Library Home » Find Information » Subject Guides

Finding Theses and Dissertations

Finding Theses and Dissertations at UTSA

Each UTSA student that completes a thesis or dissertation provides the Library with two copies, one of which is added to the circulating collection. If you are seeking a thesis or dissertation produced at UTSA, searching in UCAT will tell you exactly where you can find it. All UTSA theses and dissertations are shelved in approximately the same location with similar call numbers, so remember to write down the exact call number before heading for the stacks.

The UTSA Library occasionally purchases theses and dissertations from other institutions that are of interest to our patrons. These items are cataloged and classified by subject, and are therefore intermingled in the stacks. Searching UCAT will retrieve these items as well.

UCAT, UTSA Library Online Catalog
Search UCAT to locate books, journal titles (not articles), government documents, maps and multimedia materials available at the UTSA Library. Read the Search Tips to learn how to conduct a better search.

Finding Theses at Other Libraries

Some local colleges and universities collect and circulate the theses and dissertations produced by students at their institutions. If you are seeking a thesis or dissertation from a specific local university, begin by searching that library's catalog. Links to local library catalogs can be found on our San Antonio Area Libraries page.

Many more theses and dissertations can be found by searching WorldCat. WorldCat will tell you which libraries have a copy of the thesis or dissertation. If no local libraries have it, you may attempt an Interlibrary Loan request. Note, however, that the majority of institutions do not lend their theses and dissertations. If you are unable to obtain the book any other way, and it is vital for your research purposes, you may submit a purchase request to the Collection Development department.

Using Dissertation Abstracts

If you are seeking more information regarding a specific dissertation, or are interested in dissertations on a certain topic, you can search in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text . Full-image PDFs are available for most titles published since 1997 and a limited number of titles previous to 1997. You can also purchase entire dissertations (in either print or electronic format) directly from ProQuest.

Coverage is from 1861 to the present. Abstracts are provided for doctoral dissertations beginning in 1980 and master's theses since 1988. Also, ProQuest relies on individuals and institutions to send manuscripts for microfilming and indexing, and may not contain every dissertation completed.

Submitting a Dissertation

Information on completed UTSA theses and dissertations from the Collection Development Department.