Finding Dissertations and Theses

• USF Dissertations and Theses
• Non-USF Dissertations

USF Dissertations and Theses

Gleeson Library | Geschke Center owns a copy of most doctoral dissertations and selected masters’ theses written by USF students. These items can be located using Ignacio, the library catalog, and may be checked out. USF dissertations/theses with a call number beginning LD4881 are shelved in the Lower Level of the Library. They are grouped by academic program, indicated by a strip of colored tape on the spine. All other dissertations are shelved in the Stacks throughout the library. You can also find the full-text of most USF dissertations from 1978 to the present as well as abstracts of all dissertations, in the database Dissertations & Theses @ University of San Francisco.

Using Ignacio, the Library Catalog

All USF dissertations/theses at the library can be found by searching Ignacio. If you do not know the author or title of a USF dissertation or thesis, use one of the methods below to search for works on a specific subject or from a specific program.

To find dissertations/theses from a specific program

Search Ignacio using keywords to find works from a specific program:

thesis AND university of san francisco AND <program name>

For example:
thesis AND university of san Francisco AND counseling psychology

To find dissertations/theses on a specific subject

Search Ignacio using keywords to find works on a specific subject:
thesis AND university of san francisco AND <your subject>

For example:
thesis AND university of san Francisco AND germany

Remember to use the word thesis whether you are looking for a dissertation or a thesis and to spell out university of san francisco (using dissertation and/or USF will get no results).

Using Dissertations & Theses @ University of San Francisco

Dissertations & Theses @ University of San Francisco provides access to the complete text of most USF dissertations produced after 1978. To locate dissertations of interest, search by subject, author, title, advisor, etc.

How to Read a Call Number That Begins with LD4881

Dissertations and theses whose call numbers begin with LD4881 are all read the same way. On the spine of the dissertation, the number looks like this:
LD
4881
S16588
S57

The first three lines are the same for all dissertations/theses in the same program regardless of the subject of the work. The fourth line indicates the author of the work. It is this last line that determines in what order the dissertations/theses are put on the shelf. The fourth line (which is always a letter followed by some numbers) is read alphabetically and then as a decimal number. So, for example P8 comes after P75 and before P99, and the dissertations would look like this on the shelf:

Tips for the most direct way to search Ignacio to find dissertations/theses associated with a specific program

Be sure to enter periods with degrees (e.g., m.a. not ma)

Non-USF Dissertations

If you need to search for non-USF dissertations on your topic, use ProQuest Dissertations & Theses to search by subject, author, title, institution, etc. You can request to borrow a copy of the dissertation, or you can purchase a copy.

Borrowing Dissertations
You may be able to obtain dissertations the library does not own through the library’s Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service. To request a dissertation from another library, fill out an ILL Dissertation Request form. Regional students should use the Document Delivery Book Request form. Dissertations requested through ILL or Document Delivery may take several weeks to arrive. If you need one sooner, consider purchasing a dissertation from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.

Purchasing Dissertations
If a dissertation is not available through InterLibrary Loan or if you’re in a hurry, you can usually purchase it from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. These are generally available in your choice of formats: PDF (web downloaded), unbound paper, softbound paper, hardbound paper, microfilm, and microfiche. Prices vary according to format and start at $30 for a PDF.