Fairleigh Dickinson University Libraries Thesis and Dissertation Policy
Purpose
Fairleigh Dickinson University Libraries hosts copies of theses and dissertations produced by the Fairleigh Dickinson University community in the FDU Digital Archives. The Digital Archives is an FDU Libraries-managed archive that collects, preserves, and makes accessible copies of FDU’s scholarly productivity and history.
Theses and dissertations constitute an important contribution to scholarship, and dissemination and access to these works is in line with FDU’s commitment to make information open and accessible. FDU Libraries’ goal is to digitize and make accessible all theses and dissertations produced by FDU students.
Guidelines
Each FDU department is ultimately responsible for selecting and submitting theses and dissertations to the FDU Libraries for inclusion in the Digital Archives each semester. Theses and dissertations included in the Archives must be approved by the student’s advisor and follow the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17). It is also the responsibility of the FDU department to help students understand the process of their submission, including filling out the Copyright Consent Form and optional Embargo Request Form.
Submission Format
This is a digital collection, and as such, all copies of theses and dissertations must be in digital, PDF format. Only original PDF files or scanned physical copies in PDF format will be accepted. Print copies will not be accepted. Every submission must be accompanied by the Copyright Consent Form and optional Embargo Form, if applicable, also in PDF format.
Please upload the PDF copy of the student’s thesis or dissertation to a OneDrive folder and share access rights with Leanne Minkoff (l.minkoff@fdu.edu) and Rob Wolf (wolfrd@fdu.edu).
Copyright Consent Form
Each submission must be accompanied by the FDU Libraries’ Copyright Consent Form. This form reviews both the rights of the students and of FDU Libraries. It is important to note that students will retain copyright ownership of their thesis or dissertation.
However, submission to the Digital Archives requires each thesis or dissertation to be licensed under a Creative Commons License, CC BY-NC-ND. More information about Creative Commons licensing is below.
Embargo Request Form (Optional)
Embargos temporarily delay the public release of a thesis or dissertation. Embargos may be requested to allow time for consideration by outside press for potential academic or commercial publication, to protect the copyright potential of creative works, to allow time for evaluation of potentially patentable technology, or other reasons as specified. If approved, FDU Libraries offers an embargo period of 24 months following the student’s Degree Date, with the option for renewal. To request an embargo, an Embargo Request Form must accompany the thesis or dissertation upon submission. For renewal requests, a new Embargo Request Form must be submitted.
Open Access via Creative Commons
Open access is the free, immediate availability of academic work in a digital environment. Open access provides benefits such as increased scholarly conversation around the world and breaking down barriers in accessing quality and trustworthy information. FDU and its Libraries are strongly committed to open access, and, as such, the Digital Archives is an open access repository.
All theses and dissertations available in the Digital Archives are protected by a Creative Commons License, CC BY-NC-ND. A CC BY-NC-ND license means that others can download and share a work in its original form, as long as they credit the author, and it is not used for commercial purposes.
ProQuest
ProQuest provides access to theses and dissertations from around the world across a variety of disciplines. Submission of a work to ProQuest is ultimately the responsibility of the FDU department or individual student to decide to submit to ProQuest and proceed with their submission process. Inclusion in ProQuest’s repository does not preclude submission to the FDU Libraries’ Digital Archives. Submission of a work to ProQuest is ultimately the responsibility of the FDU department or individual student to decide to submit to ProQuest and proceed with their submission process. For more information, view ProQuest’s page on Dissertations or the Libraries’ page on ProQuest submissions.
Contact
For more information about FDU Libraries’ Digital Archives Submission Policy or to request a OneDrive folder for upload, please contact us or visit the Libraries’ Theses and Dissertations Guide.
For Departments - Please complete the following steps in order for FDU Libraries to add theses and dissertations to the repository:
