Locate UW-Madison Dissertations and Masters Theses

All UW-Madison dissertations and theses required by the department for submission to the library are cataloged in the Library Catalog. If you do not find a dissertation or thesis in the Library Catalog, contact the department. Full-text PDF files of UW-Madison doctoral dissertations completed 1997 or later are available through ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.

Library Catalog

1. In the Library Catalog advanced search,
2. Click Manuscripts, Theses in the facets on the right. Subsequent searches will be limited to items in Theses Collections.
3. Enter author, title, and/or year search terms.
4. Click Search.

Online

Proquest Dissertations & Theses indexes UW-Madison doctoral dissertations from 1892, contains abstracts from 1980, and provides full text (PDF files) from 1997.

Dissertations & Theses @ University of Wisconsin at Madison searches just UW-Madison dissertations and theses.

Most pre-1997 UW-Madison dissertations and theses have been scanned as part of the Google Digitization Project. Digitalized copies have been deposited in Hathi Trust, a repository for the digitized collections of major research institutions and libraries. When available, Library Catalog records contain links to Hathi Trust and Google Books. Content in the public domain is available full text.

Borrow UW-Madison Dissertations and Masters Theses

UW-Madison dissertations and theses from 1965-present are stored in the Theses collection in the basement of Memorial Library. UW-Madison dissertations and theses from 1892-1964 are located in the UW-Madison Shelving Facility. UW-Madison master's theses are not available for check out; they may be viewed in a library.

• UW-Madison affiliated users: Refer to Borrowing/Returning Materials. If item is located in the Shelving Facility, use Place Requests in the Library Catalog to request item.
• Other users: For on-site viewing of pre-1965 dissertations and theses, complete the Shelving Facility Request form two days prior to your visit. To borrow or photocopy a dissertation, refer your local library's interlibrary loan staff to UW-Madison General Library System Interlibrary Loan Lending and Photocopying. If you have no library or information service, consult Fee-Based Services.

Prepare and Deposit UW-Madison Dissertations and Theses

The following guides are available from the Graduate School:

• Guide to Preparing Your Master's Thesis
• Options for Dissertation Submission for PhD Students

The Graduate School sends Ph.D. dissertations for microfilming and binding. You or your designate must bring your unbound Master's thesis to Memorial Library, Room B137.

Click HERE for a Library Catalog search of handbooks for planning and writing dissertations in campus libraries' collections.

Locate non-UW-Madison Dissertations and Theses

There are several databases for identifying dissertations and theses from other universities.

Borrow non-UW-Madison Dissertations and Theses

UW-Madison affiliated users: Submit a request in WorldCat or Interlibrary Loan.

Purchase Dissertations and Theses

• Purchase the dissertation directly from Dissertation Express or email disspub@proquest.com. UW-Madison masters' theses are not available for purchase.
• UW-Madison affiliated users: Order through Memorial Library ILL Office at a discounted price (approximately $33).
  • Dissertations ordered are available in unbound format only and delivery is usually within 7 days of placing your order (titles prior to 1997 may take a few extra days).
  • Payment is due at the time of pickup in the Memorial Library Circulation Office, Room 170, Memorial Library
  • To order a dissertation, please fill out the Dissertation Purchase Form.