We are seeking motivated students interested in joining our PhD program in Cognitive Science. This program trains a new generation of cognitive scientists who can meld multiple existing disciplines into a genuinely integrated science of the mind and brain. Applications are due December 1, 2025.

Admitted students receive a five-year financial funding package that includes full tuition, health insurance, a competitive 12-month stipend, and an annual travel/research allowance.

Read further to learn more about our program and a special opportunity to request 1:1 application mentoring.

What is Cognitive Science?

It is the study of the human mind and brain, focusing on how the mind represents and manipulates knowledge and how mental representations and processes are realized in the brain. It is at the interface of several disciplines, including cognitive psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy and portions of computer science and artificial intelligence and thus incorporates a variety of perspectives and methodologies. Cognitive scientists aim to characterize the structure of human intellectual functioning. This is the common object of inquiry that integrates traditionally separate disciplines into the unified field of cognitive science.

What sets our program apart?

• Training is highly interdisciplinary, strongly theoretically-oriented and is integrated to an extent only possible within a department of cognitive science.
• Students achieve depth in their primary areas of interest, breadth across sub-disciplines, and learn integration of theory and method across those sub-disciplines.
• This breadth and depth of training is possible because, unlike departments in the allied disciplines, in a department of cognitive science, 100% of graduate training can be focused on cognition.
• We offer two program tracks, one of which specializes in computational cognitive science.
• Linguistics is fully integrated in the department. Student research on linguistic problems benefits from solid training in linguistic theory and analysis combined with a broad background in cognitive science. 
• Alumni are placed into competitive academic and industry positions.
• See alumni placements and testimonials for more insights.

Did you know that we also uniquely offer a stand-alone, one-year Master of Arts in Cognitive Science? Explore the MA program.

Questions? Contact the department’s Sr. Academic Program Coordinator, Chamera Sampson.