At UCD, a taught master's dissertation is often called a minor thesis, and the university policy on it contains a plain line: "The student will prepare a thesis under the direction of a supervisor." Direction, not shared authorship. Below is who does what in a UCD dissertation, from your supervisor to the Writing Centre, based on UCD's own policies and School pages, checked 22 October 2026.
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UCD Teaching and Learning, in its guidance on this assessment type, puts the terms side by side: a dissertation "in the Irish context is more commonly used in relation to undergraduate and taught Masters (where minor thesis is also used)". Thesis on its own usually means a research degree such as a PhD.
For taught master's programmes, the Policy on Theses in Graduate Taught Programmes (version 1.19, approved in 2019) covers how a minor thesis is prepared, submitted and examined, and it allows Schools to add their own guidelines on top. In practice you read two documents: the university policy and your School's handbook or thesis page. An undergraduate dissertation is governed by your module and School.
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Try the free previewUCD Schools say this in almost the same words. The thesis page of the School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) states: "In the end, the student is fully responsible for the topic, structure and content of the thesis that they submit." The topic is proposed by the student and then discussed and approved by the supervisor the School assigns. The Graduate Studies Handbook of the School of Philosophy describes the supervisor's role as one of guidance and leaves the topic, structure and writing to the student alone. It also expects you to take the initiative in contacting your supervisor when you need help.
What a supervisor does offer is described in the History dissertation module HIS30990: "During these meetings, the supervisor will provide guidance on the topic and on relevant primary and secondary material, as well as feedback on drafts." Feedback on drafts happens in scheduled meetings, so bring the questions you most need answered.
For taught master's theses the policy gives the overview to one person: "The Module Co-ordinator for the Minor Thesis module shall be responsible for oversight of the examination of Minor Theses." It also calls it good practice to have a second approved examiner for moderation. Your supervisor guides the work, but the examination of it is organised through the thesis module.
The 2019 policy still describes copies handed in through the School Office and lets a School ask for an electronic copy. Current School pages describe Brightspace. SPIRe asks for a separate Declaration of Authorship with your e-signature, uploaded next to the thesis, and the policy's own Graduate Minor Thesis Submission Form serves the same purpose: "The student must complete this form to confirm that the research work is the student’s own work". Check with your School which form and which route apply to you.
Philosophy asks for submission through Brightspace, "where it will be automatically scanned by the anti-plagiarism software." UCD's Student Plagiarism Policy (approved 3 June 2021) adds that "Any work submitted for assessment may be subject to electronic or other detection procedures."
If your thesis involves collecting new data from people, you may need ethical approval or an exemption before you start. At SPIRe the application includes a signature sheet signed by your supervisor, and the page is firm on timing: "Data collection cannot begin until full approval has been granted." In the BSc in Psychology, the final year research project builds on a design that has already received ethics approval in an earlier trimester. Either way, the conversation about ethics belongs at the start of the project.
At SPIRe a short extension is a joint decision: "Extensions may only be granted by your supervisor and the Thesis Module Coordinator." A longer one goes through an Extenuating Circumstances application on SISWeb, which is decided by the College rather than the School. Other Schools set out their own procedure in their handbook, so look there first and talk to your supervisor before the submission date, not after it.
Some Schools keep the option of talking to you about your work. The Philosophy handbook says: "The School reserves the right to call students in for oral presentations after submission." This is not a standard step across UCD, but if your School has such a rule, prepare as you would for any oral presentation: know why you chose your question, your method and your sources.
The UCD Writing Centre is free for undergraduate and postgraduate students and works one to one, preferably while you are still planning or drafting. It is clear about its limits. Its page on what it does not do rules out editing and proofreading, and adds: "We don’t ‘fix’ or ‘correct’ your essays." Instead it shows you how to edit and proofread your own work. The student FAQ explains why: "We believe you should take responsibility for all stages of your writing, from planning and drafting to editing and proofreading." If English is not your first language, the FAQ points you to the UCD Centre for English and Global Languages.
The Student Plagiarism Policy names one form of plagiarism that matters here: "Presenting in your own name, work authored by a third party, such as other students, friends or family (with or without permission)". Neither document sets a separate rule for proofreading by someone else, so if a friend, relative or paid editor offers to go through your thesis, ask your supervisor or Module Co-ordinator first what is acceptable, and say what help you had.
Esmond evaluates; it does not write. You upload your own draft and get comments in the margin plus a report that shows where your argument, method or use of sources is weaker, and why. It does not write or rewrite your text: it points to the weak spot and offers guidance on how to revise it. Where a comment includes an example, it illustrates a principle; the sentence you submit is one you write yourself.
UCD has no connection with Esmond and has not endorsed it. Esmond uses language models, so using it counts as AI use. Rules on AI vary by university, programme, module and assignment. Check your module or programme handbook before you upload, and if it is unclear, ask your supervisor or module coordinator and declare the use if your institution asks you to.
You upload your draft as a PDF. Most reviews are ready within minutes; a full dissertation takes a little longer. You get two things back: your own document with comments in the margin, and a separate feedback report that sets out what to tackle first. Every upload starts with a free preview, and the price depends on the length of your document and is shown before you pay. No subscription, no account.
Esmond evaluates your work and writes nothing for you. Each comment points to a passage, explains what a supervisor or examiner might question, and offers guidance on how to revise it. You decide what to change, and every sentence stays yours.
This page summarises published institutional guidance and links to the original sources. It is not legal advice and not a ruling on your assignment: what your programme, module or supervisor sets always comes first.
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It is UCD's name for the dissertation in a taught master's programme. A university policy covers how it is prepared, submitted and examined, and your School can add its own guidelines.
That depends on your School. At SPIRe a short extension needs your supervisor and the Thesis Module Coordinator; a longer one goes through Extenuating Circumstances and is decided by the College. Check your own School's procedure.
No. UCD has no link with Esmond and has not endorsed it. Esmond is an AI tool, so check what your module allows before you upload; under the College of Arts and Humanities traffic light system, a red assignment means no AI at all.
Official policies and School pages, checked 22 October 2026. Quotations are word for word; the rest is our summary. Read the full text at the source.
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