Use this page to discover theses and dissertations written at universities around the world. It highlights library databases, open access repositories, and options for getting full text if it is not immediately available online.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global is one of the most comprehensive databases for doctoral dissertations and master’s theses from universities in North America and many other countries.
What it includes
Millions of records, with full text available for many titles and citations/abstracts for others.
How to access
EMU students, faculty, and staff can search the database through the library’s subscription.
Search tips
Use keywords, author names, university/institution, advisor names, or subject headings.
You can also limit by date, language, or degree type.
Many universities now provide open access to their theses and dissertations through institutional repositories or disciplinary archives. These collections can often be searched freely on the web.
University repositories.
Many institutions host their own online collections of graduate work. Try searching for the university name plus “digital commons,” “institutional repository,” or “theses and dissertations.”
Discipline-based repositories.
In some fields (for example, economics or engineering), theses and dissertations may also appear in subject repositories or preprint servers.
Search tools.
Broad tools such as Google Scholar can sometimes locate open access copies, especially when you search by title in quotation marks.
If you have a citation but cannot find a free online copy, an EMU librarian can help you explore additional options.
You may find a citation or abstract for a thesis or dissertation but not immediate access to the full text. In these cases, you have options:
Interlibrary loan (ILL).
EMU’s interlibrary loan service may be able to borrow a print or microform copy from another library or obtain a scanned portion, depending on lending policies.
Author or department contact.
In some cases, you may be able to contact the author or their department directly to request a copy, especially for older works or items with access restrictions.
Purchase options.
ProQuest and some institutions offer paid copies of dissertations. Before purchasing, check with an EMU librarian to see whether there is a no-cost option through the library.
Availability depends on the policies of the degree-granting institution, any embargoes, and whether the work has been digitized.