PhD Research Fellowships in Theology, Religion and Society
Design and pursue your own PhD project in theology, religion, or society at Norway’s specialized university for theological studies.
Best for:Best for scholars with a master’s degree in theology, religious studies, or related fields, seeking to conduct independent research in interdisciplinary areas of theology and society.
Overview
The MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society offers two PhD Research Fellowships for candidates to develop and execute their own research projects within theology, religion, and society. These fixed-term positions are designed to support doctoral candidates in completing a PhD degree over three years (or four years with 25% dedicated to teaching or administrative duties). Applicants must propose a project aligned with MF’s research areas and demonstrate its relevance to academic communities or research groups at the institution. The fellowships are based in Oslo and require admission to MF’s PhD programme, with midway evaluations ensuring progress throughout the tenure.
What you'll do
- Design and execute your own PhD research project within MF’s research areas of theology, religion, and society.
- Develop a project proposal aligned with MF’s academic communities and research groups, with further refinement in collaboration with supervisors.
- Complete a doctoral dissertation within the agreed timeframe of three or four years.
- Engage in academic supervision, seminars, and midway evaluations to ensure progress.
- Participate in career-enhancing duties such as teaching, supervision, or administrative tasks (25% of time in the four-year option).
- Collaborate with peers and contribute to MF’s academic and social community.
Requirements
Degree required: A completed master’s degree or equivalent in a field relevant to theology, religion, or society, including a master’s thesis of at least 30 ECTS credits with a grade of B or equivalent.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: Good written and oral skills in English or a Scandinavian language (Norwegian, Danish, or Swedish).
Instruction: English (with possible Norwegian for teaching duties)
- Strong academic writing and oral presentation skills in English or Scandinavian languages.
- Ability to design and execute independent research projects.
- Goal-oriented work ethic and capacity to plan and complete a PhD project within the timeframe.
- Collaborative skills and creativity for interdisciplinary research.
- Must have completed a master’s degree or equivalent with a qualifying thesis grade.
- No nationality or residency restrictions mentioned, but admission to MF’s PhD programme is required.
- No age or prior experience caps specified.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2027-01-07
Applicants must submit their application through the Jobbnorge.no portal. The application must include a cover letter describing the project’s relevance to MF’s research groups, a 5–10 page project description, a preliminary thesis outline, a progress plan, an overview of project costs, a CV with publications and transcripts, and two or three references. The project description must be a draft, developed further in collaboration with supervisors after appointment.
- Cover letter describing project relevance to MF’s research groups
- Project description (5–10 pages)
- Preliminary thesis outline
- Progress plan for the project period
- Overview of project operating costs
- CV including list of publications (if applicable)
- Diplomas and transcripts
- Two or three reference letters
Contact
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