*Policies are written by the Graduate Division , if you have questions, call 619-594-5213.

Copyright Policy

Copyright law is highly complex and what follows is offered as only a general guide. This information is not a substitute for a legal opinion.

Ownership of a dissertation, thesis or project begins at the moment the manuscript or "object" is created. Although no further act of the author is required, the law does provide some advantages in giving formal notice and registration of a copyright.

Formal notice of copyright is given by including a copyright page in the manuscript as described in the SDSU Dissertation & Thesis Manual. This notice does not establish any copyright privileges, but it does signal acknowledgment of a legal right and copyright ownership. Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office is optional, but it provides a record of the work, the fact of copyright, and the author's name and address. Registration would probably be most important if the author wished to file in the future a lawsuit over copyright infringement.

The university assumes that a dissertation, thesis or project approved by a faculty committee is primarily the product of the student's efforts. Thus, the student will usually be considered the owner of the copyrights associated with the manuscript. Students should be aware, however, that the dissertation, thesis or project is the actual product submitted in satisfaction of one of the requirements for an advanced degree rather than the basic research, the results of which it reports. In some instances, therefore, individual faculty members may retain some copyright or patent interest in the data or other jointly developed work included in the thesis or dissertation. Students are, therefore, strongly advised to resolve any questions about ownership rights to data or other elements of the thesis/dissertation in which the faculty committee chair may have an interest. Agreement over such issues should be obtained in writing before beginning research on the dissertation, thesis or project.

In order to foster broad dissemination of the results of scholarly research, the student, upon submission of the dissertation, thesis or project to the SDSU Graduate Division, agrees to convey to the university a license for the following uses of the product: (1) copying of the work for distribution to other libraries upon the request of those libraries; (2) inter-library loans of the work; (3) display and use of the work in the University Library; and (4) circulation of the work by the University Library. These rights become effective upon the shelving of the work in the SDSU University Library. The shelving of the work may be postponed for a period of usually up to one year upon written request of the student and consent of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate Division, Office of Graduate and Research Affairs. (See Requests for Restricted Use of Theses.)

Students wishing more information should access a copy of the U.S. Copyright Office Circular R1, "Copyright Basics." On campus, Circular R1 is available from the Government Section of the SDSU Library (LC 3.4/2:1, Gov Pubs Ref) as well as via its web site: http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/gov/copyright.shtml. The federal government has a very good web site - http://www.copyright.gov/index.html with complete copyright information including application forms. To speak with an information specialist, call (202) 707-3000. Lastly, students or faculty requiring additional information about copyrights may contact the SDSU Foundation Technology Transfer Office at 594-0516.

Theses in Foreign Languages

As presentations of original research to the academic community, theses are ordinarily prepared for the university in the English language. In certain cases, however, for a foreign language degree, a student's thesis in the history and literary analysis of non-English languages and literatures may be presented in the subject language. When the departmental graduate adviser and the prospective thesis committee deem this academically appropriate for the specific research topic, the appointment of the student's thesis committee and authorization of the thesis research by the Graduate Dean shall be based on the provisions that:

1. An abstract of the thesis shall be presented in English,
2. All members of the thesis committee shall be fluent in the subject language, and
3. Student competency in standard written English shall be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of a departmental procedure that has been approved by the Graduate Dean.

To obtain approval by the Graduate Dean:

1. The "thesis in a foreign language" box must be checked on the Appointment of Thesis Committee form, and
2. Written verification by the departmental graduate adviser that provisions 2 and 3 above have been met must be attached to the Appointment of Thesis Committee form when it is submitted to the Division of Graduate Affairs.

(This is the policy as reflected in the SDSU 2007-2008 Graduate Bulletin.) Last revised: 6-08-07

Rejection of Theses/Dissertations

Dissertations and theses should be formatted in compliance with the SDSU Dissertation & Thesis Manual prior to their submittal for format review. Manuscripts with gross deficiencies of format will be rejected and returned to the student.

As stated in the Bulletin of the Graduate Division under "Thesis Submission," manuscripts deemed unready for submission (those with "gross deficiencies of format or presentation") will be rejected and returned to the student. The Rejection Form lists the criteria for rejection. When a thesis is rejected, the names of the thesis chair and graduate adviser will be listed at the bottom of the form and both will receive copies; a copy will also be placed in the student's file.

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If, because of rejection, students cannot meet the original semester's deadline for the last day to submit dissertations or theses for format review, those students will be required to re-enroll in Dissertation/Thesis as well as to reapply for graduation.

Restricted Use of Thesis Request

On rare occasions, and to protect potential copyrights or patents, thesis accessibility can be restricted on a short-term basis.

The University Library will restrict the use of a thesis if the author and the chair of the thesis committee request such action and the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate Division approves. The purpose of the restriction is to protect the author's right to publish or otherwise exploit the new knowledge before making it available to others.

To designate restricted use of a thesis, the author and the thesis committee chair should send a memorandum requesting restricted use to the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate Division. If approved, the request is sent to the archival librarian, who in turn will withhold from use all copies of the restricted thesis when they are received in the University Library.

The author's memorandum to the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate Division requesting restricted use of a thesis should state:

1. the reason for the request,
2. the period of restriction (up to one year); and
3. the author's address and telephone number. This information will be used by the University Library's archival librarian in requesting permission for a reader to consult, borrow, or copy the thesis during the period of restriction.

Authors may request a renewal of the restriction period for a second year by sending a memorandum to the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate Division specifying the reason for the renewal.