Every student of the EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies programme is required to write a substantial Master's thesis, which is to be submitted in early May. The thesis, written in either French or English, must be an original piece of work between 15,000 and 20,000 words in length, dealing with an issue relevant to the study programme. It counts for 15 ECTS.

The thesis is written in the framework of an optional or compulsory course and supervised by the professor teaching that course. Most students benefit from the proximity of Brussels and conduct interviews with experts from the EU institutions, NATO or national representations.

To prepare for their theses, students follow the course “Research Methodology in EU External Action”, which deals with research design, methodology and theoretical approaches.

When submitting the thesis, students may apply for two of the many thesis awards dedicated to specific subjects. Some of these awards come with a paid internship for the winner at the sponsor’s organisation. Only theses with at least a very good mark will be eligible. 

The best Master's theses of the past academic years were: