Finding and obtaining international theses and dissertations
- Books on Time
- Databases
- Desktop Delivery Service
- E-Books
- E-Journals
- E-Print Repository
- E-Theses
- EndNote
- Friends of the Library
- Inter-Library Loans
- Law Library
- Library Guides
- Library Help
- Library Search (catalogue)
- Opening hours
- Print Services
- Reading Lists
- Renewals
- Research information
- Special Collections
- Walton Library
WorldCat Dissertations
WorldCat Dissertations is the combined catalogue of theses and dissertations held in many libraries around the world, especially in North America. Some of the items are available in full text.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD)
This database provides access to the full text of thousands of international theses and dissertations.
Dart Europe
This project enables you to search across a number of European e-theses databases and obtain the full text.
Registry of Open Access Repositories
More and more universities are making their theses available full text online. These will usually be available from the university's library catalogue or via a separate repository. The Registry of Open Access Repositories contains links to university repositories from around the world, many of which contain theses. You can limit your search by country as required.
North American Theses
The British Library has a selection of doctoral dissertations completed up to 2001. These theses can be borrowed through the Inter-Library Loan Service. They are supplied on microfilm. Explore the British Library (the British Library's main catalogue) lists the theses that are available to borrow.
If your request to the BLDSC is not successful, you can order a copy via Proquest Dissertation Express.
The charges are $75 for unbound (courier), $48 for unbound (airmail) and $41 for a PDF. Payment is in dollars and is by credit card or US dollar cheque. Allow three to six weeks for bound or microform copies.
You can also search Dissertation Express for bibliographic details of theses.
Additionally, nearly 300 full text theses are available free from Proquest via its PQDT service.
Dissertation Abstracts International
The Library holds some printed volumes.
1990-1993 are shelved on Level 2. 1961-1969, 1931-1959 are held in the Research Reserve.
Northumbria University Library has the printed volumes of 'Dissertation Abstracts International' Section A Humanities and Social Sciences from 1971 to date and Section C European Abstracts from 1967-2001. Durham University Library holds the printed volumes of Sections A and B (Sciences and Engineering) 1966-1981.
Other countries
Applications for other dissertations and theses can be made through the Inter-Library Loan service. You will need to supply a photocopy of your reference. Some Libraries will lend theses; others may send an estimate for a photocopy. It can take several months to obtain theses from libraries outside the UK.
