Access to UChicago Dissertations
Please do not hesitate to Ask the Dissertation Office for assistance. We welcome your questions.
How do I access University of Chicago Dissertations?
Many of our recent dissertations are open access works, available in Knowledge@UChicago, our digital repository. Current University of Chicago users can access almost all recent dissertations through ProQuest Dissertations & Theses @ University of Chicago, including those that are not available in Knowledge@UChicago.
Older dissertations are held in the Library and are also available through ProQuest. Our guide to finding dissertations explains how to locate them.
Non-affiliated users have several options.
- Many dissertations are freely available in Knowledge@UChicago and sometimes through ProQuest.
- Your local library may have access through one of ProQuest's subscription databases.
- Interlibrary Loan staff will provide digital copies if available.
- Print copies of most dissertations written before Summer 2009 are available through Interlibrary Loan if we have print copies in good condition.
- Most dissertations are available for purchase through ProQuest.
Library Catalog Records
- The Library holds a paper copy of most early University of Chicago dissertations, 1893-June 2009. Some are online through our digital preservation program.
- Borrow bound dissertations just as you would a book.
- If a dissertation is in Mansueto, place your request from the library catalog record.
- Since June 2009, our dissertations are online only.
- Catalog records include links to digital copies.
ProQuest Records
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global
- PQDT Global includes records for most of our dissertations plus full text when available.
- PQDT Global contains full text for most dissertations completed after 1997 and for many earlier dissertations.
- Recent dissertations appear within 12 weeks after graduation.
- University of Chicago authors may delay access to the full text for 6 months, one year, or two years, but not indefinitely.
- PQDT Global is a subscription database that may be available through your local library if you do not have access through ours.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses @ University of Chicago
- This subset of PQDT Global includes records for works from the University of Chicago only, as well as full text when available.
Open Access Dissertations
- Most of our recent dissertations are available in our digital repository.
Open Access Theses and Dissertations
OATD.org provides access to the dissertations in Knowledge@UChicago, as does Google Scholar.
- Many of our open access dissertations are available online through this open access database.
- Digital copies of some of our dissertations are freely available through the ProQuest platform.
Borrow a Dissertation
- Borrow a dissertation just as you would a book.
- If a dissertation is in Mansueto, place your request from the library catalog record.
- Place interlibrary loan requests through your library for our dissertations.
Buy a Dissertation
- Order online from ProQuest or call 1-800-521-3042.
- Please Ask the Dissertation Office if a University of Chicago dissertation does not appear to be available from ProQuest.
- We will be happy to provide additional assistance.
- You may wish to contact your librarian for more options.