Research Guides: Resources for Graduate Students in History: Dissertation Resources

Finding Theses and Dissertations

You will be learning about the current research in your field in your classes, but you can also take a look at recent dissertations in your field, as well as related fields. They may spark thoughts on some possible research avenues, or perhaps their bibliographies refer to relevant resources.

EThOS
Database of dissertations and theses written in the UK provided by the British Library.
PQDT Open (Open Access Dissertations and Theses)
Read the full text of open access dissertations and theses free of charge.
OpenDOAR
An authoritative directory of academic open access repositories from around the world. Maintained by SHERPA Services, based at the Centre for Research Communications at the University of Nottingham.

Dissertations & Theses This link opens in a new window
Includes citations for dissertations and theses from around the world, ranging from 1861 to those accepted last semester.
American Doctoral Dissertations This link opens in a new window
Indexes thousands of theses and dissertations accepted by American universities from 1902 to the present and provides links to full text, when available.

Thesis Commons
A free, cloud-based, open-source platform for the submission, dissemination, and discovery of graduate and undergraduate theses and dissertations from any discipline. Hosted by the Center for Open Science (COS).

Background Information

Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory & Criticism This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive resource of literary theory and discourse that covers the fields most important figures, schools and movements. A useful resource as you come across mentions of schools of theory (such as New Historicism, Postcolonial Cultural Studies, Frankfurt School, etc.) or theorists that are not in your primary field of study, and you would like some additional background.

Box

Make sure you backup your research to multiple locations. If you are not already subscribed to a cloud storage service, SMU provides you access to BOX.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academic Publishing: ETDs
In collaboration, SMU Libraries, the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and the Office of Instructional Technology are pleased to announce that Southern Methodist University has launched an open access electronic thesis and dissertation (ETD) pilot program.