Dedication generally comes in your [front matter][1] section in your thesis. It will depend on your university rules and guidelines. Generally "dedication" is **not mandatory** in most of universities. However it is advisable to check with your academic office. Quoting from [Harvard][2] guidelines for thesis writing, > Front matter may include: acknowledgments of help or encouragement from individuals or institutions; a dedication; a list of illustrations or of tables; a glossary of terms; one or more epigraphs—pertinent quotations at the beginning of a dissertation or a chapter My personal opinion is that dedication gives emotional touch. It is good to have dedication page in your work. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_design#Front_matter [2]: http://www.gov.harvard.edu/files/form_of_dissertation.pdf