diff --git a/app/models/dspace_metadata.rb b/app/models/dspace_metadata.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea3a6077
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/dspace_metadata.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+class DspaceMetadata
+  def initialize(thesis)
+    @dc = {}
+    @dc['dc.publisher'] = 'Massachusetts Institute of Technology'
+    @dc['dc.type'] = 'Thesis'
+    title(thesis)
+    contributors(thesis.users, thesis.advisors)
+    departments(thesis.departments)
+    degrees(thesis.degrees)
+    copyright(thesis.copyright, thesis.license)
+    date_transferred(thesis.files)
+  end
+
+  # Generates JSON metadata file required for submission to DSS.
+  def serialize_dss_metadata
+    { 'metadata' => @dc.map { |k, v| { 'key' => k, 'value' => v } } }.to_json
+  end
+
+  def title(thesis)
+    @dc['dc.title'] = thesis.title
+    @dc['dc.description.abstract'] = thesis.abstract if thesis.abstract
+    @dc['dc.date.issued'] = thesis.grad_date.strftime('%Y-%m')
+  end
+
+  def contributors(thesis_users, thesis_advisors)
+    @dc['dc.contributor.author'] = thesis_users.map(&:preferred_name)
+    @dc['dc.identifier.orcid'] = parse_orcids(thesis_users) if parse_orcids(thesis_users)
+    @dc['dc.contributor.advisor'] = thesis_advisors.map(&:name)
+  end
+
+  # We don't care about the order of the ORCIDs because DSpace can't assign them to a specific user.
+  def parse_orcids(thesis_users)
+    return unless thesis_users.any?(&:orcid)
+
+    orcids = thesis_users.map(&:orcid).compact
+    return unless orcids.present?
+
+    orcids
+  end
+
+  def departments(thesis_depts)
+    @dc['dc.contributor.department'] = thesis_depts.map(&:name_dspace)
+  end
+
+  def degrees(thesis_degrees)
+    @dc['dc.description.degree'] = thesis_degrees.map(&:abbreviation)
+    @dc['thesis.degree.name'] = thesis_degrees.map(&:name_dspace)
+
+    # Degree types should not be repeated if they are the same type.
+    types = thesis_degrees.map { |degree| degree.degree_type.name }.uniq
+    @dc['mit.thesis.degree'] = types
+  end
+
+  def copyright(thesis_copyright, thesis_license)
+    if thesis_copyright.holder != 'Author' # copyright holder is anyone but author
+      @dc['dc.rights'] = [thesis_copyright.statement_dspace, "U+00A9 #{thesis_copyright.holder}"]
+      @dc['dc.rights.uri'] = thesis_copyright.url if thesis_copyright.url
+    elsif thesis_license # author holds copyright and provides a license
+      @dc['dc.rights'] = [thesis_license.license_type, 'Copyright retained by author(s)']
+
+      # Theoretically both license and copyright URLs are required for publication, but there are no constraints on
+      # the models, and we want to future-proof this.
+      @dc['dc.rights.uri'] = thesis_license.url if thesis_license.url
+    else # author holds copyright and no license provided
+      @dc['dc.rights'] = [thesis_copyright.statement_dspace, 'Copyright retained by author(s)']
+      @dc['dc.rights.uri'] = thesis_copyright.url if thesis_copyright.url
+    end
+  end
+
+  def date_transferred(files)
+    @dc['dc.date.submitted'] = files.select { |file| file.purpose == 'thesis_pdf' }.first.blob.created_at
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/fixtures/users.yml b/test/fixtures/users.yml
index ad23c618..f01d806f 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/users.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/users.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ yo:
   given_name: 'Yo'
   surname: 'Yobot'
   display_name: 'Yo Yobot'
+  orcid: '0001'
 
 admin:
   uid: 'admin_id'
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ basic:
   given_name: 'Basic'
   surname: 'Robot'
   display_name: 'Basic Robot'
+  orcid: '0002'
 
 second:
   uid: 'second'
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ second:
   given_name: 'Second'
   surname: 'Student'
   display_name: 'Second Student'
+  preferred_name: 'Student, Second'
 
 third:
   uid: 'third'
@@ -74,6 +77,7 @@ third:
   given_name: 'Third'
   surname: 'Student'
   display_name: 'Third Student'
+  preferred_name: 'Student, Third'
 
 processor:
   uid: 'processor_id'
diff --git a/test/models/dspace_metadata_test.rb b/test/models/dspace_metadata_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15ddb960
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/models/dspace_metadata_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+require 'test_helper'
+
+class DspaceMetadataTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
+  # Adding some properties that are not included in our fixtures
+  def dss_friendly_thesis(thesis)
+    degree = thesis.degrees.first
+    degree.degree_type_id = degree_types(:bachelor).id
+    degree.save
+    file = Rails.root.join('test', 'fixtures', 'files', 'a_pdf.pdf')
+    thesis.files.attach(io: File.open(file), filename: 'a_pdf.pdf')
+    thesis.files.first.description = 'My thesis'
+    thesis.files.first.purpose = 'thesis_pdf'
+    thesis.save
+  end
+
+  test 'parses thesis data as DSpace DC' do
+    t = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal 'MyString', dc['dc.title']
+    assert_equal '2017-09', dc['dc.date.issued']
+    assert_equal 'MyText', dc['dc.description.abstract']
+
+    # No abstract (optional for undergraduate theses)
+    t.abstract = nil
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_nil dc['dc.description.abstract']
+  end
+
+  test 'parses author data as DSpace DC' do
+    # One author
+    t = Thesis.create(title: 'Who cares', graduation_year: '2021', graduation_month: 'February',
+                      advisors: [advisors(:first)], users: [users(:second)], degrees: [degrees(:one)],
+                      departments: [departments(:one)], copyright: copyrights(:mit))
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['Student, Second'], dc['dc.contributor.author']
+
+    # More than one author
+    t.users = [users(:second), users(:third)]
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['Student, Second', 'Student, Third'], dc['dc.contributor.author']
+  end
+
+  test 'parses ORCIDs' do
+    # One author and one ORCID
+    t1 = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t1)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t1).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['0001'], dc['dc.identifier.orcid']
+
+    # Multiple authors and multiple ORCIDs
+    t2 = theses(:two)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t2)
+
+    # Since theses(:two) has no advisors, we need to attach one as DspaceMetadata expects this. This can be can be
+    # removed once we update the Thesis validations to reflect publication requirements.
+    t2.advisors = [advisors(:first)]
+    t2.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t2).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal %w[0002 0001], dc['dc.identifier.orcid']
+
+    # Multiple authors and only one ORCID
+    t2.users.second.orcid = nil
+    t2.users.second.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t2).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['0002'], dc['dc.identifier.orcid']
+
+    # One author and no ORCID
+    t1.users.first.orcid = nil
+    t1.users.first.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t1).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_nil dc['dc.identifier.orcid']
+  end
+
+  test 'parses advisor data as DSpace DC' do
+    t = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+
+    # One advisor
+    assert_equal ['Addy McAdvisor'], dc['dc.contributor.advisor']
+
+    # More than one advisor
+    t.advisors = [advisors(:first), advisors(:second)]
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['Addy McAdvisor', 'Viola McAdvisor'], dc['dc.contributor.advisor']
+  end
+
+  test 'parses copyright data as DSpace DC' do
+    # Author holds copyright and license is present
+    t = theses(:downloaded)
+    t.copyright = copyrights(:author)
+    t.license = licenses(:ccby)
+    t.users = [users(:yo)]
+    t.advisors = [advisors(:first)]
+    t.save
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)', 'Copyright retained by author(s)'],
+                 dc['dc.rights']
+    assert_equal 'https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/', dc['dc.rights.uri']
+
+    # No URI
+    t.license = licenses(:nocc)
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_nil dc['dc.rights.uri']
+
+    # Author holds copyright and no license
+    t.license = nil
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['In Copyright', 'Copyright retained by author(s)'], dc['dc.rights']
+    assert_equal 'https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/', dc['dc.rights.uri']
+
+    # Any other copyright holder
+    t.copyright = copyrights(:mit)
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted', 'U+00A9 MIT'], dc['dc.rights']
+    assert_equal 'http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/', dc['dc.rights.uri']
+  end
+
+  test 'parses department data as DSpace DC' do
+    # One department
+    t = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics'],
+                 dc['dc.contributor.department']
+
+    # Multiple departments
+    t.departments = [departments(:one), departments(:two)]
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics',
+                  'MIT Anthropology Program'], dc['dc.contributor.department']
+  end
+
+  test 'parses degree data as DSpace DC' do
+    # One degree
+    t = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    d1 = degrees(:one)
+    d1.degree_type_id = degree_types(:bachelor).id
+    d1.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['MFA'], dc['dc.description.degree']
+    assert_equal ['Master of Fine Arts'], dc['thesis.degree.name']
+    assert_equal ['Bachelor'], dc['mit.thesis.degree']
+
+    # Multiple degrees
+    d2 = degrees(:two)
+    d2.degree_type_id = degree_types(:master).id
+    d2.save
+    t.degrees = [d1, d2]
+    t.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal %w[MFA JD], dc['dc.description.degree']
+    assert_equal ['Master of Fine Arts', 'Master of Fine Arts'], dc['thesis.degree.name']
+    assert_equal %w[Bachelor Master], dc['mit.thesis.degree']
+
+    # Does not repeat degree types
+    d2.degree_type_id = degree_types(:bachelor).id
+    d2.save
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal ['Bachelor'], dc['mit.thesis.degree']
+  end
+
+  test 'parses file data as DSpace DC' do
+    t = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    blob = t.files.first.blob
+    assert_equal blob.created_at, dc['dc.date.submitted']
+  end
+
+  test 'compiles constituent DC metadata on instantiation' do
+    t = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    dc = DspaceMetadata.new(t).instance_variable_get(:@dc)
+    assert_equal 'Massachusetts Institute of Technology', dc['dc.publisher']
+    assert_equal 'Thesis', dc['dc.type']
+
+    # Checking for presence of keys instead of exact values, as we verify values in other tests.
+    assert_equal ['dc.publisher', 'dc.type', 'dc.title', 'dc.description.abstract', 'dc.date.issued',
+                  'dc.contributor.author', 'dc.identifier.orcid', 'dc.contributor.advisor', 'dc.contributor.department',
+                  'dc.description.degree', 'thesis.degree.name', 'mit.thesis.degree', 'dc.rights', 'dc.rights.uri',
+                  'dc.date.submitted'], dc.keys
+  end
+
+  test 'metadata file is structured as expected for DSS' do
+    t = theses(:one)
+    dss_friendly_thesis(t)
+    serialized = DspaceMetadata.new(t).serialize_dss_metadata
+
+    # Make sure the JSON is actually serialized
+    assert_equal String, serialized.class
+
+    # Unserialize the JSON so we can check that it's well-formed
+    unserialized = JSON.parse(serialized)
+    assert_equal ['metadata'], unserialized.keys
+    assert_equal unserialized['metadata'].first, { 'key' => 'dc.publisher',
+                                                   'value' => 'Massachusetts Institute of Technology' }
+  end
+end