Education

The largest collection of Rutgers University dissertations and theses is non-circulating and is maintained by the Rutgers University Archives, part of Special Collections and University Archives (SC/UA), which is housed in the lower level of the Alexander Library. For some time periods and some categories of dissertations and theses, there may also be circulating copies.

Beginning with 2007, some dissertations and theses are accessible electronically through Library Catalog and through the Rutgers Electronic Theses and Dissertations (RUetd) site. The Library Catalog provides the most comprehensive search since it includes records for print as well as electronic dissertations and theses.

• To use the Library Catalog Basic Search option to look for a Rutgers dissertation or thesis:
  • by a known AUTHOR - Enter the author's name, last name first, without punctuation. Use the pull-down menu to the right of the search box to select AUTHOR (last name first), then click on the Search button.
  • with a known TITLE - Enter the exact title omitting any initial articles such as a or the. Use the pull-down menu to the right of the search box to select TITLE begins with (omit first article), then click on the Search button.
  • on a particular SUBJECT - Enter the keyword THESIS combined with the keyword RUTGERS and a subject keyword (e.g., thesis and rutgers and government, or thesis and rutgers and crime) being sure to include AND between each of the keywords entered. Make sure that the pull-down menu to the right of the search box is set to WORDS anywhere, then click on the Search button.
  • from a particular DEPARTMENT - Enter the keyword THESIS combined with the keyword RUTGERS and a keyword from the name of the department (e.g., thesis and rutgers and education, or thesis and rutgers and management) being sure to include AND between each of the keywords entered. Make sure that the pull-down menu to the right of the search box is set to WORDS anywhere, then click on the Search button.

• To use the Library Catalog Advanced Search option to look for a Rutgers dissertation or thesis:
  • Enter your search terms in one or more of the search boxes and use the type-circulate? pull-down menu to limit your search to Rutgers theses or Rutgers dissertations. Choose one of the 4 relevant type-circulatecodes:
    • DISSRTNRU-N (non-circulating dissertations)
    • DISSRTNRU-Y (circulating dissertations)
    • THESISRU-N (non-circulating theses)
    • THESISRU-Y (circulating theses)
    Once you've selected one of the type-circulate codes, click on the Search button.

Search the Library Catalog to find locations and call numbers for print copies of dissertations and theses as well links to the full-text of electronic dissertations and theses.  

• Rutgers Doctoral dissertations and Master's theses have generally been treated like books, that is, cataloged and shelved in the appropriate library (e.g., music to Music Library, most social sciences and humanities to Alexander Library, Camden graduate programs to Robeson Library, etc.). In 2007, the ongoing transition to electronic dissertations and theses was begun.

• Beginning with October 2007 degree date submissions, dissertations and theses that represent a terminal degree from the Graduate School - New Brunswick are no longer sent to the libraries in paper format, but are instead added to RUcore as part of the Rutgers Electronic Theses and Dissertations (RUetd)project. Other graduate schools, including the Graduate School — Newark, the Camden Graduate School, the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, and the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, are participating in the program as well. The Graduate School of Education and Mason Gross School of the Arts have made electronic submission optional. 
  • Please note that, regardless of submission date, electronic theses and dissertations are not made available online until after the actual date of graduation.
    • Submissions from January graduates will be available via the RUetd site around the end of March and will be listed in QuickSearch approximately two weeks later.
    • Submissions from May graduates will be available via the RUetd site around the end of September and will be listed in QuickSearch approximately two weeks later.
    • Submissions from October graduates will be available via the RUetd site around mid-January and will be listed in QuickSearch approximately two weeks later.
    • Access to an electronic dissertation or thesis may sometimes be delayed at the request of the author. The most common reasons are because they intend to publish the dissertation or because it supports a patent application. In these cases, a record with descriptive information and a full abstract will still be included in the RUetd site and in QuickSearch.
  • Search QuickSearch or the RUetd site to find electronic theses and dissertations. QuickSearchprovides the most comprehensive search since it includes records for print as well as electronic dissertations and theses.

    RU Electronic Theses and Dissertations (RUetd)
    [Search the repository (RUcore) for Rutgers ETDs.]

    Advanced Search
     

     

• The Dissertations and Theses [Rutgers Restricted] database from ProQuest/UMI includes the full-text of Rutgers Doctoral dissertations starting with titles submitted to University Microfilms in 1997--some earlier titles are also included full-text. The database is available from any Rutgers computer or via remote access. Copies of Rutgers dissertations and theses may also be purchased from ProQuest/UMI using the order option in Dissertations and Theses [Rutgers Restricted] or the ordering information available at ProQuest's Dissertation Express site.

• For early dissertations and theses that do not appear in QuickSearch, and that are not available full-text in Dissertations and Theses [Rutgers Restricted], consult the Rutgers University Archives. The Archives has a master list of Rutgers dissertations and theses from 1924-1985 that includes separate author, title, and department indices. This inventory is comprehensive but not complete, as it does not include all Master's theses completed at Rutgers. Individual schools may also maintain their own lists of dissertations and theses (e.g., School of Communication and Information: Ph.D. Program: Dissertation Topics). Other bibliographies of Rutgers dissertations and theses include:

   

  RU theses and dissertations in Special Collections and Archives.
  ALEXANDER REF Z5055.U5R831 1986
  DOUGLASS REF Z5055.U5R831 1986

  Index to doctoral dissertations, 1912-1981: keyword and author indexes.
  ALEXANDER REF Z5055.U5R82 1982
  CAMDEN REF Z5055.U5R82 1982
  DANA REF Z5055.U5R82 1982
  DOUGLASS REF Z5055.U5R82 1982
  LSM REF Z5055.U49R82 1982
  MATH REF Z5055.U5R82 1982
  SPCOL/UA SNCLNJ Z5055.U5R82 1982

• Archival master copies of Doctoral dissertations and Master's theses that pre-date the adoption of Rutgers Electronic Theses and Dissertations (RUetd) are maintained by the Rutgers University Archives. The collection of Master's theses is less comprehensive than that of Doctoral dissertations. These materials are non-circulating, and are not listed in QuickSearch.
  The collection includes:

  • Graduate School-New Brunswick [through spring 2002]
    Stored offsite and may be requested through the reference desk of Special Collections and University Archives in person or by phone (848-932-6159). [Note: Beginning with some 2007 submissions, dissertations and theses from the Graduate School - New Brunswick are added to RUcore as part of the Rutgers Electronic Theses and Dissertations (RUetd) collection.]
  • Other New Brunswick Graduate Schools [generally to the present]
    The most recent 2 years are kept in Special Collections and University Archives; earlier years are stored offsite and may be requested through the reference desk of Special Collections and University Archives in person or by phone (848/932-6159). [Note: Beginning with some 2007 submissions, dissertations and theses from the Graduate School - New Brunswick are added to RUcore as part of the Rutgers Electronic Theses and Dissertations (RUetd) collection.]
  • Graduate School-Newark [to the present]
    The most recent 2 years are kept in Special Collections and University Archives; earlier years are stored offsite and may be requested through the reference desk of Special Collections and University Archives in person or by phone (848/932-6159).
  • Graduate School at Camden [to the present]
    The most recent 2 years are kept in Special Collections and University Archives; earlier years are stored offsite and may be requested through the reference desk of Special Collections and University Archives in person or by phone (848/932-6159).

• For further assistance contact the Special Collections and University Archives reference desk (848/932-6159) or the Rutgers University Archives.

This information is adapted from the Dissertations and Theses guide created by Stephanie Bartz.