Theses

Looking for a thesis?

Start with RMIT thesis collection then explore other options:

• Australian theses
• International theses
• Subject specific

Are you planning to write a thesis?

You will need to check first if anyone has written a thesis in your discipline area. This is crucial before you start the lengthy process of research and writing. You don’t want to find that you have duplicated someone else’s work.

Have you just completed your thesis?

Find out how you can deposit your thesis to the Australian Digital Theses (ADT) Program.

Need help?Ask a Librarian

RMIT theses collection

Research theses

The RMIT theses collection consists of scholarly works deemed to satisfy the award requirements of an RMIT degree by research. The Swanston Library has many print copies of theses, and these may be viewed on request at the Swanston Library Information Desk. Some theses are available on microfiche at the Bundoora and Swanston Libraries from 1966-2002. Microfiche readers and printers are available.

To locate an RMIT thesis do a Quick Search, using ‘Keywords or "phrase" anywhere’ and include ‘thesis’ and ‘RMIT’ or ‘Royal’ (as in Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) in your search statement.

Check the catalogue record for the microfiche number (eg. Fiche No. 1476) or the hard copy call number (eg. STK THR 539.77 H954)

Minor or coursework theses

Coursework and minor theses are not generally kept in RMIT University Library. Individual theses may be added to the collection of the appropriate Library site if recommended by a Liaison Librarian and the School. These can often be identified by a Keyword search. If not held by the Library, contact the appropriate School for these items.

Australian theses

Australian Digital Theses Program

The Australian Digital Theses Program (ADT) aims to create a national collaborative distributed database of digitised doctoral and masters by research theses produced at Australian universities. RMIT joined the program in 2004. All RMIT theses completed after 1st July 2006 will be available on the ADT. We have provided.

• Find out about contributing a thesis to the program

Australian theses since 1990

Since 1990, Australian universities have listed their research theses on Libraries Australia - the Australian National Bibliographic Database. When searching Libraries Australia, click on the tick box for theses before searching. A Libraries Australia search will also identify copies of overseas theses purchased by Australian libraries.

Australian theses before 1990

First check Libraries Australia. Then try Union list of higher degree theses in Australian libraries which is held in print format:

• RMIT Swanston Library Reference, REF 013 U58
• RMIT Bundoora Library Reference, REF 015.94 U58

Minor theses

In most cases minor theses are not kept in university libraries, but may be held in academic departmental libraries.

International theses

United States

Dissertations and Theses Full Text (ProQuest) is the online version of Dissertation Abstracts which contains records for doctoral and masters' theses since 1861 in all areas of academic research at over 1000 universities, including almost all North American graduate schools and many European universities. Some Australian universities are represented too, notably University of New South Wales and University of Wollongong.

• Over 1.8 million titles are available for purchase in microfilm or paper formats. More than 600,000 theses are available in full-text for immediate download
• 1980 onwards include a 350-word abstracts written by the author
• 1988 onwards master’s theses include 150-word abstracts
• 1997 onwards
• full text of many dissertations and theses
• first 24 pages of the dissertation/thesis available

CSA Illumina - Many US dissertations indexed in CSA, eg. 54,000 dissertations in Social Science, 27,000 in Arts & Humanities, 80,000 in Natural Sciences.

United Kingdom and Ireland

• Index to Theses with Abstracts is a bibliographic listing of all theses produced by British and Irish universities. Database covers from 1716- onwards. From 1986 onwards all entries contain an abstract.
• Also in print at RMIT Bundoora, Library Index to theses accepted for higher degrees in the universities of Great Britain and Ireland, REF 011.750941 I38 (1950 onwards)

Canada

Theses Canada is a central access point for Canadian theses and information about the Theses Canada program. From this site you will be able to search AMICUS, Canada’s national online catalogue to find details of theses accepted in Canadian universities. Some free full-text of theses and dissertations are available online from August 1998-2002.

Other countries

• University library catalogues often list theses by their own students.
• Search engines such as Google will retrieve details of many theses. Remember to use alternative terminology, e.g. dissertation or thesis
• ETD Digital Library (Electronic Theses and Dissertations) contains a growing number of US theses and dissertations and theses.

Theses in specific subject areas

Many subject databases include citations for theses relevant to their subject area. Some examples are:

• Aeronautics, astronautics, and space sciences - Aerospace and High Technology Database
• Education – ERIC, Australian Education Index. Full-text of theses from 1996 are now available on ERIC E*Subscribe.
• Nursing and related areas – CINAHL
• Psychology - PsycINFO

Find more subject databases using Search It gateway.

Published bibliographies will be listed in Library catalogues, e.g.

• Bibliography of education theses in Australia 1978-1998
  RMIT Bundoora Library Reference, REF 370.16 B582.A9

• Stadelman, William J. &Cotterill, Owen J. (eds) 1995 Egg science and technology 4th ed. Includes “Selected Bibliography of Doctoral Dissertations on Eggs and Egg Products”
  RMIT Swanston Library, 637.5 E29
• Fry, E. C. 1980 Theses on Australian history accepted for higher degrees of universities in the United Kingdom, 1901-1976: a bibliography.
  RMIT Swanston Library, 994.016 F946
• British education theses index, 1950-1980 [Microform]
  RMIT Bundoora Library, Microform fiche 370.16 B862