Searching for Theses and Dissertations
Faculty, Staff and Students at Purdue University's West Lafayette Campus
1. Purdue theses (M.A. or M.S.) and dissertations (Ph.D)
The Purdue Libraries holds one copy of each title from 1876 to present. They are housed in the Hicks Repository (Undergraduate Library) where upon presentation of a Purdue ID they can be consulted or copied, but not borrowed. There are sometimes additional copies in the Repository or in one of the college or departmental libraries; these second copies may be borrowed. Please note that it may take 6 to 12 months before a new thesis or dissertation is available for use.
Are you looking for a …
- Dissertation published after 1997? Most are available FREE in PDF files from ProQuest’s Dissertation and Theses database.
- Thesis or dissertation published after 1973? Check the catalog by author and/or title for the Purdue library location and thesis/dissertation number. If you want to search for theses or dissertations issued by a specific department, here are some examples:
- Thesis or dissertation published in 1973 or before? The Hicks Repository and several other campus libraries have a microfiche list for finding the Purdue library location and the thesis/dissertation number.
2. Dissertations and Theses from Other Institutions
- Dissertation from one of the Big Ten Universities (the list is here) or the University of Chicago published after 1997? Most are available FREE in PDF files from ProQuest’s Dissertation and Theses database.
- Thesis or dissertation from another U.S. or international university, or one that isn’t listed in ProQuest’s Digital Dissertation database? Place an interlibrary loan request. NOTES: Some libraries only lend their theses and dissertations in microform. International theses and dissertations (other than Canadian) sometimes take several months to arrive.
TIP : Many universities post their recent theses and dissertations on their web sites. For titles issued from 2000 onwards, check your favorite search engine.
Patrons not affiliated with Purdue University
If you can visit campus to consult the theses or dissertations here, find their campus library locations (if published after 1973) as outlined in 1B above. Before coming to campus, check the libraries’ locations and current operating hours.
If you cannot visit campus:
- place an interlibrary loan request with your local public library; with your college or university’s interlibrary loan office; or with your company’s library or information center.
- most Purdue dissertations are available for purchase from ProQuest/UMI.
