Educational Administration

How to grant permission to make your A&M thesis publically available online

Texas A&M Former Students are invited to share their pre-2004 theses by granting the University permission to freely distribute these digitized works online. In June 2012, scanned versions of the shelf copies of Texas A&M graduate theses were added to the Texas A&M Digital Repository. Because authors hold the copyright to their theses, files are initially restricted. While anyone can view a description of your thesis in the repository, only current A&M NetID holders can download the file. Once you have granted your permission, users around the world will be able to read, print, and download your thesis online through the Texas A&M Digital Repository.

To make your thesis openly accessible in the Digital Repository, please follow these steps:

1. Locate your thesis in the Retrospective Theses and Dissertations (1922-2004) collection in the Digital Repository.
2. You can find your thesis by searching for your name, thesis title, etc.
3. Select the “Request Open Access” button at the bottom of the page.
4. You will be prompted with a form requesting your contact information.
5. Upon completing and submitting the form, a “Request sent” message will display.
6. A Library representative will contact you to finish the permissions process. Once you have granted permission, your thesis will be released to the open Internet.

If you have any questions, please contact the Digital Services & Scholarly Communication unit.

Some Background Information

• As of 2004, electronic theses and dissertations were mandated, and therefore you will find these works in the Digital Repository. There are no printed copies of these works in the library.

• As a brief aside, it should be noted that, between 2002 and 2004, some graduate students opted to electronically submit their theses and dissertations as part of a pilot study.

• Prior to 2004, both Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations were required to be submitted in print to the libraries. These copies are being located in an offsite storage facility.

• Most printed Master's Theses have been digitized and added to the Digital Repository.

• Printed Dissertations have not yet been digitized for the Repository. However, many of them have been digitized from the microfilm copies held by ProQuest/UMI and are accessible from the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Databases. To order a copy of your own dissertation, please send an email to: disspub@proquest.com.

• Other graduate works, in lieu of other theses and dissertations (e.g., records of study, capstones), were not systematically deposited with the library as printed copies. Efforts are underway to collect these works and have them digitized and added to the Repository.