How to Find Theses

UCC Theses are stored in Closed Access in Special Collections in the basement of the Boole Library (Q-1). They need to be requested in advance to be available for consultation in the Special Collections Reference Reading Room.

How do I find UCC theses in the Library Catalogue?

To find theses from a specific department, go to the UCC Library Catalogue homepage, select Other and Thesis or click here

• You can search for the name of the department (e.g., Department of Physiology)
• You can do an exact search by putting your search in quotes (e.g.,“Department of Law”)
• You can combine a department search with keywords (e.g., “Department of Microbiology” and fungi)

You can also do a keyword search using the Advance Search  function:

• Click the “Advanced search” button
• Type in your keyword(s)
• Use “AND” if you want to search for a combination of terms (e.g., “Manuscripts” AND “Irish”)
• Use “OR” if you want to use alternative terms to make sure you get a broader, comprehensive range of results (e.g., “Homoeopathy” OR “Alternative medicine”)
• Use “AND NOT” to exclude terms (e.g., “Alternative medicine” AND NOT “Homeopathy”)
• From the “Material Type” box, select “Thesis”
• Click the “Submit” button

To browse a list of all UCC theses for particular subjects or departments, click here, then click on a particular subject to get a list of individual titles. All the information you need to request a thesis (such as author, title and call number) will be displayed as well.

How do I request UCC theses?

In rare cases, the catalogue may show a thesis as “not available”. This means that the author has not given permission for it to be consulted. Ask us for advice if you need to consult such a thesis.

Once you have found a thesis you would like to consult, please make a note of the author, title and call number.

Contact Special Collections with this information to request a thesis. Requests can be made in person, by phone or by email.

     Phone: +353-21-4902282
     Email: specialcollections@ucc.ie

Please have your student number ready as well.  Requests for consultation on the same day should be made before 12:30pm. Theses requested later than that will be ready for the morning of the next working day.

Go to Special Collections for Opening Hours and Access Procedures.


How do I find theses from other institutions?

There are various databases available to search for theses across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the world.

The Library may be able to order these theses for you through Inter Library Loan. Please contact the Inter Library Loan Team:

Phone: +353-21-4902747 or +353-21-4902161
Email: ill@ucc.ie

Databases which are especially useful are:

• Proquest Dissertations & Theses: For North American theses. The more recent theses come with substantial previews and sometimes a couple of chapters for you to read. It is possible to order PDFs or hard copies of theses directly through the database using your credit card.
• The Index to Theses in Great Britain and Ireland
• ETHOS (British Library): free web resource, aims to provide a 'single point of access' to theses produced by UK Higher Education institutions.
• DART-Europe E-theses portal: free web-resource, provides full-text research theses from 324 Universities sourced from 19 European countries.
• Intute: provides a very good list of theses databases from around the world with short introductions and links.
• ProQuest Dissertation & These UK & Ireland:  the most comprehensive available listing of theses, with abstracts accepted for higher degrees by universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland.  
• RIAN: Pathways to open access research in Ireland (includes many theses)
  
  

Last updated: 09 January 2013