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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Are you planning to submit your dissertation or Plan A Master's thesis electronically? If so, you now have the opportunity to make it broadly accessible to an international community of scholars through the University Digital Conservancy, a program of the University Libraries.

Why add my thesis/dissertation to the University Digital Conservancy?

The University Digital Conservancy provides:

• Free, worldwide open access to your thesis/dissertation
• Enhanced discoverability by search engines like Google
• A permanently accessible url for your thesis/dissertation.

There is more information on the issues to consider and benefits of depositing your work in the Digital Conservancy.

What about copyright?

You own copyright to your dissertation. Contributing your work to the UDC does not change its copyright status. When you agree to have your dissertation deposited in the UDC, you grant the University non-exclusive rights to make your dissertation available online, to make copies for preservation purposes, and to create descriptive metadata about your work that will enhance discovery of your work by others. Your work will be protected by U.S. copyright law to the same extent it would be if the user checked out your print-bound dissertation from the library. More information about copyright of your dissertation is available at http://www.lib.umn.edu/copyright/disstheses

How do I submit my thesis/dissertation to the University Digital Conservancy?

The Graduate School will provide you with a Deposit Agreement as part of your graduation packet.

Will my thesis / dissertation be available in the University Libraries?

Theses and dissertations in the University Digital Conservancy will serve as the official and permanent Libraries copy.

Questions about the Digital Conservancy?

Contact us: Beth Kaplan, University Archivist, kapla024@umn.edu

Questions about Graduate School Policies and Procedures?

Graduate School requirements and procedures:

Doctoral: http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/degree_completion/doctoral/ElectronicDissertationSubmission.html

Masters: http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/masters/submission.html

Go to the UDC home page