uc library thesis repository

Peter J. Shields Library
Blaisdell Medical Library
Mabie Law Library
Archives & Special Collections
Study Spaces
Print, Scan, Copy
Events & Workshops
Library Tours
Accessibility & Safety
Library Accounts
Borrow, Renew, Return
Course Materials
Books / Physical Items
Scanned Articles or Chapters
Shipping Service
Suggest a Purchase
Lending to Institutions
Equipment & Lockers
Services for People with Disabilities
Services for Remote Sites
Getting Started
Schedule a Research Consultation
Research Sources & Search Tools
Data Analysis & Management
Open Access
Author Rights & Copyright
Preserve Your Research
Student Research Prizes
Custom Course Guides
Course Reserves
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Request Library Instruction
Class Visits to Archives & Special Collections
Copyright & Teaching
Videos & Music
Collections Overview
Food & Wine
Digitized Collections
Points of Pride
News & Events
Leadership, Mission & Strategy
Partnerships & Projects
Careers & Student Jobs
Library Policies
Dissertations and Theses
Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Our Collections
University Archives

Available Formats

Electronic copies.

As of September 2010 all doctoral dissertations and masters theses are submitted to the Proquest Dissertations & Theses database. Electronic copies of doctoral dissertations began to be available in 1997 while masters theses began to be available in September 2010. After a dissertation or thesis is submitted to Graduate Studies, it can take up to several months for it to appear in the database.

As of Spring Quarter 2021, theses and dissertations are also submitted to eScholarship .

Paper Copies

Masters theses from mid-2003 to September 2010 are located in the Shields Library book stacks.

Microfiche Copies

UC Davis theses and dissertations issued between 1978 and mid-2003 are available for use in the Microcopy Collection, Lower Level, Shields Library. Microfiche copies are available for inter-library loan and for reading, copying, or scanning within the library.

Archival Copies

UC Davis theses and dissertations issued before 1978 are typically only available in Special Collections. These are stored offsite and are for use only in the Blanchard Special Collections Reading Room. They can be requested at aeon.library.ucdavis.edu . Turnaround time is 48-72 hours.

Locating Dissertations and Theses

Via uc library search.

UC Davis dissertations and theses can be located via the library’s online catalog, UC Library Search . The item record will indicate the location of each thesis and dissertation.

Search Tips

Dissertations and theses do not receive standard “subject” headings. Dissertation titles are required to be descriptive, so title word searches are often effective. Another strategy, applicable for dissertations only, is to search in Proquest’s Dissertations & Theses Database (limiting to UC Davis if desired), where one can search titles, abstracts, and subject descriptors.

Note: with our new catalog options, searching by dissertation subject heading is less used, but in case you need to know, UC Davis catalogs its theses and dissertations with a limited subject heading, constructed of the phrase Dissertations, Academic — University of California, Davis plus the name of the department in which the degree is granted, for example:

Dissertations, Academic — University of California, Davis — Genetics

For 1989 and earlier, use the heading Dissertations, Academic — California plus the name of the department in which the degree is granted, for example:

Dissertations, Academic — California — Soil science

Via the Dissertations & Theses Database

The Dissertations & Theses Database via Proquest includes citations for theses and dissertations from 1861 to the current year. Entries for dissertations from 1980 forward include 350-word abstracts, written by the author. Citations for master’s theses from 1988 forward include 150-word abstracts. UC Davis submits only doctoral dissertations for inclusion in Dissertations & Theses via Proquest.

Search Dissertations & Theses by:

The keyword of the title or abstract
School (“Davis,” for example)
Advisor name
Other fields

Some UC Davis dissertations are not sent to ProQuest at the request of the author. In such cases, locate the bibliographic record in the UC Library Search online catalog. There may be a microform or print copy available for use, or you may request retrieval of the archival copy via Special Collections.

The Dissertations & Theses database provides access to the complete full-text of all University of California dissertations in addition to UC Davis doctoral dissertations from the year 1997 forward. Free 24-page previews are available for most other university theses and dissertations listed in the database from 1997 forward. Access to the ProQuest database and full-text is limited to UC computer addresses.

How to Obtain PDFs from the Dissertations & Theses Database

When displaying a citation for a dissertation, the Digital Dissertations database will indicate via a “Full text -PDF” button that the dissertation is available for full-text download. Nearly all of the UC dissertations since 1997 are available in full-text format.

Plan Your Visit
Class Visits
Maps, Directions & Local Amenities
Frequently Asked Questions
Find Materials
Aeon Registration for First Time Users
How to Request Collection Items
Request Duplication (Scans & Photocopies)
Access & Policies

Contact Archives and Special Collections

If you have any questions or requests, please send us an email or leave a voicemail and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

Jump to navigation

Off-Campus Login
My Library Account
My ILL Requests
My Special Collections Research Account
Collections
Articles & Databases
Journal Search
Archives & Manuscripts
Digital Collections
Special Research Collections
Scholarly Communication
Awards & Fellowships
Subject & Course Guides
Course Reserves
Interlibrary Loan
Instruction
Research Data Services
Ask a Librarian
Call Numbers & Floor Plans
Study Spaces
Computers & Printing
Events & Exhibitions
Directions & Parking

Open Access Dissertations

You are here.

UC Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations

On March 25, 2020, the University of California issued a Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations. The systemwide policy, which aligns with those already in place at individual UC campuses, “requires theses or dissertations prepared at the University to be (1) deposited into an open access repository, and (2) freely and openly available to the public, subject to a requested delay of access (“embargo”) obtained by the student.” Theses and dissertations already made open access can be read in eScholarship, UC’s open access repository and scholarly publishing platform.

Alexandria Digital Research Library (ADRL)

Some UCSB open access theses and disserations are in ADRL. Due to copyright restrictions and a need to obtain permission from the authors, not all years are available.

eScholarship

UC's institutional repository and journal publishing platform. Not all campuses have electronic theses and disseartations in eScholarship. Due to copyright restrictions and the need to obtain permissions from authors, not all years are available online. UC campuses began accepting electronic theses and disserations (ETDs) submissions different years. For details see ETD Preservation and Access Sevice: California Digital Library . UCSB's open access ETDS are in ADRL .

Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations

An international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). The website includes resources on how to find, create, and preserve ETDs; how to set up an ETD program; legal and technical questions; and the latest news and research in the ETD community.

Open Access Theses & 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 5,031,307 theses and dissertations.

PQDT Open (Proquest):

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.

Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010

UCSB Library - (805) 893-2478