University Archives & Special CollectionsDalhousie Thesis CollectionGeneral InformationFor well over a hundred years, Dalhousie University has offered graduate degrees which have had thesis requirements. The Dalhousie Thesis Collection now contains over 9,000 titles and constitutes an invaluable research resource. With theses dating from 1890 to the present, the Thesis Collection reflects a pre-1960 focus on the humanities, clearly documents a shift to the sciences and applied sciences in the 1960s, and now indicates a coming together of the two as interdisciplinary approaches emerge.The master file of Dalhousie theses is maintained in the Special Collections Department, 5th floor, Killam Library. Both Master's theses and doctoral dissertations are collected. The generic term "thesis" is used to refer to both throughout this website. Every effort is made to collect all graduate theses accepted by Dalhousie University, including joint degrees with other institutions. When the Maritime School of Social Work Library merged with the Killam Library in 1997, the social work graduate theses and projects were added to the Thesis Collection. In 1997, joint Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Agricultural College graduate degrees were instituted, and agriculture theses started to be acquired. Most recently with the merger of the Technical University of Nova Scotia and Dalhousie University, architecture and engineering theses have been part of the Thesis Collection since 2001. Identifying Dalhousie Theses For the approximately 7,200 Dalhousie theses produced since 1972, bibliographical access is provided via the Novanet online catalogue. If the exact title and/or author are known, search using these options. To locate all the theses from a specific department, select the call number option in the drop menu and enter the code for the department. This search will provide a list of all the theses from a specific department in author order. For bibliographical access to the approximately 1,350 pre-1972 theses, a card file of the entire Thesis Collection is available in Special Collections. Department and author files are maintained. The National Library of Canada online catalogue Amicus can also be used to identify Dalhousie theses. Using the Advanced Search, select "Publ. Name Keyword" from the first dropdown menu and enter "Dalhousie University". Combine this search with either an author or title keyword, and limit results to theses using the "Publication Type" option. Theses Canada Portal, an online catalogue recently launched by Library and Archives Canada, is another resource for searching all Canadian theses. Theses Canada Portal also offers free access to full-text electronic theses covering the period from 1998 to 2002. Location of Dalhousie Theses
Borrowing Dalhousie Theses To ensure the constant accessibility of this Dalhousie graduate research resource, the Special Collections master file of print theses is available for onsite consultation only. On-campus users also have the option of downloading post-1997 theses from Dissertations & Theses. Prior to the 2001 merger with Dalhousie, TUNS circulated copies of masters and doctoral theses accepted by the faculties of Architecture and Engineering. The Sexton Design & Technology Library has continued this practice. Circulating copies of architecture and engineering theses are available for loan from the Sexton Library, and can be identified on the Novanet catalogue by searching under author, title or department name. Microfiche copies of post-1972 Dalhousie theses can be borrowed from the Microform Unit of the Serials/Microform Department at the Killam Library (phone: (902) 494-3649). The most frequently requested pre-1972 Dalhousie theses were microfilmed and are also available for loan (see pre-1972 microfilmed theses list). Post-1972 Dalhousie theses on microfiche are also available for loan from the National Library of Canada via Document Delivery if the Dalhousie copy has been signed out. If Special Collections has acquired a second bound copy of a pre-1972 thesis, a limited term loan will be considered for off-campus and distance education users. Please contact Special Collections directly to verify availability. Purchasing Dalhousie Theses If the authors have signed release forms, theses may be purchased for research purposes. Post-1972 Dalhousie theses may be purchased through UMI Dissertation Services. Going directly to Dissertation Express is an ordering option for Dalhousie users. Theses are available in a variety of formats: microfiche, microfilm, unbound paper, soft cover, or hard cover. Prices vary depending on the format and speed of delivery requested. Online ordering is possible for the post-1997 theses only. For theses completed between 1972 and 1996, Canadians should call UMI at 1-734-761-4700, ext. 7020, email disspub@umi.com, or fax 1-734-997-4113. Providing UMI with exact titles, dates, author names and if possible the ISBN and/or "Canadian Theses on Microfiche" number will speed up the process. This information is available in the Novanet catalogue record for the thesis. Please refer the UMI service representative to their Masterfile Database for the 1970s theses. If for some reason a Dalhousie thesis is unavailable for purchase from UMI or predates the UMI service (which started in 1972), Special Collections staff will make a copy and charge .25 cents per page. Copyright restrictions may apply and forbid reproduction. Print Finding Aids By Subject (English & History theses only) There are two print finding aids available in Special Collections which provide subject access to the Dalhousie thesis collection:
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