centered, one line under name
Program or degree line	Degree name or program (only if required)	Centered, below affiliation
Submission statement	School-required statement (only if required)	Centered, below degree line
Course details	Course number/name, instructor, due date (rare for theses)	Centered, below affiliation on student papers
Running head	Short title in caps (only if required)	Header, top left
Author note	Notes block (only if required)	Lower half on professional title page

Word And Google Docs Setup That Stops Formatting Drift

Most title page mistakes happen because settings drift: spacing changes, headings pick up extra margin, or the header gets formatted differently from the body. Lock these down early.

Microsoft Word Setup Tips

• Use “Normal” style for the title page lines, then apply bold only to the title text.
• Set paragraph spacing to 0 pt before and 0 pt after in your paragraph settings.
• Insert the page number using Word’s header tool, not by typing it into the margin.
• Turn on the ruler and show formatting marks if spacing seems off.

Google Docs Setup Tips

• Set line spacing to double and set “Add space after paragraph” off.
• Use Insert → Page numbers so “1” sits in the header correctly.
• Center-align only the title page block, not the whole document.
• Keep the title page text in the default paragraph style, not a heading style.

If you type the title using a heading style, Docs may add extra spacing above or below. That breaks the clean APA look. Use normal text and manually bold the title line.

Common Errors That Get Marked On The First Pass

Grad schools and instructors tend to mark the same title page issues over and over. Fixing them upfront saves time and avoids reformatting later.

Misplaced Page Number

The page number belongs in the header, top right. Don’t place it inside the body text. Don’t center it. Don’t add extra words.

Wrong Spacing Around The Title

Students often single-space the title or add extra blank lines between blocks. Keep double spacing. Keep the block centered. Keep it clean.

Mixing Student And Professional Elements

A common mashup is adding course lines and also adding an author note. That blend rarely matches any official template. Pick the structure your school requires, then stick to it.

Overloading The Page With Thesis Lines

If your program requires a long submission statement plus degree lines plus a department line, the title page can slide downward. Don’t solve that by shrinking the font. Solve it by tightening what’s optional. Keep only required lines, then keep the block in the upper half as best you can.

Table Two Final Format Check Before You Submit

Run this quick check after your title page is done. It catches the issues that pop up during PDF export and print checks.

Check	Pass Standard	Fast Fix
Header	Page number only for student papers	Insert page number in header tool
Title styling	Centered, bold, title case	Select title line, center, bold
Line spacing	Double spacing across title page	Set line spacing to double, remove extra paragraph space
Margins	1 inch on all sides	Layout → Margins → Normal (or set custom)
Extra lines	Only school-required thesis lines included	Delete optional lines, keep required ones
PDF export	Text stays centered and spacing stays even	Export to PDF, re-check header and title spacing
Consistency	Name and affiliation match the rest of the thesis	Update title page to match your front matter

Submission Notes For Thesis Title Pages

Once the title page looks right, do one last pass with your thesis submission rules in hand. Some schools want a separate “thesis approval page” after the title page. That page is not an APA title page, and it often has its own layout rules. Keep them separate. Don’t merge elements across pages.

Also watch what happens when you switch to page 2. In APA student papers, the header stays page number only across the full document. If your department asked for a running head, make sure it appears consistently, not just on page 1.

After you export to PDF, open it and check the title page again. PDF export can change spacing if you used manual tabs or mixed styles. Catch it now, not after submission.

Clean Title Pages Keep The Rest Of APA Easier

A tidy title page keeps the rest of the thesis easier to format. When the first page follows APA spacing, margins, and header rules, your sections and headings tend to stay aligned as you build the paper.

If you treat the title page like a template you can trust, you stop second-guessing every page after it. You also make life easier for whoever checks formatting on the first pass.