This is a selective list of opportunities that cognitive science and linguistics students may find of interest. Students should also expand their search through the Life Design Lab, URSCA, and more.
Undergraduates may receive credit for on- or off-campus independent academic work (IAW) OR be paid, but not both. Students may earn up to 3 IAW credits per term and up to 6 IAW credits per year (40 hours of work = 1 credit). What are the rules for IAW and how do I register for credit?
Finding & Funding Research or Internships
Finding the right IAW position can be hard work. Online resources, hands-on support, and even funding opportunities are readily available through these offices to help guide students through the process. HOUR provides a particularly helpful guide on how to seek out and secure research positions.
- Hopkins Office of Undergraduate Research (HOUR)
- Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity (URSCA)
- Life Design Lab
- National Fellowships Program
Employers
Contact the academic program coordinator to request a bulletin on this page. Post jobs/internships with the Life Design Lab to reach a larger student population.
Hopkins Researchers
Faculty may publicize student research positions and manage applications using HOUR’s ForagerOne platform.
Research
RAships in Cognitive Science at JHU
The Cognitive Science department at Johns Hopkins is committed to an inclusive environment where undergraduate students can receive research experience to explore careers in Cognitive Science. There are opportunities available to perform research for credit, as well as grants available to support research as a paid job. Many professors are actively seeking research assistants. Sometimes opportunities may be posted on this webpage, a lab site, or on ForagerOne. Even if a faculty of interest has not actively posted about an RA position, students are encouraged to contact them to inquire about potential research positions. HOUR provides a very helpful ‘how-to’ for this.
Further down the road, if you enjoyed the research, consider applying to graduate school to study Cognitive Science or related topics. Pursuing a PhD is more like a job than being an undergraduate student: PhD programs often pay a full-time stipend and health benefits to support you as you take ownership of a research topic. People come to graduate school from a variety of backgrounds. Advanced degrees in Cognitive Science can lead to careers within or outside of academia. For example, some of our alumni currently work at NASA as a Technical Writer, at Apple as a Research Engineer, at various organizations as research scientists, and more. Talk to your advisor, another professor, or a graduate student for advice on applying to graduate programs.
Graduate Programs
MA in Cognitive Science at JHU
The JHU Department of Cognitive Science is accepting MA applications. Admitted students with an undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins receive a 50% reduction in tuition during the one-year intensive program.
This one-year, full-time MA program is intended to appeal to students who have undergraduate degrees in linguistics, psychology, computer science, neuroscience, and other subdisciplines of cognitive science. It may be of particular interest to students who wish to strengthen their qualifications for a PhD program or a career in which an MA in cognitive science would make them more competitive. The program has both a research track and a course track. Few programs can provide the pre-PhD training that this MA degree program offers.
Read more about the program requirements and the admissions process online.
Summer and Fall 2025 applications are due December 1, 2025.
Spring 2025 applications are due October 15, 2024.