Student works

At UC, registered UC students generally own the copyrights of their creative works, including theses and dissertations. However, student-created works that are produced primarily in the course of the student's university employment, or that are sponsored or commissioned, are owned by the University of California – unless there is an agreement that says otherwise.

In preparing a dissertation or thesis, students may have incorporated copyrighted work owned by others into their work. In such cases, either the use of third-party content must be allowable under fair use or another appropriate exemption, or permission must be granted to use the material.

Campus graduate studies offices can provide more information about the requirements for submitting theses and dissertations.