boston university thesis library

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Welcome to OpenBU

The Boston University Institutional Repository contains documents and publications authored or co-authored by BU faculty, students, and staff.

OpenBU is an open access repository, which means that the full text of the work deposited here is freely accessible to the world via the web. Access is restricted only in unavoidable instances, for example where publisher copyright restrictions prevail. However over 90% of scholarly publishers worldwide now allow some version of the documents they publish to be made available in a repository such as this.

If you are looking for information on BU's opt-out open access policy, please visit the BU Open Access Policy page .

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Finding Dissertations & Theses

Boston college dissertations & theses, about boston college dissertations and theses.

Boston College began offering graduate programs in the 1920s. Since then the format of masters theses and doctoral dissertations has changed with the times: from the early technology of print books to microforms (both microfilm and microfiche) and now to PDFs. The information in this guide can help optimize your search for full text of a BC dissertation or masters thesis.

Access to BC Dissertations and Theses

Full text of BC dissertations and masters theses is available in a variety of formats and locations, depending on the publication date. Though there are outliers and exceptions, the following table shows likely availability, including format, location, and years.

* Stored offsite; requires retrieval. Must be used at Burns Library.

Additional information on accessibility:

• A PDF in  eScholarship@BC  is freely available to all; a PDF in ProQuest requires access to that database. Note: We provide all current BC students, faculty, and staff with access to the  ProQuest Dissertations and Theses  database.
• The full text of an electronic thesis or dissertation may not be available in  eScholarship@BC by the request of the author.  If you are unable to retrieve the full text from the eScholarship@BC record, it may be available in the  ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.
• Microforms can be either microfilm (up to about 1980) or microfiche (from 1980 through 2008). Machine readers for both formats are available at O'Neill Library.
• The print versions available at Burns Library are stored offsite. Contact Burns Library, by submitting a question or calling 617-552-4861 to request retrieval (takes 1-2 days). These volumes must be used within the library.

Embargoes: The author may have requested an embargo, delaying the online availability of the dissertation or thesis. If a dissertation is embargoed in ProQuest and/or eScholarship@BC, you will be able to see the author, title, and abstract, but not the full text. Embargoes are typically requested when a dissertation is being submitted to a publisher that proscribes prior publication; a patent application is going to be filed; there is a need to protect proprietary information; or there is a need to respect confidentiality.

Ask for help

If you are sure the dissertation/thesis you are looking for was written before 1966, contact Burns Library by submitting a question or by phone 617-552-4861.

For all other assistance with searching, ask a librarian .

Searching for a BC dissertation or thesis

Library catalog.

The catalog includes records for the following formats/locations:

• eScholarship@BC (post-2008)
• Microforms in O'Neill Library (1966-2008)
• Print volumes in Burns Library (pre-1966)

We recommend that you first search for a dissertation or thesis here. Use the advanced search option to do a title and/or author search. You can also search for the Local Collection Name "BC THESES."

See our search tips for additional help.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses

The ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database includes not only Boston College graduate dissertations and theses but also full-text dissertations and abstracts from institutions worldwide. BC dissertations and theses from 1996 on can be found in this database.

eScholarship@BC

eScholarship@BC is the institutional repository of Boston College, managed by the Boston College University Libraries. Both graduate and undergraduate students have the option to provide free access to the full text of a thesis or dissertation through eScholarship@BC, though it is not required. BC dissertations and theses from 2008 on can be found in eScholarship@BC.

Submitting a BC Dissertation or Thesis

If you are submitting a graduate thesis or dissertation to Boston College, see our eTD@BC website for instructions and support.

If you would like to submit an undergraduate honors thesis, see our Undergraduate Theses Submission guidelines .

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• Last Updated: Sep 1, 2023 1:07 PM
• Subjects: General
• Tags: dissertation , thesis

UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this community https://hdl.handle.net/2152/4

This collection contains University of Texas at Austin electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). The collection includes ETDs primarily from 2001 to the present. Some pre-2001 theses and dissertations have been digitized and added to this collection, but those are uncommon. The library catalog is the most comprehensive list of UT Austin theses and dissertations.

Since 2010, the Office of Graduate Studies at UT Austin has required all theses and dissertations to be made publicly available in Texas ScholarWorks; however, authors are able to request an embargo of up to seven years. Embargoed ETDs will not show up in this collection. Most of the ETDs in this collection are freely accessible to all users, but some pre-2010 works require a current UT EID at point of use. Please see the FAQs for more information. If you have a question about the availability of a specific ETD, please contact [email protected].

Some items in this collection may contain offensive images or text. The University of Texas Libraries is committed to maintaining an accurate and authentic scholarly and historic record. An authentic record is essential for understanding our past and informing the present. In order to preserve the authenticity of the historical record we will not honor requests to redact content, correct errors, or otherwise remove content, except in cases where there are legal concerns (e.g. potential copyright infringement, inclusion of HIPAA/FERPA protected information or Social Security Numbers) or evidence of a clear and imminent threat to personal safety or well-being.

This policy is in keeping with the  American Library Association code of ethics  to resist efforts to censor library resources, and the  Society of American Archivists code of ethics  that states "archivists may not willfully alter, manipulate, or destroy data or records to conceal facts or distort evidence." Please see UT Libraries'  Statement on Harmful Language and Content  for more information.

Authors of these ETDs have retained their copyright while granting the University of Texas Libraries the non-exclusive right to reproduce and distribute their works.

Collections in this Community

• UT Electronic Theses and Dissertations   30995

• Boston University Libraries
• Theology Library Guides

STH: Ph.D. in Theology

• Submit Your Dissertation
• TF901/902 Doctoral Colloquium This link opens in a new window
• Getting Started with Zotero
• Library Privileges for TFs
• Language Exams - Resources
• Doctoral Research
• Raw Data and Statistics
• Theological Education
• Writing Your Dissertation
• View BU STH Dissertations
• After Graduation - Career Planning

Submitting a Thesis or Dissertation this Year?

• PhD Instructions
• DMin Instructions
• Viewing Publication

Instructions for Submitting Ph.D. Dissertations

1. upload your final dissertation draft to proquest etd at  http://www.etdadmin.com/bu ..

Follow the prompts in ProQuest to fill in keywords and subject tags, and to make important decisions like whether to embargo your work. 

2. Use DocuSign to submit your signed approval pages electronically to the STH Library.

NEW! Please use DocuSign to submit signed approval pages electronically:   https://www.bu.edu/library/sth-dissertations-docusign . As of Wednesday, April 10, 2024, the approval pages for all STH doctoral dissertations (PhD) and thesis projects (DMin) can be signed and submitted electronically using DocuSign. Instructions are available on the DocuSign log-in page listed in the first sentence of this paragraph. 

[Please note that in the full dissertation file that you upload for ProQuest to publish, the approval pages should remain unsigned to protect your readers’ signatures from online identity theft, per ProQuest’s and BU’s policies.]

3. Submit your dissertation fee: $115.

Please submit the dissertation processing fee in the form of a check or money order for $115 (made payable to “Boston University”). This can be dropped off in person with Stacey Duran at the library or mailed to: BU School of Theology Library, re: dissertations, 745 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215. Unfortunately, there is currently no way for STH students to pay dissertation fees online.

4. OPTIONAL: Embargo Letter

An embargo letter is required only if you request in ProQuest ETD that your work not be displayed (in ProQuest or OpenBU) for any period of time (usually two years). This is usually done to pursue commercial publishing, although it is not always necessary. More information on embargoes can be found at BU’s main library page here : https://www.bu.edu/library/files/2011/05/EmbargoesETDFAQ.pdf. A sample embargo letter template can be found here : http://www.bu.edu/cas/files/2020/03/Embargo-Letter-Template.doc.

The embargo letter must be submitted as a physical paper with ink signatures, signed by both yourself and your advisor (no photocopies or scans.) It can be submitted to Stacey Duran, either in-person at the STH Library or via mail to: Boston University School of Theology Library, 745 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215. After the first 2-year embargo, you will be able to renew your embargo (without a letter) via email or phone, for two years at a time.

For more information, please contact the STH Library thesis coordinator, Stacey Duran, at [email protected] . 

Instructions for Submitting Doctor of Ministry Thesis Projects

1. upload your final thesis project draft to  proquest etd here . , 2. use docusign to submit your signed approval pages electronically to the sth library..

NEW!   Please use DocuSign to submit signed approval pages electronically:    https://www.bu.edu/library/sth-dissertations-docusign . As of Wednesday, April 10, 2024, the approval pages for all STH doctoral dissertations (PhD) and thesis projects (DMin) can be signed and submitted electronically using DocuSign. Instructions are available on the DocuSign log-in page listed in the first sentence of this paragraph. 

[Please note that in the full dissertation file that you uploaded for ProQuest to publish, the approval pages should remain unsigned to protect your readers’ signatures from online identity theft, per ProQuest’s and BU’s policies.]

3. Submit your thesis project/dissertation fee: $115.

For the thesis project fee, you will need to mail a check or money order for $115 (made payable to “Boston University”) to: Boston University School of Theology Library, 745 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215. Unfortunately, there is currently no way for STH students to pay dissertation fees online.

4. OPTIONAL: Embargo Letters

Embargo letters are required only if you request in ProQuest ETD that your work not be displayed (in ProQuest or OpenBU) for any period of time (usually two years). This is usually done to pursue commercial publishing, although it is not always necessary. More information on embargoes can be found at BU’s main library page here : https://www.bu.edu/library/files/2011/05/EmbargoesETDFAQ.pdf. A sample embargo letter template can be found here : http://www.bu.edu/cas/files/2020/03/Embargo-Letter-Template.doc .

The embargo letter, like the approval pages, must be submitted as a physical paper with ink signatures, signed by both yourself and your advisor. It can be submitted to Stacey Duran, either in-person at the STH Library or via mail to: Boston University School of Theology Library, 745 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215. After the first 2-year embargo, you will be able to renew your embargo (without a letter) via email or phone, for two years at a time.

For more information, please contact the STH Library thesis coordinator, Stacey Duran, at  [email protected] . 

How to Request an Embargo

When you upload to ProQuest, you will be prompted to respond whether you’d like to request an embargo . 

An embargo simply means that you ask ProQuest and/or OpenBU to refrain from publishing your work for a specific period of time. This embargo is possible for 2 years, and can be renewed at the end of 2 years.

Note: Most theses and dissertations do not need a publication embargo. However, some authors pursuing publication of their dissertation do request an embargo to prevent their dissertation from being shared online while they seek publication of the revised dissertation as a book.

If you choose to embargo your work, you will need to submit an embargo letter:

• The embargo letter must be signed by both yourself and your advisor. 
• Both the embargo letter and your ProQuest submission should include matching embargo periods (ie. 6 months, 1 year, 2 years).

Here is a sample embargo letter from BU’s Mugar Memorial Library: http://www.bu.edu/cas/files/2020/03/Embargo-Letter-Template.doc .

Frequently asked questions about embargoes can be found at: https://www.bu.edu/library/files/2011/05/EmbargoesETDFAQ.pdf .

For more information, please contact the STH Library thesis coordinator, Stacey Duran, at  [email protected] .

Viewing Your Published Work

Once your disertation has gone through the upload checklist and been accepted, it will be delivered to ProQuest. If no embargo is applied, the dissertation will be made available in both ProQuest ETD and in the OpenBU repository, usually within 1-2 months. 

To search for your work in ProQuest, click here. 

To search for your sth thesis project or dissertation in openbu, click here. , instruction & collection development librarian.

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• Last Updated: Apr 24, 2024 11:58 AM
• URL: https://library.bu.edu/sthphd

Medical Campus Library

The Alumni Medical Library , occupying 30,000 square feet on the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth floors of the Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC) Instructional Building (L), serves the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM), School of Medicine, School of Public Health, Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS), and Boston Medical Center.

Reference Desk

The Reference Desk, located on L-12, is staffed by Master of Library & Information Science (MLS) or equivalent degree prepared librarians Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Reference and research assistance are available on a drop-in basis, by appointment, or via email at [email protected] . Access Services staff provide access to circulating collection, course reserves , interlibrary loan articles and books, and 3-D anatomical models .

Students, faculty, and staff may access licensed online resources 24/7 on- or off-campus via the library website, using their BU login name and password authentication. Alumni Medical Library collections may be accessed through the Library Catalog , 700+ databases , and 120+ online quality filtered subject guides and consists of 25,000+ books in the circulating, reference, and course reserves stacks; 29,000+ volumes of bound print journals in medical campus storage; 6,800+ e-journals ; and 12,600+ e-books .

Additional Resources

In addition to the resources of the Alumni Medical Library, GSDM students, faculty, and staff have access to the BU Libraries’ collections, comprised of 1.9 million books, 248,000 serial titles, 152,000 media titles, 111,000+ serials, 2 million+ e-books, 49,000+ media titles. Students, faculty, and staff may request physical items from the BU Libraries free of charge via an Intra-Library Request and access the BU Libraries’ electronic materials online any time or place.

Beyond the BU Libraries, medical campus students, faculty, and staff have access to the catalogs and materials of the 18 Boston Library Consortium (BLC) libraries, including Tufts University Hirsh Health Sciences Library; Harvard University Countway Library of Medicine through its dual role as the Boston Medical Library; and extensive materials through the Alumni Medical Library Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service , which participates in resource sharing throughout the U.S.

GSDM Library Education Program

The Assistant Director of Library and Information Management Education works collaboratively with GSDM faculty to plan and develop a comprehensive, curriculum-integrated, longitudinal library education program for DMD I, DMD III, AS I, AS II, and postdoctoral students. Courses focus on Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD), research skills, and critical evaluation of information. The GMS Introduction to Biomedical Information course prepares Oral Health Sciences students undertaking the required master’s capstone and/or thesis. DMD students who need help with their thesis or dissertation may email [email protected] to schedule an appointment with the Library Liaison to GSDM. An annual dental faculty session is taught on quality evaluation of information. And librarians have created online tutorials for Mendeley, Papyrus, Anki, and Notability in support of BU sustainability initiatives.

Library Facilities

The Alumni Medical Library offers 790 seats; approximately 1,000 power connections, including 400+ in the dual purpose L-1101 Testing Center and study space; 139 ethernet connections; 29 wireless access points for laptops throughout the library, classrooms, and computing labs; 80 student computers in three computer classrooms; 45 computers in two public computing areas; and laptop loaners for students experiencing technical issues. Laser printers, scanners, and photocopiers are available on every floor of the library, as well as printing in the McNary classroom R-107 and the L Building basement. MyPrint , a BU ID-based system, provides a print allotment per semester to students of 500 sheets for black and white printing, and to faculty and staff of 100 sheets.

L-12 is predominantly used as student study space, with large study tables, individual study carrels, public computers, printers, scanners, soft seating, and a group or quiet study room. The library’s L-13 Quiet Study floor renovation was completed in February 2019. This floor provides 226 student study seats, including four group study rooms and two tutor rooms. The renovation provided new HVAC system, lighting, flooring, furniture, and increased and disability accessible restroom facilities, including one gender neutral restroom.

The dual-purpose L-1101 Testing Center, redesigned in 2014, is a 220-seat testing center and study space. L-11 also houses the Library Computing Services, including the Library Computing Help Desk and Student Laptop Support Services. Library computing staff support courses requiring technology integration and provide student laptop software installation, VPN client configuration, Windows and Mac updates, virus scanning software updates, and removal of viruses and spyware.