Theses & Dissertations
How Do I Find a Thesis or Dissertation?
Northeastern master’s theses and doctoral dissertations:
Most Northeastern theses and dissertations published in 2008 or later are available online through the library’s Digital Repository Service. In addition to finding them in in Scholar OneSearch, you can also search the DRS directly which allows you to easily filter your search to a college, department, advisor, and more.
Prior to 2008, print copies are located in the Archives and Special Collections.
Theses and dissertations published at other universities
- Proquest Theses and Dissertations Global includes theses and dissertations from all major United States institutions of higher education and some international ones as well.
- Theses and dissertations may also be found in these research databases.
What Is an ETD program?
ETD stands for Electronic Theses and Dissertations. ETD programs replace the traditional practice of depositing print copies of theses and dissertations in the library. Northeastern University requires that you deposit your doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis electronically via ProQuest’s Dissertation Publishing service.
As part of this service, ProQuest will deliver an electronic copy of your dissertation or thesis to the library. The library will deposit this copy into its Digital Repository Service (DRS). The DRS provides free online access to users worldwide, so your research will be widely accessible. You will hold the copyright to your work just as you would if it were made available in print. The electronic format allows you to include supplemental materials such as video, data sets, and presentation slides.
This program collects all of Northeastern’s dissertations and theses in an online archive and provides an excellent overview of the important research being conducted at the university. More information about the university’s ETD program is available in the university’s ETD Proquest agreement.
More FAQs about theses and dissertations are available in the University Library FAQ.
How Do I Submit My NU Thesis or Dissertation?
Congratulations, you’ve finally finished!
Each college at Northeastern University maintains its own individual requirements for the preparation and submission of theses and dissertations. Before submitting, students should contact their department or graduate school for those requirements.
Each college also has a unique link to submit theses and dissertations via ProQuest. Once you are ready to submit your thesis or dissertation, please choose the correct “ProQuest submission” link for your school or college:
- Bouvé College of Health Sciences
- College of Arts, Media and Design
- Khoury College of Computer Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Professional Studies
- College of Science
- College of Social Sciences and Humanities
What Is an Embargo?
An embargo prevents readers from accessing the full text of a work for a designated period of time. Authors may choose to use an embargo to protect sensitive information, or because they have applied for a patent based on their work.
At Northeastern University, the maximum embargo permitted for a thesis or dissertation is two years. You may find that other institutions have embargoes of different lengths, or other restrictions. Embargos may be renewed with permission from your program administrator.
Generally, the citation and abstract are still available to readers during the embargo period.
How Does Copyright Apply to Theses & Dissertations?
At Northeastern University, copyright for your thesis or dissertation copyright belongs to you. Although it is not necessary to include a copyright statement, we recommend that you do so.
You may also choose to register your thesis or dissertation with the U.S. Copyright Office. This is not necessary as you already have copyright over your own dissertation, but registering it can protect you in legal situations where you may wish to collect statutory damages. You can register your copyright during the ProQuest submission process for a fee of $75, or you may file yourself directly with the U.S. Copyright office (starting fee is $45 for single author).
Publishing your thesis or dissertation online through Northeastern’s DRS does not void or cancel your copyright. It allows your work to reach a wider audience and others must still ask your permission before reproducing or otherwise using your work beyond fair use.
Read more about copyright and theses/dissertations:
- “Copyright and Publishing Your Dissertation” by Rachael Samberg, University of California Berkeley Library
- “Copyright Law & Graduate Research: New Media, New Rights, and Your New Dissertation” by Kenneth D. Crews for ProQuest (PDF)
- “So You Want People to Read Your Thesis?” by Danny Kingsley, Australian Open Access Support Group
For help with specific questions related to copyright, please contact the Library’s Digital Production Services department.
How Do I Update My Thesis or Dissertation?
Updates to your thesis or dissertation must be made in two places: the Digital Repository Service (DRS) and ProQuest’s Dissertation Publishing. Most changes to a thesis or dissertation in the DRS require approval from your program administrator, for example:
- requests for replacing your paper with an updated or corrected copy
- applying a new embargo
- requesting an embargo extension.
To make the change, first get permission from your program, then contact DRS staff to implement the approved change. Changes to the information about your paper, like an update to your name or correcting a typo in the abstract, do not require program approval.
For help with theses and dissertations stored in ProQuest, contact ProQuest support: [email protected]
How Do I Get a Print Copy of My Thesis or Dissertation?
Although not required by the university, you may want one or more bound copies of your thesis or dissertation. You can order bound copies from ProQuest during the submission process. Locally, we recommend HF Group (formerly Acme Binding) in Charlestown. Many local photocopying businesses also provide this service with various types of binding.