Students will write a research thesis that draws on the knowledge acquired during the bachelor's programme and master's programme. Students will begin the initial preparations for their thesis during the second semester and must submit a completed version at the end of the fourth semester.

The preparation in the second semester exists of one seminar and two individual meetings with the chosen supervisor to design and discuss the thesis subject. After these seminar and meetings the thesis agreement will be signed by two instructors (supervisor and second reader) and the student.
1^st meeting: plenary information seminar about writing a master thesis (May; coordinator research master) 
2^nd meeting: tutorial on the research topic and on the supervision of the thesis (May; tutor/supervisor) 
3^d meeting: tutorial on the research question and structure of the thesis; thesis agreement (June; supervisor)

During the third semester, students have regular contact with their supervisor on the progress of there thesis.

In the fourth semester, students have regular contact with their supervisor and give pitch talks on their topics to an interdisciplinary audience (March; program coordinator and Radboud In'to).

At the end of the year (June), students present the results of their thesis during a conference-like workshop to fellow students from all three HLCS-programmes and a wider audience. The organisation of this workshop is the responsibility of the students.

Students may write a portion of their thesis under the supervision of another university at home or abroad or at a Dutch research school. In exceptional cases, students can appeal to the Board of Examiners to write the entire thesis abroad.