Doctoral theses
Searching and accessing Royal Holloway doctoral theses
Due to the transition over time with different formats and the development of Open Access, it is advised to search LibrarySearch, the College website and Google to ensure that records of all potential formats can be found and then accessed using the instructions below, especially before any Inter Library Loans or Depository requests are made.
Library Services are working on a number of developments to improve the discoverability and accessibility of Royal Holloway doctoral theses.
Publication date before 1990
The majority of theses produced before 1990 have been digitised and are available as Open Access via the College Research Repository. They are also held in print format. Royal Holloway PhD theses are listed on the library catalogue, Library Search. Print copies are not kept on the open shelves, and need to be requested via LibrarySearch. They are delivered to the Library in the Davison Building, and may not be borrowed however they will be kept there for as long as needed.
Nearly 2000 PhD theses published from the early 1900s to about 1990 have been added to the College's Open Access Research Repository and also added to the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database (PQDT). College staff and students can access PQDT via the E resources A-Z.
PQDT is available at 3000 institutions worldwide so please check with your institution's Library.
Publication date between 1990 and 2010
The majority of theses produced in this time period are held only in print form in the Depository. A small number of theses from between 1990 and 2010 have been digitised and are also available via LibrarySearch.
Publication date between 2010 and October 2016
Print theses produced between 2010 and October 2016 are listed on LibrarySearch.
Since October 2010, newly submitted theses have also been supplied in electronic form.
Etheses are available via the College website. The Advanced search option enables the type "doctoral thesis" filter to be added. Adding the search word "thesis" will display a list of theses which can be further sorted and filtered. Some etheses will be under embargo.
Publication date after 1st October 2016
College PhD students are no longer required to submit a print copy of their finalised thesis to the Library. Students are required to submit an electronic copy of their finalised thesis to Pure. This means that the majority of PhD theses produced after this date will only be available electronically.
Etheses are available via the College website. The Advanced search option enables the type "doctoral thesis" filter to be added. Adding the search word "thesis" will display a list of theses which can be further sorted and filtered. Some etheses will be under embargo.
Instructions for current College PGR students:
Royal Holloway's Academic Board approved an E-thesis Submission Policy in June 2010. This means, that since 1st October 2010, all submitting postgraduate research students studying for PhD or MPhil qualifications were expected to submit one print copy of their post-viva corrected thesis and one electronic copy.
From 1st October 2016, students are no longer required to submit a print copy of their finalised thesis to the College. Students are required to submit an electronic copy of their finalised thesis to Pure.
For instructions on how to submit e-theses via Pure, please consult the Pure pages.
Masters
A selection of Royal Holloway Masters theses are kept in the Library in the Davison Building; they are all on the library catalogue, and the Master’s Theses filter option can be used to narrow results down to just these items. If the thesis does not appear on the catalogue, the Library does not hold a copy, please contact the departmental office to ask if they have retained a copy.