The Purdue University Libraries collects, preserves, and provides access to dissertations as original works of scholarship in conjunction with doctorates awarded by the University. Other pertinent student works such as master's and honors theses may also be collected.
At Purdue, “thesis” typically refers to a Master’s program and “dissertation” refers to the Ph.D program. In the early years a thesis was written in many undergraduate programs (i.e B.S. in Engineering).
Purdue Libraries holds one copy of most titles from 1882 to present. They may be available in print, microform, or electronically. The original paper copies do not circulate and must be viewed in Archives and Special Collections. In some cases these have been marked confidential or have restrictions in place for a limited period of time.
To view dissertations, requests can be made through the Libraries catalog. Please log in to request your item.
When the request is received, staff pull the item from the storage Repository and deliver it to be viewed in the Archives and Special Collections Research Center on the 4th floor of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library (HSSE). This is located in Stewart Center, 504 Mitch Daniels Blvd, West Lafayette, IN 47907. You will receive a confirmation email when the item is ready along with information on how to schedule an appointment in the Archives.