The study programme includes a Master’s (MA) thesis, which needs to be submitted at the end of the second semester before the final examination period. The MA thesis, written either in English or French, must be between 15,000 and 20,000 words in length and must be the result of a substantial piece of original research on a topic related to European transformation and/or integration. The Master’s thesis counts for 15 ECTS.

The College offers students autonomy in choosing the methodology that they see the most fitting for their research. This may include, among other options, quantitative or qualitative research, comparative studies and interview-based methods. Furthermore, students directly benefit from the expertise and guidance of professors at the College - the thesis is written in the framework of a course and supervised by the professor teaching that course. Students also receive additional support from Academic Assistants, and may rely on the rich collection of books, articles and other documents that can be found at the College of Europe library.

To help students prepare for their thesis, a compulsory “Seminar on Research Methodology” is organised. It provides students with an understanding in research methods, theories, scientific paradigms and editing rules.

The Master's thesis is assessed by the thesis supervisor and a second reader and is defended orally at the end of the academic year.

Master's theses that received at least a "very good" grade (15/20) and that were not subject to plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be published at the library of the College.