Call for Applications: Scholarships for Master’s Theses in the Social Sciences at CICERO (Greenleap)

The scholarships are awarded as financial support for the completion of master’s theses with thematic relevance to the project’s research agenda within climate, energy and  environmental politics in Latin America.

Each scholarship amounts to NOK 20,000. Half of the scholarship will be paid at the start of the project, and the other half after the master’s thesis has been submitted. The scholarship is limited to theses that are initiated in the year in which the application is approved.

The student will receive academic supervision from researchers at CICERO and may further develop the thesis in dialogue with both CICERO and the university supervisor. The final research question, as well as the choice of method and theory, is determined by the student.

CICERO is an internationally leading center for interdisciplinary climate research, with a strong social science research environment focusing on international climate cooperation and energy and climate policy in Norway, Europe, and other parts of the world. Students who receive a scholarship will be affiliated with the Climate Policy research group. Researchers in this group have backgrounds in the social sciences, including political science, science and technology studies (STS), and sociology.

Possible Topics Related to the GREENLEAP Research Project

The GREENLEAP project focuses on green transition in large export-oriented sectors in Latin American countries. We study how elites linked to economically important sectors engage with climate and environmental issues, and the role of different actors in political processes. The project has a particular focus on the agricultural sector in Brazil, the mining sector in Chile, and the oil and gas sectors in Colombia and Mexico, using comparative approaches. We also examine interactions with other sectors, these countries’ roles in international climate politics, and opportunities for regional cooperation.

Read more about GREENLEAP here: https://cicero.oslo.no/en/projects/greenleap

Social science master’s theses related to a range of topics relevant to GREENLEAP are welcome. Theses focusing on other Latin American countries than those included in the project, or on international climate politics more generally, are also highly relevant. Examples of topics include:

• Climate, environmental, and/or energy policy and politics in Latin America
• Regional climate and/or environmental cooperation in Latin America
• Interactions between politics, business, and societal interests
• Conflicts of interest, legitimacy, and just green transition
• Green transition in primary sectors such as mining/mineral extraction, agriculture, and oil and gas
• International climate politics
• Climate and trade

 

Who Can Apply

The call is directed at students who:

• will be writing a master’s thesis in the social sciences (e.g. political science, sociology, international studies, public policy and administration, development studies, or equivalent) in autumn 2026 and/or spring 2027
• have an interest in energy, climate, and environmental policy and politics
• have strong analytical and methodological skills, and good grades from previous courses/studies
• are proficient in Norwegian and/or English, both written and spoken. Knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese is an advantage.

Scholarship and Affiliation

1–2 tax-free scholarships of NOK 20,000 will be awarded. The scholarship is intended to cover parts of the work effort related to the master’s thesis. Half of the scholarship is paid at the start, and the other half after the master’s thesis has been submitted.

Students will receive academic affiliation with CICERO during the scholarship period, including participation in relevant seminars and access to the institute’s academic environment and resources. Students will have the opportunity to present a project outline and draft thesis to the Climate Policy research group and participants in the GREENLEAP research project, with opportunities for feedback from researchers with expertise in a wide range of social science methods, theories, academic traditions, and broad empirical knowledge. Workspace at CICERO may be arranged by agreement.

Students who obtain a good grade on their master’s thesis may be invited to revise the thesis into a CICERO report for open publication.

Start Date: Autumn 2026

 

Application

The application must include:

• Name, address, phone number, and email
• Study program and institution, number of credits the master’s thesis carries, and planned submission date
• Short motivation letter (approx. 1 page)
• Outline of the master’s thesis topic and preliminary research question (1–3 pages)
• CV
• Transcripts of grades
• Planned start date / planned submission date

Applications should be sent by email to the project leader (see below), with the subject line: “Application for Master’s Scholarship CICERO”.

 

Application Deadline

1 June 2026

Questions regarding the call may be directed to:

Solveig Aamodt, Senior Researcher and Project Leader of GREENLEAP

solveig.aamodt@cicero.oslo.no

 

About CICERO

CICERO offers a strong working environment with approximately 100 employees with broad interdisciplinary backgrounds, including political science, sociology, human geography, economics, and several disciplines within the natural sciences. CICERO offers excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, while also placing great emphasis on developing each researcher’s interests and expertise. CICERO is actively engaged in international cooperation through a broad network of contacts. CICERO is an inclusive workplace (IA enterprise) and seeks to ensure that its staff reflect the diversity of the population. CICERO is located in modern premises in the Research Park in Oslo and will move to new premises near Ullevål Stadium in October 2026.

More information about CICERO: https://cicero.oslo.no

More information about the Climate Policy research group: https://cicero.oslo.no/no/forskningsgrupper/klimapolitikk