Copying Oxford theses

Copyright

Anyone consulting an Oxford thesis is required to sign a copyright declaration. This states that you recognise that the thesis’ copyright rests with the author and that no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the author’s prior consent. Some Oxford theses cannot be consulted without the author's permission. Permission may be in the form of a signed letter, or an email sent from a verifiable (ie institutional) email address.

Copies and copying  

Self-service copying of theses is not permitted. You must order copies of Oxford theses through the staff-mediated copying service.  

Copying of Oxford theses, even of a single page, may require the author's written permission. This must be submitted to reading room staff before such an order can be accepted. Digital copies of theses and copies made for library or institutional use always require the author's written permission. For individual copies, permission may in the form of a signed letter, or an email if sent from a verifiable (ie institutional) email address. If the thesis is to be placed in the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA), a permission form signed by the author is required.

You can often find author contact information online. College development or alumni offices try to retain contact details for old members and can generally forward letters or emails. The author’s college can often be found in the thesis catalogue record. You can also check the annual successful candidates list in the Weston Library's Rare Books & Manuscripts Reading Room which gives the author's college.

There are no conservation restrictions on the amount that you may copy. With the rights-holder's consent, theses may be copied in their entirety. For copyright reasons you may acquire only one purchase copy of a thesis, unless you obtain consent to acquire multiple copies.