A system and method for accessing requested data in a database using result set objects. The invention also provides a set of enhancements to the EJB Query Language ("EJB QL") for providing result sets using EJB QL and to efficiently access databases using select methods within Enterprise Java Beans. EJBQL language extensions allow for the selection and retrieval of result sets. Since the use of the invention is expressed in terms of object relational constructs defined in an EJB deployment, it allows for the retrieval of data from a database expressed in terms of the relationships defined in that EJB deployment.