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Open Access Theses and Dissertations

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About OATD.org

OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions . OATD currently indexes 7,213,579 theses and dissertations.

About OATD (our FAQ) .

Visual OATD.org

We’re happy to present several data visualizations to give an overall sense of the OATD.org collection by county of publication, language, and field of study.

You may also want to consult these sites to search for other theses:

• Google Scholar
• NDLTD , the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. NDLTD provides information and a search engine for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), whether they are open access or not.
• Proquest Theses and Dissertations (PQDT), a database of dissertations and theses, whether they were published electronically or in print, and mostly available for purchase. Access to PQDT may be limited; consult your local library for access information.

Open Access Theses and Dissertations

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EBSCO Open Dissertations

EBSCO Open Dissertations makes electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) more accessible to researchers worldwide. The free portal is designed to benefit universities and their students and make ETDs more discoverable. 

Increasing Discovery & Usage of ETD Research

With EBSCO Open Dissertations, institutions are offered an innovative approach to driving additional traffic to ETDs in institutional repositories. Our goal is to help make their students’ theses and dissertations as widely visible and cited as possible.

EBSCO Open Dissertations extends the work started in 2014, when EBSCO and the H.W. Wilson Foundation created American Doctoral Dissertations which contained indexing from the H.W. Wilson print publication, Doctoral Dissertations Accepted by American Universities, 1933-1955. In 2015, the H.W. Wilson Foundation agreed to support the expansion of the scope of the American Doctoral Dissertations database to include records for dissertations and theses from 1955 to the present.

How Does EBSCO Open Dissertations Work?

Libraries can add theses and dissertations to the database, making them freely available to researchers everywhere while increasing traffic to their institutional repository.  ETD metadata is harvested via OAI and integrated into EBSCO’s platform, where pointers send traffic to the institution's IR.

EBSCO integrates this data into their current subscriber environments and makes the data available on the open web via opendissertations.org .

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• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations Provides free access to thousands of dissertation and thesis abstracts from universities around the world, and links to full text when freely available.

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Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD)

OATD.org provides open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions. OATD currently indexes 6,654,285 theses and dissertations.

Dissertation Repositories, Open Access

How to find dissertations, open access repositories, selected university affiliated, open access repositories.

Use the websites listed below to find freely accessible (open access) dissertations from the United States and other countries.  While all repositories listed here include doctoral dissertations, Master's theses may be available in some cases as well.

Regis College maintains print copies of Regis student theses and dissertations in the Regis Library.  They are not digitized although individual students may have submitted their dissertation to a digital repository.

• American Doctoral Dissertations (EBSCO) A free resource, hosted by EBSCO, this database includes more than 172,000 theses and dissertations in total from 1902 to the present.
• British Library: EThOS, E-theses Online Service EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service. EThOS aims to hold a record for all doctoral theses awarded by all UK universities (institutions). Also available when using Regis Library discovery tool, PowerSearch.
• Digital Commons Network Free, full-text scholarly articles from hundreds of universities and colleges worldwide. Curated by university librarians and their supporting institutions, the Network includes a growing collection of peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, dissertations, working papers, conference proceedings, and other original scholarly work.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) is an international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). We support electronic publishing and open access to scholarship in order to enhance the sharing of knowledge worldwide.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions. OATD currently indexes 4,264,663 theses and dissertations.
• PQDT Open PQDT Open provides the full text of open access dissertations and theses free of charge. The authors of these dissertations and theses have opted to publish as open access.
• Theses Canada Theses Canada is a collaborative program between Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and nearly 70 universities accredited by Universities Canada. It strives to: acquire and preserve theses and dissertations from participating universities; provide free access to Canadian electronic theses and dissertations in the collection.

These digital repositories maintained by various universities enable public access to theses and dissertations.  These are just a select sample; there are many other repositories associated with universities.

• Duke University: Duke Space, Theses and Dissertations
• Harvard University: Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) Also available when using Regis Library discovery tool, PowerSearch.
• Johns Hopkins University: DSpace Repository
• Northeastern University: Digital Reposity Service: Theses and Dissertations
• University of Washington: ResearchWorks
• Walden University Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
• Last Updated: Jul 12, 2023 8:18 AM
• URL: https://libguides.regiscollege.edu/open_access_dissertations

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Open Access Theses & Dissertations (OATD)

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An index of over 1.6 million electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). To the extent possible, the index is limited to records of graduate-level theses that are freely available online.

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Home > ETD > OPEN_ACCESS_DISSERTATIONS

Open Access Dissertations

Dissertations from 2018 2018.

Corporate Social Responsibility of Construction and Real Estate Development Companies in Developing Countries: An Assessment Model , Ahmed Nabil Abdel-Salam

Effect of Cue Cardinality, Cue Representation and Judgment Options on Human Judgments , Harsh Wardhan Aggarwal

Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Geometric Reflections in Terms of Motion and Mapping View , Murat Akarsu

An Overall Policy Decision-Support System For Educational Facilities Management: An Agent-Based Approach , Haya Bader Albader

Beer to Stay: Brewed Culture, Ethnicity, and the Market Revolution , Brian Alberts

Translocation of Neonicotinoid in Maize and Nontarget Impacts to Water and Soil , Adam Alford

Identification of Novel Therapeutic Targets for Chronic Pain , Doungkamol Alongkronrusmee

A Framework for Comparative Life-Cycle Evaluation of Alternative Pavement Types , Saeed Alqadhi

Process Characterization and Optimization of Roll-to-Roll Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition for Graphene Growth , Majed A. Alrefae

She is a computer scientist: a quantitative comparison between the effectiveness of game design studios and robotics at enhancing women's learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward, and domain identification with computer science , Ali Nazil Alshammari

Experimentally validated quantum transport models for tunneling devices based on novel materials , Tarek A. Ameen Beshari

Interparental Conflict as a Context for Early Child-Parent Attachment Relationships , Laura Yanett Anaya

East Asian International Students' Interdependent Happiness: The Role of Acculturative Stress, Dialectical Thinking, and Collectivistic Coping , Yaping Huang Anderson

Avian Immunogenetics and Evolution of a Passerine Bird in the Face of Malarial Parasites , Jennifer D. Antonides

Large Scale Constrained Trajectory Optimization Using Indirect Methods , Thomas Antony

A Performance-Based Framework for Guiding Enroute Air Traffic Control Sector Design , Julian R. Archer

Bridge Load Rating: A General Procedure for Load Rating Bridges without Plans , Rafael Ricardo Armendariz Briones

Comparison of Brachypodium and Wheat Response to Hessian Fly , Abdelrahman Ahmed Abdelhady Mohamed Awad

Spin-Torque Sensors for Energy Efficient and High Speed Global Interconnects , Zubair Al Azim

Analysis of Packaged Air Conditioning System for High Temperature Climates , Ammar M. Bahman

Modeling and Simulation of Blood Flow past the Distal Anastomosis of the Arteriovenous Graft for Hemodialysis , Zengding Bai

Minimal Models of Rational Elliptic Curves with non-Trivial Torsio , Alexander J. Barrios

"Do I Even Remember the List?': Identity, Place, and Legal Consciousness of Marriage Among LGBTQ Individuals." , D Ross Beall

Studies on the Impact Initiation and Kinetics of Condensed Phase Reactives with Application to the Shock Induced Reaction Synthesis of Cubic Boron Nitride , Matthew T. Beason

Using Computational Musicological Approaches and Informatics to Characterize Soundscapes in Diverse Natural and Human-Dominated Ecosystems , Kristen M. Bellisario

Holostream: High-accuracy, High-speed 3D Range Video Encoding and Streaming , Tyler Bell

Multi-Hazard In-Plane Response of Steel-plate Composite (SC) Walls: Out-of-plane and Accident Thermal Loadings , Saahastaranshu R. Bhardwaj

Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding the Measurement of the Area of Rectangles , Cetin Kursat Bilir

Photoassociation in 87RB BECS and in Ultracold 7LI85RB , David Blasing

A Pragmatic Methodology for the (Queer) Self , Elaine M. Blum

YshB is a positive regulator for Salmonella intracellular survival and facilitates the spatio-temporal regulation of bacterial pathogenesis , Rajdeep Bomjan

On the Computation and Composition of Belyi Maps and Dessins d'Enfants , Jacob A. Bond

Raw Material Variability in Food Manufacturing , Brian A. Bourquard

Sex, Culture, and the Politics of Fashion in Stuart England , Emilie M. Brinkman

‘MakingThings Happen’ in Cross-sector Partnerships: A Multiple Case Study , Priyanka Shah Brunese

Three Essays on Skill Heterogeneity in Frictional Labor Markets , Jacklyn R. Buhrmann

Religion and Movement Activism in 1960s Chicago , D. Trevor Burrows

An Investigation of Micro-Surface Shaping on the Piston/Cylinder Interface of Axial Piston Machines , Ashley Busquets

Quantifying Human Heat Stress in Working Environments, and Their Relationship to Atmospheric Dynamics, Due to Global Climate Change , Jonathan R. Buzan

Gist of a Gest: Learning Gestures for the First Time , Maria Eugenia Cabrera Ubaldi

Understanding the Molecular Mechanism of Arsenic Tolerance and Accumulation in Pteris vittata , Chao Cai

Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Functional Analysis of Tissues and Biomaterials , Luyao Cai

Characterization of Type I Collagen and Osteoblast Response to Mechanical Loading , Silvia P. Canelón

Data-driven Resource Allocation in Virtualized Environments , Lianjie Cao

Modeling of Bearing Dynamics Using Combined EFEM-DEM Method , Lijun Cao

Regulation of Intestinal Lipid Storage and Mobilization , Alicia L. Carreiro

A Solidarity Economy on the Border: Examining Historical and Contemporary Case Studies in El Paso, Texas as De Facto Contributors to a U.S.-Based Movement , Michelle E. Carreon

Using Tangible Interaction and Virtual Reality to Support Spatial Perspective Taking Ability , Shen-Kuen Chang

Social Brokerage, Psychology, and Innovation in Intra-Organizational Networks , Hongzhi Chen

Proteomics Strategies to Develop Proteins of Post-translational Modifications in Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Disease Markers , I-Hsuan (Blair) Chen

Label free chemical imaging reveals novel metabolite signatures in living model organisms , Jing (Andy) Chen

Assessment of urbanization impacts on surface runoff and effects of green infrastructure on hydrology and water quality , Jingqiu Chen

Computational optimization of networks of dynamical systems under uncertainties: application to the air transportation system , Jun Chen

Conventions of the Commons: Technical Communication and Crowdsourced Digital Publishing , Amelia Chesley

Choosing Wickedness: Moral Evil in Kant's Religion , Changtze Chia

Computational Learning for Hand Pose Estimation , Chiho Choi

Sustainable Supply Planning of By-Product Minerals: A Case Study on Indium , Chul Hun Choi

Computational Methods for Matrix/Tensor Factorization and Deep Learning Image Denoising , Joon Hee Choi

The Relationships of Social Cognitive Career Theory Factors and Cybersecurity Research Self-Efficacy , Rylan C. Chong

Strategies to Create Interfacial Patterning and Epitaxial Architectures Using Controllable Anisotropic Wetting at Scales Layers , Shi Wah Choong

Thermal & Non-Thermal Signatures From Galactic Nuclei , Ian Christie

Investigations of the Electrical, Vibrational and Optical Properties of Graphene-based Materials , Ting-Fung Chung

Measurements of Transition Dominated by the Second-Mode Instability at Mach 6 , Brandon C. Chynoweth

The Human Dimensions of Invasive Plant Management on Family Forestlands: A Case Study in Indiana , Mysha K. Clarke

Secular Discourse in Postcolonial West African Narratives: Problems and Perspectives: A Comparative Study , Malick Coly

Gender and Parental Support to Adult Children in Later Life , Gülçin Con

Quantum correlations in nanophotonics: from long-range dipole-dipole interactions to fundamental efficiency limits of coherent energy transfer , Cristian L. Cortes

On the Front Line: Locating Mentorship in the Composition Practicum , Sherri Elaine Craig

Manipulating Light Quality, Light Intensity, and Carbon Dioxide Concentration to Optimize Indoor and Greenhouse Production of Annual Bedding Plant Seedlings , Joshua Ken Craver

Folate Receptor Beta as a Marker of Immunosuppressive Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells and Tumor Associated Macrophages in the Tumor Microenvironment , Gregory Micheal Cresswell

Modeling Anthropogenic Disturbance of Wildlife , Laura E. D'Acunto

The Influence of Biomass Burning Aerosols on Stratocumulus Clouds over the South-East Atlantic , Sampa Das

Producing Nanoscale Laser Spot and its Applications , Anurup Datta

Modeling the Behavioral Landscape Ecology of a Reintroduced Carnivore , Casey C. Day

Hispanic Acculturation and Perceived Discrimination's Impact on Emerging Adult's Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms Over Time: A Longitudinal Investigation. , Hector F. De Los Santos

Multidimensional Nonlinear Optical Imaging , Fengyuan Deng

Political Order in the Modernizing Mormon Kingdom, 1887-1896 , Mark Denninghoff

Structure-Function Analysis of a Flavivirus Non-Structural Protein , Michael J. Dibiaso White

Conceptualizing Individual Disaster Resilience: Benchmarking Tools for Individual and Social Coping Capacity for a Disaster Resilient Society , Lindsey J. DiTirro

Behavioral Pharmacology of Alcohol and Legal Psychostimulants , Meridith Tracy Doyle

Characterization of Manifold Microchannel Heat Sinks During Two-Phase Operation , Kevin P. Drummond

Pathology or Neurodiversity?: Cognitive Accessibility and the Rhetorical Construction of ADHD in Higher Education , Samuel James Dunn

Design Methodology for a High-Frequency Transformer in an Isolating DC-DC Converter , Veda Samhitha Duppalli

Understanding the Relation Between Sexual Objectification and Ostracism , Maayan Dvir

Polysulfide Mitigation at the Electrode-Electrolyte Interface: Experiments in Rechargeable Lithium Sulfur Batteries , Arthur D. Dysart

Teacher Identity and the Role of Relational Coaching , Melinda R. Ehmer

Highly Excited States of Small Molecules and Negative Atomic Ions , Matthew T. Eiles

GNSS/INS-Assisted Multi-Camera Mobile Mapping: System Architecture, Modeling, Calibration, and Enhanced Navigation , Magdy Elbahnasawy

Improving Information Alignment and Distributed Coordination for Secure Information Supply Chains , Omar Eldardiry

Efficient Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods , Youhan Fang

Plant cell wall modification during tomato processing and its effects on the physical and rheological properties of end products , Xing Fei

Design and Development of Adaptive Intrusion Management for Cyber-Based Systems , Muhamad Felemban

Spin-orbit interaction and electron spin qubits in silicon quantum dots , Rifat Ferdous

Global On-line, Interactive and Simulated Learning Techniques via BIRS , Janet L. Fourman

Enzymatic Inhibition By Lignin During Second Generation Ethanol Production , Antonio Carlos Freitas dos Santos

Metaethical Mooreanism , Jonathan Fuqua

Understanding the adoption, maintenance, diffusion of urban stormwater management practices , Yuling Gao

Acute Effects of Contractile Activity on Skeletal Muscle Exosomes , Ron T. Garner

Plant Mediated Effects on Tritrophic Interactions in the Solanaceae-Hornworm System , Michael A. Garvey

Food Quality Versus Quantity: Consumer's Value Perception and the Influence of Eating Style , Li Ge

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• American Doctoral Dissertations This free research database indexes thousands of theses and dissertations accepted by American universities from 1902 to the present and provides links to full text, when available.
• DART-Europe E-theses Portal A partnership of research libraries and library consortia who are working together to improve global access to European research theses.
• OhioLINK ETD Center A free, online database of Ohio’s masters and doctoral theses and dissertations from participating OhioLINK member schools. It contains the abstract for all included theses and dissertations. The full-text is also available if it was submitted.
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This page provides links to databases and websites to find dissertations. This includes links to general databases to find dissertations, databases focused on the humanities, foreign dissertations, dissertations on religion, and dissertations hosted by other universities.

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OU theses and dissertations

Online theses.

Are available via Open Research Online .

Print theses

Search for OU theses in the Library Search . To see only print theses click 'In the Walton Hall library' and refine your results to resource type 'Thesis'.

OU staff and research students can  borrow a consultation copy of a thesis (if available). Please contact the Library helpdesk giving the author and title of the thesis.

UK theses and dissertations from EThOS

The Electronic Theses Online System (EThOS) offers free access to the full text of UK theses.

• EThOS offers a one stop online shop providing free access to UK theses
• EThOS digitizes theses on request into PDF format, this may require payment
• EThOS is managed by the British Library in partnership with a number of UK universities
• EThOS is open to all categories of library user

What does this mean to you as a library user?

When you need to access a PhD thesis from another UK based HE institution you should check EThOS to either download a thesis which has already been digitised or to request that a UK thesis be supplied to you.

• For all UK theses EThOS will be the first point of delivery. You can use the online ordering and tracking system direct from EThOS to manage your requests for UK PhD theses, including checking the status of your requests
• As readers you will deal directly with EThOS so will not need to fill in a document delivery request
• OU staff and research students will still be entitled to access non-UK based PhD theses by filling in a document delivery request
• In some cases where EThOS is unable to supply a UK thesis OU staff and research students will be able to access it by filling in a conventional document delivery request. The thesis will be supplied through direct loan
• The EThOS system is both faster and cheaper than the previous British Theses service which was based on microfilm
• The British Library no longer arranges interlibrary loans for UK PhD theses
• Interlibrary Loan procedures for other types of request from the British Library (articles and books for example) will remain the same

If you have any queries about using EThOS contact the Document Delivery Team ( [email protected] or the Library Helpdesk ).

Note 13/03/2024: The British Library is continuing to experience a major technology outage affecting its websites and other online systems, due to a Cyber attack. as a result access to ETHOS might not be possible until the issue is fixed. 

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What is a thesis?

What is a dissertation, getting started, staying on track.

A thesis is a long-term project that you work on over the course of a semester or a year. Theses have a very wide variety of styles and content, so we encourage you to look at prior examples and work closely with faculty to develop yours. 

Before you begin, make sure that you are familiar with the dissertation genre—what it is for and what it looks like.

Generally speaking, a dissertation’s purpose is to prove that you have the expertise necessary to fulfill your doctoral-degree requirements by showing depth of knowledge and independent thinking.

The form of a dissertation may vary by discipline. Be sure to follow the specific guidelines of your department.

• PhD This site directs candidates to the GSAS website about dissertations , with links to checklists,  planning, formatting, acknowledgments, submission, and publishing options. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus . Consult with your committee chair about specific requirements and standards for your dissertation.
• DDES This document covers planning, patent filing, submission guidelines, publishing options, formatting guidelines, sample pages, citation guidelines, and a list of common errors to avoid. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus .
• Scholarly Pursuits (GSAS) This searchable booklet from Harvard GSAS is a comprehensive guide to writing dissertations, dissertation-fellowship applications, academic journal articles, and academic job documents.

Finding an original topic can be a daunting and overwhelming task. These key concepts can help you focus and save time.

Finding a topic for your thesis or dissertation should start with a research question that excites or at least interests you. A rigorous, engaging, and original project will require continuous curiosity about your topic, about your own thoughts on the topic, and about what other scholars have said on your topic. Avoid getting boxed in by thinking you know what you want to say from the beginning; let your research and your writing evolve as you explore and fine-tune your focus through constant questioning and exploration.

Get a sense of the broader picture before you narrow your focus and attempt to frame an argument. Read, skim, and otherwise familiarize yourself with what other scholars have done in areas related to your proposed topic. Briefly explore topics tangentially related to yours to broaden your perspective and increase your chance of finding a unique angle to pursue.

Critical Reading

Critical reading is the opposite of passive reading. Instead of merely reading for information to absorb, critical reading also involves careful, sustained thinking about what you are reading. This process may include analyzing the author’s motives and assumptions, asking what might be left out of the discussion, considering what you agree with or disagree with in the author’s statements and why you agree or disagree, and exploring connections or contradictions between scholarly arguments. Here is a resource to help hone your critical-reading skills:

http://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/criticalread.pdf

Conversation

Your thesis or dissertation will incorporate some ideas from other scholars whose work you researched. By reading critically and following your curiosity, you will develop your own ideas and claims, and these contributions are the core of your project. You will also acknowledge the work of scholars who came before you, and you must accurately and fairly attribute this work and define your place within the larger discussion. Make sure that you know how to quote, summarize, paraphrase ,  integrate , and cite secondary sources to avoid plagiarism and to show the depth and breadth of your knowledge.

A thesis is a long-term, large project that involves both research and writing; it is easy to lose focus, motivation, and momentum. Here are suggestions for achieving the result you want in the time you have.

The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken, and a lot of the work is self-directed. The project can feel daunting or even overwhelming unless you break it down into manageable pieces and create a timeline for completing each smaller task. Be realistic but also challenge yourself, and be forgiving of yourself if you miss a self-imposed deadline here and there.

Your program will also have specific deadlines for different requirements, including establishing a committee, submitting a prospectus, completing the dissertation, defending the dissertation, and submitting your work. Consult your department’s website for these dates and incorporate them into the timeline for your work.

Accountability

Sometimes self-imposed deadlines do not feel urgent unless there is accountability to someone beyond yourself. To increase your motivation to complete tasks on schedule, set dates with your committee chair to submit pre-determined pieces of a chapter. You can also arrange with a fellow doctoral student to check on each other’s progress. Research and writing can be lonely, so it is also nice to share that journey with someone and support each other through the process.

Common Pitfalls

The most common challenges for students writing a dissertation are writer’s block, information-overload, and the compulsion to keep researching forever.

There are many strategies for avoiding writer’s block, such as freewriting, outlining, taking a walk, starting in the middle, and creating an ideal work environment for your particular learning style. Pay attention to what helps you and try different things until you find what works.

Efficient researching techniques are essential to avoiding information-overload. Here are a couple of resources about strategies for finding sources and quickly obtaining essential information from them.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_in_literature_detailed_discussion/reading_criticism.html

https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/learning-resources/learning-strategies/reading-techniques

Finally, remember that there is always more to learn and your dissertation cannot incorporate everything. Follow your curiosity but also set limits on the scope of your work. It helps to create a folder entitled “future projects” for topics and sources that interest you but that do not fit neatly into the dissertation. Also remember that future scholars will build off of your work, so leave something for them to do.

Browsing through theses and dissertations of the past can help to get a sense of your options and gain inspiration but be careful to use current guidelines and refer to your committee instead of relying on these examples for form or formatting.

DASH Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard.

HOLLIS Harvard Library’s catalog provides access to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global .

MIT Architecture has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Rhode Island School of Design has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

University of South Florida has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Harvard GSD has a list of projects, including theses and professors’ research.

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Dissertation and Thesis Information

Contains information on submission requirements, checklist guides, accessibility, timelines and more.

For more information, visit UC’s Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Information webpage.

The Academic Writing Center offers free workshops to graduate students on important writing concepts.

Contact Information:

• Location: Learning Commons 2510B French Hall West
• Phone: 513-556-3244
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Learning Commons Graduate Student Support

The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) Dissertation Success Curriculum is designed to provide the skills, strategies, and support that advanced graduate students need to overcome the three biggest obstacles to finishing their dissertation: perfectionism, procrastination, and isolation. The program is built on the assumption that there is only one way to complete a dissertation: WRITE IT!

For more information, create a FREE (through UC) NCFDD account and view the Dissertation Success Curriculum webpage.

Utilize ProQuest to read other dissertations or theses from your school or field to help guide your process.

To view submitted theses and dissertations, visit ProQuest .

Resources for Dissertators lists helpful books and chapters that can inform your writing process and links to guides for thesis and dissertations, grant writing support, and more.

To view these dissertation resources, visit the The University of Wisconsin - Madison Writing Center website.

Joan Bolker, Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day.  Available for loan through DAAP’s library .

Scott Rank, How to Finish Your Dissertation in Six Months, Even if You­ Don’t Know What to Write .

Paul J. Silvia, How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing . Available for loan through Langsam Library .

Theses and Dissertations

Cornell theses.

Check Cornell’s library catalog , which lists the dissertations available in our library collection.

The print thesis collection in Uris Library is currently shelved on Level 3B before the Q to QA regular-sized volumes. Check with the library staff for the thesis shelving locations in other libraries (Mann, Catherwood, Fine Arts, etc.).

Non-Cornell Theses

Proquest dissertations and theses.

According to ProQuest, coverage begins with 1637. With more than 2.4 million entries,  ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global  is the starting point for finding citations to doctoral dissertations and master’s theses. Dissertations published from 1980 forward include 350-word abstracts written by the author. Master’s theses published from 1988 forward include 150-word abstracts. UMI also offers over 1.8 million titles for purchase in microfilm or paper formats. The full text of more than 930,000 are available in PDF format for immediate free download. Use  Interlibrary Loan  for the titles not available as full text online.

Foreign Dissertations at the Center for Research Libraries

To search for titles and verify holdings of dissertations at the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), use the CRL catalog . CRL seeks to provide comprehensive access to doctoral dissertations submitted to institutions outside the U. S. and Canada (currently more than 750,000 titles). One hundred European universities maintain exchange or deposit agreements with CRL. Russian dissertation abstracts in the social sciences are obtained on microfiche from INION.  More detailed information about CRL’s dissertation holdings .

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Please see our resource guide on dissertations and theses for additional resources and support.

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• Check your  Academic Progress  tab in Workday Student to ensure you've met Graduate College requirements for degree completion.
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• Check your Approved Academic Plan  in Workday Student; make sure the list of courses is accurate and make modifications as needed.
• Submit an  Application for Program Completion  by the deadlines of the semester you plan to graduate. If you have a change of mind, withdraw by the cancellation date. Summer graduates attending Spring/Fall ceremony need to follow special deadlines.

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• Attend a  Thesis/Dissertation Seminar  presented by the Graduate College soon after you have formed your Committee and Academic Plan.
• Download the  Thesis/Dissertation Deadlines  and the  Thesis Planning Tool  or the  Dissertation Planning Tool  to map the Graduate College deadlines.
• Plan meetings with your Major Professor and Committee about your thesis/dissertation content and timeline for completion.
• Chart your personal deadlines using the tools.
• Add any additional program deadlines that are not included in the Graduate College deadlines.
• Review resources for Authorship Expectations .

Writing Your Thesis/Dissertation

• Work closely with your Major Professor and Committee as you develop ideas and content for your thesis/dissertation. They are there to guide you.
• Contact the  Center for Communication Excellence  to receive  Thesis/Dissertation Consultations . Trained consultants can meet one-on-one to give helpful suggestions in the planning, composing, or revising stages of writing or assist with thesis/dissertation formatting.  Make an appointment !
• Attend  Boot Camps and Writing Retreats .
• Use the  Templates  to maintain formatting requirements.
• Review  Thesis/Dissertation Format Requirements  and watch the  Video Tutorials for Formatting .

Planning Your Pre- and Post-Final Oral Exam Steps

Pre-final oral exam.

• Plan final oral exam date with your Major Professor and Committee.
• Submit a  Request for Final Oral Exam   at least three weeks prior  to the final oral exam.
• Reserve a room and inform your Major Professor and Committee.
• Make an appointment with the  Center for Communication Excellence  for a  Thesis/Dissertation Format Check .
• Submit copies of the manuscript to your Major Professor and Committee.

Post-Final Oral Exam

• Complete required edits to your thesis/dissertation as requested by your Major Professor and Committee.
• Review your thesis/dissertation formatting again since formatting may change after any edits are made.
• Submit the edited manuscript to your Major Professor and Committee for approval.
• Open your thesis/dissertation account with  ProQuest  and input the title of your thesis/dissertation; this information will appear in the Commencement Program. Use the same format as your title page.
• Thesis/Dissertation students - Review the online  Thesis/Dissertation Format Requirements  and upload your thesis/dissertation to  ProQuest/UMI
• Creative component students – Review the instructions  Creative Component submission instructions .
• Get your Major Professor and DOGE signatures for Graduate Student Approval Form and submit the completed form to the Graduate College. (NOTE: The Graduate College cannot review your uploaded thesis/dissertation without this completed form.)

Finishing Up for Graduation

• Monitor email from Graduate College staff about required edits or acceptance of thesis/dissertation.
• Complete required edits as requested by the Graduate College staff if applicable and resubmit; this process can be repeated if required edits are not completed.
• Once accepted, the Graduate College staff will lock the ProQuest submission. No further changes can be made after this.
• Get ready to graduate! Receiving an acceptance e-mail is typically the last communication before you graduate!

ISU Thesis/Dissertation Fee

$145 (Workday U-Bill): The Thesis/Dissertation Fee (a one-time fee on your Workday U-Bill) pays for the ISU thesis/dissertationreview, processing, and thesis/dissertationsupport.

Optional U.S. Copyright Fee

$75: O ptionally, ProQuest will register a U.S. Copyright for you for the additional $75

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Theses and Dissertations

ISU theses and dissertations can be found online and in print. For the most recent years, they are available online and can be found by using Quick Search or by searching the ISU Digital Repository. Theses and dissertations from other institutions can be found by searching other databases. See below for more information.

Using Quick Search

ISU theses and dissertations prior to 2007 may be in the library’s print collection while more recent years are available online and can be found through Quick Search.

The word "thesis" is used for both dissertations and theses, so your search should start with:

("iowa state" AND thesis)

followed by keywords like last name, year of graduation, subject matter, or degree.

For example, the following search will return ISU theses and dissertations from 2018 about immunology.

("iowa state" AND thesis) 2018 immunology

Search the ISU Digital Repository

The  ISU Digital Repository  is a free resource that anyone can access. You can search all of the repository or limit it to smaller collections:

• ISU Creative Components
• ISU Theses and Dissertations

Tip: If looking for materials published by faculty and students of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, try including the following in your search along with any other search terms you want to use:

"biomedical science*"

Other Institutions

Theses and dissertations from other schools can be searched for in specialized databases.

See our  Dissertation and Theses databases .

You can also request digital or physical copies of theses through  Interlibrary Loan .

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• Dissertation

How to Write a Dissertation or Thesis Proposal

Published on September 21, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

When starting your thesis or dissertation process, one of the first requirements is a research proposal or a prospectus. It describes what or who you want to examine, delving into why, when, where, and how you will do so, stemming from your research question and a relevant topic .

The proposal or prospectus stage is crucial for the development of your research. It helps you choose a type of research to pursue, as well as whether to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

You can download our templates in the format of your choice below.

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Table of contents

What should your proposal contain, dissertation question examples, what should your proposal look like, dissertation prospectus examples, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about proposals.

Prior to jumping into the research for your thesis or dissertation, you first need to develop your research proposal and have it approved by your supervisor. It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives .

Depending on your department’s requirements, there may be a defense component involved, where you present your research plan in prospectus format to your committee for their approval.

Your proposal should answer the following questions:

• Why is your research necessary?
• What is already known about your topic?
• Where and when will your research be conducted?
• Who should be studied?
• How can the research best be done?

Ultimately, your proposal should persuade your supervisor or committee that your proposed project is worth pursuing.

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Strong research kicks off with a solid research question , and dissertations are no exception to this.

Dissertation research questions should be:

• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
• Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly
• What are the main factors enticing people under 30 in suburban areas to engage in the gig economy?
• Which techniques prove most effective for 1st-grade teachers at local elementary schools in engaging students with special needs?
• Which communication streams are the most effective for getting those aged 18-30 to the polls on Election Day?

An easy rule of thumb is that your proposal will usually resemble a (much) shorter version of your thesis or dissertation. While of course it won’t include the results section , discussion section , or conclusion , it serves as a “mini” version or roadmap for what you eventually seek to write.

Be sure to include:

• A succinct introduction to your topic and problem statement
• A brief literature review situating your topic within existing research
• A basic outline of the research methods you think will best answer your research question
• The perceived implications for future research
• A reference list in the citation style of your choice

The length of your proposal varies quite a bit depending on your discipline and type of work you’re conducting. While a thesis proposal is often only 3-7 pages long, a prospectus for your dissertation is usually much longer, with more detailed analysis. Dissertation proposals can be up to 25-30 pages in length.

Writing a proposal or prospectus can be a challenge, but we’ve compiled some examples for you to get your started.

• Example #1: “Geographic Representations of the Planet Mars, 1867-1907” by Maria Lane
• Example #2: “Individuals and the State in Late Bronze Age Greece: Messenian Perspectives on Mycenaean Society” by Dimitri Nakassis
• Example #3: “Manhood Up in the Air: A Study of Male Flight Attendants, Queerness, and Corporate Capitalism during the Cold War Era” by Phil Tiemeyer

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The research methods you use depend on the type of data you need to answer your research question .

• If you want to measure something or test a hypothesis , use quantitative methods . If you want to explore ideas, thoughts and meanings, use qualitative methods .
• If you want to analyze a large amount of readily-available data, use secondary data. If you want data specific to your purposes with control over how it is generated, collect primary data.
• If you want to establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables , use experimental methods. If you want to understand the characteristics of a research subject, use descriptive methods.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:

• Your anticipated title
• Your abstract
• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)

A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources . This allows you to draw valid , trustworthy conclusions.

The priorities of a research design can vary depending on the field, but you usually have to specify:

• Your research questions and/or hypotheses
• Your overall approach (e.g., qualitative or quantitative )
• The type of design you’re using (e.g., a survey , experiment , or case study )
• Your sampling methods or criteria for selecting subjects
• Your data collection methods (e.g., questionnaires , observations)
• Your data collection procedures (e.g., operationalization , timing and data management)
• Your data analysis methods (e.g., statistical tests  or thematic analysis )

A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

• Researchability
• Feasibility and specificity
• Relevance and originality

Cite this Scribbr article

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Princeton University Library

Phd dissertation and master's thesis submission guidelines.

The Princeton University Archives at the Mudd Manuscript Library is the repository for Ph.D. dissertations and Master’s theses. The Princeton University Archives partners with ProQuest to publish and distribute Princeton University dissertations beyond the campus community.

Below you will find instructions on the submission process and the formatting requirements for your Ph.D. dissertation or Master's thesis. If you have questions about this process, please use our Ask Us form  or visit the Mudd Manuscript Library during our open hours.

Ph.D Dissertation Submission Process

The first step is for the student to prepare their dissertation according to the Dissertation Formatting Requirements . Near the time of the final public oral examination (FPO) (shortly before or immediately after) the student must complete the online submission of their dissertation via the ProQuest UMI ETD Administrator website . Students are required to upload a PDF of their dissertation, choose publishing options, enter subject categories and keywords, and make payment to ProQuest (if fees apply). This step will take roughly 20-25 minutes.

 After the FPO the student should log on to TigerHub  and complete the checkout process. When this step is complete, Mudd Library will be notified for processing. This step will occur M-F during business hours. The Mudd Library staff member will review, apply the embargo (when applicable), and approve the dissertation submission in ProQuest. You will receive an email notification of the approval from ProQuest when it has been approved or needs revisions. 

The vast majority of students will not be required to submit a bound copy of their dissertation to the library. Only students who have removed content from the PDF to avoid copyright infringement are required to submit a bound copy to the library. This unredacted, bound version of the dissertation must be formatted according to the Dissertation Formatting Requirements , and delivered by hand, mail, or delivery service to the Mudd Manuscript Library by the degree date deadline in order to be placed on the degree list. Address the bound copy to: Attn: Dissertations, Mudd Manuscript Library, 65 Olden Street, Princeton, NJ 08540.

ProQuest Publishing Options

When you submit your dissertation to the ProQuest ETD Administrator site, you will be given two options: Traditional Publishing or Open Access Publishing Plus. ProQuest compares the two options in their  Open Access Overview document . Full details will be presented in the ProQuest ETD Administrator site.

Traditional Publishing

No fee  is paid to ProQuest; your dissertation will be available in full text to subscribing institutions only through the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global ; If you have an embargo, your dissertation will be unavailable for viewing or purchase through the subscription database during the embargo period.

Open Access Publishing Plus

$95 fee to ProQuest; your dissertation will be available in full text through the Internet to anyone via the ProQuest Database ; if you have an embargo, your dissertation will be unavailable for viewing through the open access database during the embargo period.

Optional Service: Copyright Registration

$75 fee to ProQuest; ProQuest offers the optional service of registering your copyright on your behalf. The dissertation author owns the copyright to their dissertation regardless of copyright registration. Registering your copyright makes a public record of your copyright claim and may entitle you to additional compensation should your copyright be infringed upon. For a full discussion of your dissertation and copyright, see ProQuest’s Copyright and Your Dissertation .

If you have questions regarding the ProQuest publishing options, contact their Author and School Relations team at 1-800-521-0600 ext. 77020 or via email at [email protected] .

Princeton’s Institutional Repository, DataSpace

Each Princeton University dissertation is deposited in Princeton’s Institutional Repository, DataSpace . Dissertations will be freely available on the Internet except during an embargo period. If your dissertation is embargoed, the PDF will be completely restricted during the embargo period. The bound copy, however, will be available for viewing in the Mudd Manuscript Library reading room during the embargo. 

According to the Graduate School’s embargo policy , students can request up to a two-year embargo on their dissertation, with the potential for renewal by petition. If approved, the embargo would apply to the dissertation in ProQuest, as well as in Princeton’s digital repository, DataSpace . Students in the sciences and engineering seeking patents or pursuing journal articles may be approved for a shorter embargo period. Students must apply for the embargo during the Advanced Degree Application process . More information can be found on the Graduate School's Ph.D. Publication, Access and Embargoing webpage .

Those who have been approved for the embargo can choose "Traditional Publishing" or "Open Access Plus" publishing when they complete their online submission to ProQuest. Mudd Manuscript Library staff will apply the embargo in the ProQuest ETD system at the time of submission of materials to the Library. In the case of Open Access Plus, the dissertation would become freely available on the ProQuest open access site when the embargo expires. The embargo in ProQuest will also apply to the embargo in Princeton’s digital repository, DataSpace

Those who wish to request a renewal of an existing embargo must email Assistant Dean Geoffrey Hill and provide the reason for the extension. An embargo renewal must be requested in writing at least one month before the original embargo has expired, but may not be requested more than three months prior to the embargo expiration date. Embargoes cannot be reinstituted after having expired. Embargoes are set to expire two years from the date on which the Ph.D. was awarded (degrees are awarded five times per year at Board of Trustee meetings); this date will coincide with the degree date (month and year) on the title page of your dissertation. Please note: You, the student, are responsible for keeping track of the embargo period--notifications will not be sent.

• To find the exact date of an embargo expiration, individuals can find their dissertation in DataSpace , and view the box at the bottom of the record, which will indicate the embargo expiration date.
• The Graduate School will inform the Mudd Library of all renewals and Mudd Library staff will institute the extensions in ProQuest and DataSpace .   
• Princeton University Archives'  Dissertation Formatting Requirements  (PDF download) document provides detailed information on how to prepare the dissertation PDF and bound volume (if you are required to submit a bound volume). Please take special note of how to format the title page (a title page example is downloadable from the upper-right-hand side of this webpage). The title page must list your adviser’s name.  
• ProQuest's Preparing Your Manuscript guide offers additional information on formatting the PDF. Where there are discrepancies with the Princeton University Archives Dissertation Formatting Requirements document, the Princeton University Archives requirements should be followed. Special consideration should be paid to embedding fonts in the PDF.
• ProQuest ETD Administrator Resources and Guidelines  web page offers several guides to assist you in preparing your PDF, choosing publishing options, learning about copyright considerations, and more. 
• ProQuest's Support and Training Department can assist with issues related to creating and uploading PDFs and any questions regarding technical issues with the online submission site.

Whether a student pays fees to ProQuest in the ETD Administrator Site depends on the publishing option they choose, and if they opt to register their copyright (if a student selects Traditional Publishing, and does not register their copyright, no charges are incurred). Fees are to be submitted via the UMI ETD Administrator Site. Publishing and copyright registration fees are payable by Visa, MasterCard, or American Express and a small service tax may be added to the total. The options listed below will be fully explained in the ETD Administrator site. 

• Traditional without copyright registration: $0 to ProQuest (online)
• Traditional with copyright registration: $75 to ProQuest (online) 
• Open Access without copyright registration: $95 to ProQuest (online)
• Open Access ($95) with copyright registration ($55): $150 to ProQuest (online)

Degrees are granted five times per year at Board of Trustee meetings. Deadlines for materials to be submitted to the Mudd Manuscript Library are set by the Office of the Graduate School . The title page of your dissertation must state the month and year of the board meeting at which you will be granted your degree, for example “April 2023.”

Academic Year 2024-2025

• Friday, August 30, 2024, degree date "September 2024"
• Thursday, October 31, 2024, degree date "November 2024"
• Tuesday, December 31, 2024, degree date "January 2025"
• Friday, February 28, 2025, degree date "March 2025"
• Thursday, May 8, 2025, degree date "May 2025"

Please note: If a student is granted an extension for submission of their materials after a deadline has passed, the Mudd Manuscript Library must have written confirmation of the extension from the Office of the Graduate School in the form of an email to [email protected] .  

One non-circulating , bound copy of each dissertation produced until and including the January 2022 degree list is held in the collection of the University Archives. For dissertations submitted prior to September 2011, a circulating , bound copy of each dissertation may also be available. Information about these dissertations can be found in Princeton University Library's catalog .

Electronic Copy (PDF) in ProQuest 

ProQuest Dissertation Publishing distributes Princeton University dissertations. Members of the Princeton University community can access most dissertations through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses subscription database, which is made available through the Princeton University Library. For students that choose "Open Access Plus publishing," their dissertations are available freely on the internet via  ProQuest Dissertations and Theses . Dissertations are available for purchase through ProQuest Dissertation Express . Once the dissertation has been accepted by the Mudd Library it will be released to ProQuest following the Board of Trustee meeting on which your degree is conferred. Bound copies ordered from ProQuest will be printed following release.  Please note, dissertations under embargo are not available in full text through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses subscription database or for sale via ProQuest Dissertation Express during the embargo period.

Electronic Copy (PDF) in Princeton's Institutional Repository, DataSpace  

Beginning in the fall of 2011, dissertations will be available through the internet in full-text via Princeton's digital repository, DataSpace . (Embargoed dissertations become available to the world once the embargo expires.)

Interlibrary Loan 

Dissertations that have bound copies and are not under embargo are available through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to libraries in the United States and Canada, either through hard copy or PDF. If PDFs are available, they can be sent internationally. 

Master's Thesis Submission Process

Students who are enrolled in a thesis-based Master’s degree program must upload a PDF of their thesis to Princeton's ETD Administrator site (ProQuest) just prior to completing the final paperwork for the Graduate School. These programs currently include:

• The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (M.S.E.)
• The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (M.S.E.)
• The Department of Computer Science (M.S.E.)
• The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (M.S.E.)
• The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (M.S.E.)
• The Department of Operations Research and Financial Engineering (M.S.E.)
• The Department of Near Eastern Studies (M.A.)

The PDF should be formatted according to our  Dissertation Formatting Requirements  (PDF download). The Mudd Library will review and approve the submission upon notification from the Graduate School that your final paperwork is ready for this step. Bound copies are no longer required or accepted for Master's theses. 

Students who are not in a thesis-based Master's degree program do not need to make a submission to the library upon graduation. If you have questions, please complete the form on the Ask Special Collections page.

• Dissertation Formatting Requirements

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Table of Contents

A dissertation and thesis serve similar purposes but have key differences that students should understand. Read on to learn everything from definitions to tips for completing these major academic papers.

Defining Dissertation and Thesis

A dissertation is a lengthy, original research document completed by doctoral candidates, typically over 18 months, to earn a PhD. Dissertations are generally between 50,000 and 100,000 words presenting the student’s findings and analysis.

A thesis is a shorter research paper completed by master’s degree candidates, usually between 40,000 and 60,000 words. These may contain original research but rely more heavily on existing studies than dissertations.

Contrasting the Purpose and Length 

The primary purpose of a dissertation is to contribute new knowledge or analysis as part of earning a doctoral degree. These also demonstrate expertise but focus on earning a master’s degree and do not necessarily require original research.

Dissertations are considerably longer as doctoral candidates are required to conduct extensive research over an extended period, often 18 months or more. Thesis are typically shorter since the research component is less intensive for a master’s program.

Structural and Research Variations

Both a dissertation and a thesis have a standard structure, but a dissertation has more required sections that are broader in scope. Dissertations include an extensive literature review of previous research, thoroughly explaining the chosen methodology, and discussing research findings. Dissertations always involve substantial original research conducted independently by the doctoral candidate to make a novel academic contribution and are rigorously reviewed by the dissertation committee.

Students may incorporate original research and analysis for a thesis but rely more heavily on synthesizing and building upon existing studies and theoretical frameworks. Thises are narrower in focus compared to dissertations. While original research is encouraged, it is not an absolute requirement in all master’s programs. Theses undergo review by advisors, but the process is less intensive than with doctoral dissertations subject to oral defense.

Expert Tips for Completing Your Paper

Successfully planning and completing a thesis or dissertation requires dedication and organization. Here are some tips:

• Create a realistic writing schedule with daily word count goals to help you progress consistently. Breaking the large project into smaller milestones can make it feel more manageable.
• Regularly consult your academic advisor or committee members regularly for guidance on your research and analysis. Their feedback can help you refine your approach and arguments.
• Carefully document all sources and information included to avoid unintentional plagiarism allegations. Develop strong note-taking skills early in the process.
• Avoid burnout by scheduling regular breaks during writing sessions and taking time away from the project daily. The long duration can lead to fatigue, so find ways to recharge.
• Be prepared to write multiple drafts over time. As you learn more, you may need to revise sections to strengthen your analysis, argumentation, flow, and structure.
• Craft your introduction once the body of the paper is complete. This allows you to comprehensively summarize and frame the content most effectively for readers.

Conclusion 

A dissertation and thesis have key differences that research students should be aware of in terms of length, purpose, structure, and research requirements. By understanding these distinctions, students can be better prepared to complete their culminating paper successfully.

For working professionals looking to earn a PhD degree and make original contributions to their field, upGrad offers online doctoral programs without requiring an 18 month on-campus residential requirement and necessary assignments like dissertation. 

1. What is the main difference between a dissertation and a thesis?

A dissertation is longer, requires extensive original research, and leads to a PhD. A thesis is shorter, may incorporate original research, and leads to a master’s degree.

2. What are the critical sections of a dissertation?

Key sections include literature review, methodology, findings, discussion, and conclusion.

3. Does a thesis require an oral defense?

No, an oral defense is only required for doctoral dissertations.

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Home > ETD's 2024

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2024-2025

Graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation will receive instructions from the Office of Graduate Student Life . Visit the Thesis and Dissertation website for more information.

The ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations) 2023- collection contains records of theses and dissertations submitted electronically beginning in 2024. Graduate students began submitting ETDs during the Spring semester of 2004. Electronic submission was optional until the Fall semester of 2004.

If your thesis or dissertation is one of the print-only works completed prior to 2004, you can help us make it available online for use by researchers around the world. If you would like to grant permission to the Library to digitize your work, follow the instructions on the distribution consent form here . Theses and dissertations will be digitized as time allows and will not become immediately accessible.

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