Thesis Dedication vs Acknowledgements: Difference and Examples

The acknowledgements and dedication are the first pages the jury opens. They are not graded like the rest of the report, but they set the tone: a sober, well-written text without mistakes leaves a good impression. Here is how to write them, with templates to adapt for your thesis or final-year project.

In short: the acknowledgements fit on one page and follow a precise order: academic supervisor, company supervisor and host organization, jury members, teachers, then family and friends. The dedication, which is optional, is a short personal text addressed to one or more loved ones. Both come after the title page and before the abstract and the table of contents.

Acknowledgements and dedication: what is the difference?

• Acknowledgements are professional: you thank the people who contributed to the work (supervision, hosting, technical help, jury).

• The dedication is personal: you symbolically offer your work to loved ones (parents, family, friends, someone who passed away).

The dedication is optional; acknowledgements are almost always expected.

In what order should you thank people?

1. Your academic supervisor.

2. Your company supervisor and the host organization (for an internship project).

3. The jury members, for agreeing to evaluate your work.

4. The teaching staff and administration of your institution.

5. The people who helped you: questionnaire respondents, staff interviewed, internship colleagues.

6. Your family and friends, in one sentence.

The golden rules

• One page maximum. More looks excessive.

• A sober tone: sincere but not emphatic. Avoid strings of superlatives.

• Exact titles and names: "Professor", "Dr.", "Mr.", "Ms.", with names spelled correctly. A typo in the supervisor's name is the worst possible mistake.

• Specific thanks: saying why you thank someone (availability, advice, access to data) is stronger than a generic phrase.

• A personal text: the templates below are starting points; adapt them to your experience.

Template 1: final-year project acknowledgements (company internship)

At the end of this work, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my academic supervisor, [title and name], for their availability, valuable advice and careful guidance throughout this project.

I also thank [title and name], my supervisor at [company name], for their welcome, trust and the time they devoted to me, as well as all the staff of the [department name] department for their help and good spirits.

I sincerely thank the members of the jury for agreeing to evaluate this work.

Finally, I thank my family and friends for their constant support throughout my studies.

Template 2: master's thesis acknowledgements

I would first like to thank [title and name], supervisor of this thesis, for the quality of their supervision, the relevance of their comments and their patience.

My thanks also go to the members of the jury for their interest in this work, and to all the teachers of the [program name] master's program for the training I received.

I warmly thank the [number] people who agreed to answer the questionnaire, without whom this study would not have been possible.

Finally, thank you to my parents and loved ones for their support and encouragement.

Template 3: nursing or health thesis acknowledgements

I thank [title and name], my supervisor, for their methodological guidance and availability during this thesis.

My thanks also go to the director and staff of the institute, and to the care team of the [department name] department of [institution name], for their welcome and cooperation during data collection.

I thank the members of the jury for agreeing to judge this work, as well as the patients and professionals who took part in the study.

How to write a dedication

A dedication is a few lines, often centered on the page. It can be sober or more emotional, in French, English or Arabic. A few templates:

• "To my dear parents, for their sacrifices, their love and their unfailing support. May this work be a testimony of my gratitude."

• "To my mother, my father, my brothers and sisters, and to everyone who believed in me."

• "In memory of [first name], who would have been proud of this work."

• "To my friends of the class of [year], for the years we shared."

You can also choose not to include a dedication: it is a widely accepted choice.

Mistakes to avoid

• Forgetting the company supervisor or the host organization.

• Flattering the jury ("eminent members of the jury…"): keep it simple.

• Copying a template found online word for word: the jury has read hundreds.

• Mixing acknowledgements and dedication on the same page.

• Leaving spelling mistakes on the first page the jury reads.

Where do these pages go in the report?

The usual order is: title page, dedication, acknowledgements, abstract, table of contents, lists of figures, tables and abbreviations, then the general introduction. These pages are often numbered in Roman numerals. For the full structure see our final-year project report example, and for numbering in Word: writing your report in Word.

For the internship itself, see our guide to final-year internships in Morocco.

Frequently asked questions

Should acknowledgements use "I" or "we"?

"I" is the most natural for individual work. For a pair or group project, use "we".

Can I thank God in my acknowledgements?

Yes, it is common in Morocco and many countries, often in the first sentence ("First of all, I thank God…"). Keep it short and consistent with the tone of the document.

Should I thank the jury if it is not yet known?

Yes, with a general phrase: "the members of the jury who agreed to evaluate this work".

When should I write the acknowledgements?

Last of all, once the report is finished: you will know exactly who helped you.

Going further

Acknowledgements ready? Move on to the oral exam: prepare your thesis defense in 7 days and prepare the jury's questions. For a full proofread of your report, discover our thesis and final-year project support.