May 8, 2024

The Drexel University Libraries recently completed a project to digitize more than 6,000 graduate theses and dissertations that were previously available in print format only.

While most of Drexel’s recent theses and dissertations are available online through the Drexel Research Discovery portal, the University’s research repository, most of the older ones were only available as physical copies within the library. Many of the newly digitized theses and dissertations were produced by students enrolled in Drexel’s College of Medicine and its predecessors, including the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Hahnemann Medical College, Hahnemann University, MCP Hahnemann University, and Allegheny University.

Expanding access to this important scholarship supports the Libraries’ and the University’s efforts to increase the visibility of Drexel research and support future research and collaborations. Digitizing these pieces of Drexel history also preserves these works and prevents their complete loss, should physical copies be damaged.  Theses and dissertations submitted to Drexel after March 1987 are subject to the University’s current intellectual property policy, which allows the University Archives to make them available. 

We are now seeking to obtain written permission from alumni to make theses and dissertations submitted to Drexel University before March 1987 (as well as theses and dissertations submitted to any of the Drexel College of Medicine’s predecessor institutions at any time) freely accessible online. Unless permission is provided, any restricted electronic theses and dissertations will be available to view in a “virtual reading room” that allows limited access to users while protecting the rights of the original authors. Upon request, researchers will receive an expiring link to the document. Once the link expires, it will no longer be valid.

Visit the Drexel Research Discovery portal to explore digital and digitized copies of the University’s graduate theses and dissertations.