This study concerns different final thesis models in the research on teacher education in Europe and their orientation towards the academy and the teaching profession. In scientific journals, 33 articles support the occurrence of three models: the portfolio model, with a mainly teaching-professional orientation; the thesis model, with a mainly academic orientation; and the action research model, related to both orientations. All models had some relationship with both orientations. The study discusses these findings, the different models' possibilities to integrate both major orientations as well as how a final thesis can be used to integrate theory and practice in higher education programmes.