MSc Thesis

Course objectives

• demonstrate advanced and precise knowledge and understanding of aspects of European integration, as well as the theories and methods to study European integration as a process, as well as its limitations;
• be able to use relevant and appropriate concepts and theories;
• be able to apply appropriate analytical methods to the study of European integration;
• be able to formulate a relevant research question and to design, plan and implement an independent research project;
• be able to conduct an extensive review of relevant academic literature;
• be able to critically select and process data and to develop a level of abstraction that allows seeing beyond the data;
• achieve a balanced and critical interpretation of research results in comparison to existing knowledge;
• be able express ideas and findings in written English to an advanced level;
• can engage in a process of critical self-reflection and make constructive use of feedback from the thesis supervisor and from peers ;
• to acquire advanced knowledge of how to integrate substantive, theoretical and methodological knowledge;
• to select and apply, depending on the specialisation, the appropriate historical, qualitative or quantitative social science research methods to analyse new research puzzles and questions in the multi- and interdisciplinary field of European Studies; to integrate and apply substantive knowledge, theories and methods from the multi- and interdisciplinary field of European Studies to new research puzzles so as to facilitate substantive, theoretical and methodological innovation;
• integrate substantive and methodological knowledge as a basis to develop evidence-based arguments.