Theses
To write a thesis at the Sustainability Transition Policy chair, you should have an interest in climate and energy political topics, or in sustainability transitions more broadly (then in co-supervision with a topical expert). All theses will be written in English and may be quantitative or qualitative. You may propose a topic and research question of your own, or find a suitable topic in the list below. All students must first complete a thesis proposal – outlining the policy problem and specifying the specific research question as well as the intended method for answering that specific research question. The thesis proposal must be approved by the advisor by the start of the lecture period of each semester (mid-October [winter] and end of March [summer]).
All students are also required to participate in the STP Thesis Seminar. Here, we will discuss (and solve) all the challenges common to all students, and discuss the contents of the various theses, offering the possibility to present your work and to provide, and receive, peer feedback. The schedule will be announced before the semester starts in StudOn and on our webpage, and will hold four meetings, with the first in the first or second week of the semester.
For more detailed guidelines for how to write a thesis with us, please see this document: Thesis guidelines_Feb2025. (for Summer Semester 2025).
Once you and your advisor have agreed on a proposal, you are good to go. Before that, we have not yet agreed to advise you and have not yet accepted you as a thesis student. Once the proposal is accepted, then you must also register your thesis: please fill out the form, print it and bring it to your supervisor. We’ll sign the paper and send it to the examination office.
- Master thesis form WiSo
- Bachelor thesis form WiSo
- If you are from another faculty or university, please provide us with the appropriate paperwork.
When writing your thesis, you may use our template for a thesis cover page.
Presently open topics
| Topic / research question | Qualitative or quantitative | Suited for | Contact |
| Failed transitions: why do some transitions start, only to collapse on themselves? | Qual or quant | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Johan Lilliestam |
| Green industry policies: what did country X do, how did a new industry grow? | Qual | Master (several theses possible) | Johan Lilliestam |
| Socio-technical tipping points: how can we make systems and markets tip from the old fossil-based to a new zero-carbon state? | Qual or quant | Master (several theses possible) | Johan Lilliestam |
| Coal lock-in: Europe | Qual or quant | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Johan Lilliestam |
| Attitudes towards climate change or energy | Either | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Silvia Weko |
| Policy dynamics: what policies do countries enact to lower emissions, and do they work? | Either | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Silvia Weko |
| Machine learning and energy policy analysis – A review | Qual | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Aksornchan Chaianong |
| Policy sequencing: do ambitious (renewable energy/energy efficiency) targets motivate increased policy actions? | Either | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Aksornchan Chaianong |
| Role of policies: which policies/policy mixes should countries implement to accelerate renewable energy deployment? | Either | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Aksornchan Chaianong |
| Policy nexus: interaction between climate, renewable and energy efficiency policies/targets | Either | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Aksornchan Chaianong |
| Energy infrastructure regulation and renewable energy potential/adoption | Either | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Aksornchan Chaianong |
| Geopolitics and energy: critical minerals, fossil fuels, green technology | Qual | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Moniek de Jong |
| Success and failure of energy technology hypes | Qual | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Moniek de Jong |
| Resource curse and the energy transition (critical mineral producers) | Qual | Master or bachelor (several theses possible) | Moniek de Jong |
| Climate ambition/policy in authoritarian regimes | Either | Master or bachelor (several theses possible | Moniek de Jong |