Texas A&M University Graduate and Professional School

Overview  

All theses, dissertations, and records of study will ultimately be made publicly available as Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) in OAKTrust Digital Repository. Dissertations and records of study are subsequently published to ProQuest after appearing in OAKTrust. In ARCS, the student initiates the Copyright and Availability Form, which must be approved by the Committee Chair before the Written Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form can be requested. 
Students have three options: 
 
  1. Release their ETD immediately for access on OAKTrust. 
  2. Document Only Hold: Restricts access to the ETD document for two years then releases the ETD for access on OAKTrust. Metadata (e.g., title, author, abstract) will be available during the embargo period. A Document Only Hold expires automatically, and the ETD will be released immediately following the expiration of the embargo period. An embargo may be extended only if a written request is submitted and approved before the expiration date. 
  3. Full Record Hold: Restricts access to the ETD and its metadata for two years, typically for patent/proprietary issues. A Full Record Hold expires automatically, and the ETD will be released immediately following the expiration of the embargo period unless a written request for extension has been submitted and approved. An embargo may be extended only if a written request is submitted and approved before the expiration date. 
 
Important Note: The two-year embargo period begins in the month of graduation, regardless of the specific graduation date. For example, a student graduating at any point in May 2024 will have their document automatically released on May 1, 2026. Students are responsible for submitting a request for any embargo extension, if needed, prior to the release date. The Grad School does not provide advance notification or reminders regarding upcoming embargo expirations. 
 

ARCS Instructions

See also the ARCS Guides


  1. Doctoral students only: The SED and AAUDE surveys must be completed before the Copyright and Availability Form becomes active.  
  2. Once your final exam request has been approved in ARCS and your final exam has been scheduled, you may submit the Copyright and Availability Form before taking the final exam. 
  3. Read through the “TAMU Copyright Agreement,” “Acknowledgement of Content Statement” and “Student Availability and Copyright Agreement” sections and check the accompanying boxes.  
  4. Select the appropriate availability option for the manuscript.  
    (If you need help with the availability options, select “How to choose an availability option”) 
  5. You can track the approval status of your form in the “Copyright Approval Status” section of ARCS.