Simple tables can be created with LaTeX commands. For more complicated tables, one can use another program to create the table and save it in (encapsulated) PostScript form. Then the PostScript or Encapsulated PostScript image can be read in to the thesis with the epsfig package.
Another package, rotating, defines an environment in which a table can be displayed in rotated (counterclockwise) form, putting the caption of the table in the correct postion using the normal font style/size used in the body of the document. This, then, will satisfy the specifications of the Graduate School. Although DVI viewers may not be able to display the rotated tables (and figures) correctly, when converted to PostScript and viewed or printed the tables or figures will be correctly positioned.
The rotating package is file rotating.sty (may already be on your computer).
See a example thesis which demonstrates how to do all this.
The top of the LaTeX document might look something like this:
\documentclass[defaultstyle,11pt]{thesis}
\usepackage{epsfig} % to insert PostScript figures
\usepackage{rotating} % for sideways tables/figures
\title{My Thesis Title}
\author{Jane Q.}{Doe}
...
and to insert a PostScript table, in rotated form,
\begin{sidewaystable}
\begin{center}
\label{table17}
\caption{Results of experiment 3c.}
\epsfig{figure=bigtable.eps,width=8.75in}
\end{center}
\end{sidewaystable}