cognitive psychology phd programs online

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• PsyD vs PhD

Best Online PhD in Cognitive Psychology Programs

According to the APA, cognitive psychology utilizes human learning and development principles, as well as cognitive processing, to overcome problematic behavior and emotional thinking. It uses these vital principles to help people live more productive lives.

Cognitive psychologists have an excellent grasp of applied behavior analysis, cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, social learning theories, emotional processing theories, and information processing theories.

A Ph.D. in cognitive psychology investigates the vital cognitive processes and applies several theoretical perspectives to understanding these complex processes. Doctoral candidates in cognitive psychology often conduct basic and translational research to devise solutions for real-world issues, such as enhancing children’s reading comprehension.

Students in cognitive psychology develop expertise in quantitative methods and take courses in vital cognitive processes, such as decision making, dynamics, language, embodiment, natural language processing, perception and action, and neuroscience.

With a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, you may work in intelligence, research, computer science, speech synthesis, big data analysis, informatics, or telecommunications. The degree fully prepares you for any field that is based on cognition and technology.

Are you interested in earning your Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology online? Please review the available online programs below.

Schools on This Page

• Grand Canyon University
• George Mason University
• Bircham International University

#1 Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University offers an online Ph.D. in General Psychology with an Emphasis in Cognition and Instruction . This doctoral program is intended to educate students who want to work with adult students in economically and culturally diverse communities.

Graduates will study how cognitive processes can affect and inform instructional methods. The coursework in this program covers topics that are important for building and analyzing needed learning outcomes, including assessments and social cognition.

Required courses in this four-year, accredited program are:

• Introduction to Research
• Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Theory
• Foundations of Research 1 and 2
• Behaviorism
• Social Cognition
• Cognition and Instruction
• Designing a Qualitative Study

Many graduates of this program continue in their current jobs, but others seek new roles as teachers, researchers, professors, and government contractors.

*Visit Grand Canyon University

• Institution type : Private, non-profit
• Delivery method : Online
• Headquarters : Phoenix, Arizona
• Accreditation : Western Association of Colleges and Schools
• Degrees offered : Ph.D. in cognitive psychology
• Expected total tuition : $41,700
• Prerequisites : Master’s degree in psychology

#2 George Mason University

George Mason University offers an online Ph.D. in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience that provides advanced knowledge of the essential areas of psychology and practical experience to apply this information to solve problems in relationships, work, and education.

Core courses cover information essential to doctoral in psychology training, including the biological, social, cognitive, and individual bases of behavior, as well as the long history of psychology in the US and across the world.

The program also focuses on the study of biological substrates of human behavior. Faculty study areas such as neural control of behavioral development; animal models of memory and learning; social brain systems involved in perception, human error, decision making, and movement; and the relation of neural activity to human performance.

Required courses are:

• Biological Bases of Human Behavior
• Social Bases of Behavior
• Special Topics in Psychology
• Advanced Statistics
• Psychometric Methods
• Developmental Assessment
• Emotional Bases of Behavior

Total credits required for graduates range from 72 to 76. If you enter the program with a master’s, you can reduce the number of credits you take by up to 30, if approved by the dean.

• Institution type : Public, non-profit
• Headquarters : Fairfax, Virginia
• Accreditation : Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Expected total tuition : $56,000
• Visit school : Click here

#3 Bircham International University

Bircham International University offers a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology entirely online . This accredited, four-year program reviews the findings, methods, and controversies in cognitive neuroscience and psychology.

The program uses a comparative and developmental perspective to study brain evolution theories and human cognition by using information derived from young children and animals.

The Ph. D. program has 30 required for graduation, but other courses can be added if you are interested in additional specialties. A 70-page thesis paper is required for graduation that will be reviewed by the program’s academic committee. Several 30-page reports may also be required to complete all credits.

The student must defend their thesis in front of at least three members of the Bircham University Academic Network.

• Institution type : Public, for-profit
• Headquarters : Madrid, Spain
• Accreditation : United States Distance Learning Association
• Expected total tuition : $12,240

Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology Summary

Obtaining your Ph.D. in cognitive psychology can be an excellent way to enhance your career if you intend to work in academia, research, or private practice. Students interested in moving to the highest levels of the field with the best salary will find that this highly-respected degree is worth the time and effort.

Cognitive Psychology

Information about the Cognitive Psychology Graduate Major

This Area’s goal is to produce cognitive psychologists who combine general scholarship with sophistication in research design, theory formulation, experimental and computational methods, and scientific communication. The cognitive program at UCLA is designed to ensure exposure to the content and methods deemed essential for all cognitive psychologists, and to provide the opportunity for exposure to additional knowledge and research tools required for specialized professional positions.

The scope of the study of cognition at UCLA is broad, encompassing perception, the control of attention and motor responses, the formation of mental representations, the dynamics of memory retrieval, learning, cognitive development and cognitive breakdown, the mechanisms of reasoning, language, and problem solving. The range of methodological approaches is broad as well. Efforts to formulate computational models of cognitive processes are combined with empirical research and with efforts to specify the neurophysiological underpinnings of cognition. There are applied research opportunities as well in areas such as human-factors engineering, medical technology, education, psychology and the law, and learning/language disabilities.

Modern cognitive psychology is increasingly merging with the broader fields of cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience, which draw together researchers from a variety of disciplines concerned with the study of mind, brain, and intelligence. UCLA has established programs in cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience that sponsor colloquia, seminars, and interdisciplinary research. UCLA is unique in the breadth and depth of its cognitive programs, which draw upon upwards of 40 faculty from such disciplines as cognitive, developmental, and physiological psychology, along with neuroscience, artificial intelligence, linguistics, and philosophy. Each of the major departments involved are among the most highly rated in the country.

The general facilities and resources at UCLA are outstanding. There are few universities with more extensive central libraries, computing facilities, and brain imaging equipment. Overall, the faculty and resources available in the Cognitive Psychology program at UCLA are among the best in the world.

More Cognitive Psychology Information

• For a list of Required Courses please see the  Psychology Handbook

Brain and Cognitive Sciences PhD Program

Graduate students in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences are among the sharpest, most innovative brain scientists to be found anywhere. In a given year the department admits less than 5 percent of applicants, and our PhD program is consistently ranked among the best in the world. Students work hard to get here, and they are highly valued in the BCS community.

Innovative:  Our students often take on riskier projects and pilot studies that probe the edges of our technical and scientific knowledge. They can move among projects more easily, and their successes lay the foundation for not only their careers but the future directions of their mentors’ labs.

Collaborative:  Our students bring bold, fresh thinking to the department, and exploring these potentially transformative ideas often means reaching across boundaries of lab, center, and department to build new collaborations. Graduate students help BCS mesh with the rest of MIT.

Supportive: Graduate students are the most frequent mentors of undergraduate students in UROPs , actively guiding and developing those who will become the next generation of top-tier graduate students. BCS graduate students also are helping make sure the department is a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community.

Overview of the Program

Graduate students in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences work with an advisor and advisory committee to pursue an innovative and rigorous program of original research. Students should aim to complete their PhD in five to six years.  

• Students take three to four of their required six courses
• Students complete required Responsible Conduct in Science training.
• Students complete a minimum of three lab rotations by March 31.
• Students select a thesis advisor by April 30.    
• Students complete the remaining two to three of their academic course requirements by the end of the Spring Term.
• Students complete teaching assistant training and their first teaching (TA) requirement.
• Students form their qualifying exam advisory committee, have their first committee meeting, and turn in the completed committee meeting form to BCS HQ by the end of the Spring Term. 
• Students should plan which activities they will participate in to fulfill the professional development requirement .
• Students complete the second teaching requirement.
• Students complete the written and oral qualifying exam in October or November.
• Students form a thesis committee, submit a written thesis proposal to their committee, orally present their proposal to the thesis committee, and receive committee approval, before the end of the Spring Term.
• Students fulfill their professional development requirement by the end of the Summer term of their fourth year.
• Students must meet with their thesis committee once per year.
• Students take the final steps to completing the PhD oral examination (also known as the thesis defense) and submission of the approved written dissertation.

For detailed information on courses, rotations, and other program requirements, see Program Details .

Home / Psychology Degree / Online Cognitive Psychology Programs

Online Cognitive Psychology Programs

Choosing the right online cognitive psychology degree program, which cognitive psychology degree is right for me, cognitive psychology degree program curriculum, cognitive psychology degree program clinical requirements, list of cognitive psychology degree programs.

Cognitive psychologists work with people who have problems related to cognition, which includes memory, perception, attention, and language processing. Patients with attention deficit disorder, autism spectrum conditions, learning disabilities, brain trauma, and Alzheimer’s disease may find that their mental health professional is a cognitive psychologist. These psychologists also work in research, medical, and university settings.

On your journey to becoming a cognitive psychologist , it is important to choose accredited degree programs. Always check to make sure a program has this qualification since not all programs are properly qualified – even at some state-level universities. Accreditation is typically provided by the American Psychological Association and is required by most employers and licensing boards.

Which online degree is right for you depends on your career goals. A license is required to be a clinical practitioner, but many positions in this field do not call for licensing. You can work in research positions without licensing, and many non-doctoral positions exist in medical or even mental health facilities.

Bachelor’s Degree

There is no specialist degree at this level. Instead, most will get their bachelor’s in (general) psychology. The coursework will be heavy on psychology classes, but a few math, English, and history classes will be peppered into the mix. It usually takes four years to get this degree online.

Master’s Degree

Specialization begins at this level, and it is also possible to get cognitive psychology-specific careers at this point. Research work, certain teaching positions, and some clinical positions are available to master’s degree holders. A doctorate-level professional will typically supervise the team or facility. Getting this degree online can take as little as two years beyond your bachelor’s, so it’s a fairly quick step up.

Doctorate Degree

This is required to become licensed as a clinical psychologist. Licensure lets you work on your own, or be the boss over a team of other practitioners. The amount of credit hours for a doctorate isn’t very arduous, but there are other requirements for earning a doctorate. A specified number of practicum hours, as well as a dissertation, are common to these programs. The number of practicum hours depends on the university as well as the state it is in. Since you’ll be studying in an online format, you’ll be performing these internship or practicum hours within your own community.

As should be expected, online courses in a cognitive psychology degree program focus on subjects related to the field. The bachelor’s degree has more of a focus on general psychology and underlying theories, and also includes several classes in unrelated subjects like history and math.

• Bachelor’s Degree – This will usually be a general psychology degree. It takes 120 credit hours to complete and is set up so that if you take 15 credit hours each fall and spring, you’ll get it in four years. Because of this, institutions that offer it are known as “four-year” universities.
• Master’s Degree – The specific credit requirement depends on the university, but is typically about 30. Depending on the program, a dissertation may also be required.
• Doctorate Degree – Credit hour requirements range from 85-95, with some possible outliers, depending on the university in question. Most of the work of getting this degree comes in the form of practicum experience. You will also have to do a dissertation. How much practicum experience is involved varies widely; many schools base it on their state’s requirements for licensure. Licensure requirements range from 1,500-6,000 hours of experience.

Clinical practice requirements are typically set according to what the state’s licensing board demands. This lets you get all of the needed experience to apply for a license as part of your doctorate degree study, rather than doing it separately.

States require between 1,500-6,000 hours of practicum experience, so it’s important to check with the state where you intend to practice before choosing a doctorate degree program. The experience can come in the form of an internship, externship, or other such placement.

Normally, this part of the online program will involve you being placed in a real-world clinical situation under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist in your own community. At first, you’ll only get to observe the doctor as she or he interacts with patients, and then ask questions once sessions are over. As time goes on, you’ll get to be more hands-on. Finally, you’ll be allowed to practice on your own, with the licensed doctor giving you pointers and commentary after your sessions are done.

Looking for an online or campus-based cognitive psychology degree program near you? Browse our state-by-state school listings below.

Jump to Your State Listings

Auburn university at montgomery.

• Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences Program Campus

The University of Alabama

• PhD Cognitive Psychology Campus

University of Arizona

• Ph.D. Cognition and Neural Systems Campus

Claremont Graduate University

• MA Program in Applied Cognitive Psychology:User Experience Campus
• Applied Cognitive Psychology Campus

University of California-Los Angeles

• Cognitive Science BS Campus

University of California-San Diego

• Psychology B.S. with a Specialization in Cognitive Psychology Campus

University of California-Santa Cruz

• Cognitive Psychology, PhD Campus

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

• Cognitive Psychology Campus

University of Colorado Boulder

• Undergraduate Certificate in Cognitive Science Campus

University of Denver

• Affective / Social / Cognitive Psychology Campus

Connecticut

Eastern connecticut state university.

• Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration Campus

University of Connecticut

• Ph.D. program in Cognition, Instruction and Learning Technology Campus
• Ph.D in Language and Cognition Campus
• B.A. or B.S. Cognitive Science Campus

University of Delaware

Florida atlantic university.

• Ph.D. degree in Experimental Psychology-Cognitive Psychology Campus

Florida State University

University of central florida.

• Ph.D. Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology Campus

University of Florida

• Cognitive and Emotion Neuroscience Campus
• Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Track Campus

Emory University

• PhD in Psychology-Cognitive and Computational Sciences Concentration Campus

Georgia Gwinnett College

• Psychology Specialization-Cognitive / neuroscience Campus

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

• Certificate in Cognitive Psychology Campus
• Cognition and Brain Science specialty area for the Psychology Ph.D. Program Campus
• Cognitive Aging specialty area in the Psychology Ph.D. program Campus

Georgia State University

• Psychology, Ph.D., Cognitive Sciences Campus

Illinois State University

• Psychology - Cognitive and Experimental Psychology Campus

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

• Doctorate in Psychology: Brain and Cognitive Sciences Campus

University of Illinois Chicago

• Brain and Cognitive Sciences Campus

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

• Psychology: Cognitive Psychology, BSLAS Campus

Indiana University-Bloomington

• Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience Campus

University of Notre Dame

• PhD in Cognition, Brain, and Behavior Campus

Iowa State University

Kansas state university.

• Cognitive/Human Factors Campus

University of Kentucky

• PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience Campus

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

• Psychology B.S.-Concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience Campus

Tulane University of Louisiana

• Psychology, PhD: Brain, Cognition and Developmental Science Campus

Massachusetts

Boston university.

• Brain, Behavior, & Cognition Campus

Harvard University

• Cognition, Brain, and Behavior Campus

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

• Cognitive Science Tracks of Study Campus

Minnesota State University-Mankato

• Cognitive Science BS Psychology Campus

Mississippi

Mississippi state university.

• Cognitive Science PhD Campus

University of Southern Mississippi

• Psychology Brain and Behavior Campus

Washington University in St Louis

• Behavior, Brain, & Cognition Campus

The University of Montana

• Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience Campus

University of Nebraska at Omaha

• MA in Cognitive Psychology Campus

University of Nevada-Reno

• Cognitive & Brain Sciences Ph.D. Campus

The College of New Jersey

• B.A. in Psychology-Cognitive Psychology Campus

University of New Mexico-Main Campus

• Cognition, Brain & Behavior Campus

Binghamton University

• Cognitive Psychology PhD Campus

CUNY Graduate School and University Center

• Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Campus
• Cognitive and Comparative Psychology Campus

Columbia University in the City of New York

• Ed Psych EdM Campus

Stony Brook University

• Cognitive Science Psychology Campus

North Carolina

University of north carolina at charlotte.

• Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Science Campus

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Bowling green state university-main campus.

• Neural and Cognitive Sciences Campus

Miami University-Oxford

• Brain, Cognitive and Developmental Sciences Campus

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Wright state university-main campus.

• Psychology, Cognition and Perception Campus

Oregon State University

• Ph.D. in Psychology Campus

Pennsylvania

Drexel university.

• PhD in Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences Campus

Temple University

• Cognition and Neuroscience Campus

The Pennsylvania State University

University of pittsburgh-pittsburgh campus.

• Cognitive Program Campus

Villanova University

• BS in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Campus

South Carolina

University of south carolina-columbia.

• Cognitive and Neural Sciences Concentration Campus

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

• Applied Educational Psychology Campus

Vanderbilt University

• Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Campus
• Cognition in Context Campus
• M.S. in Cognitive Psychology in Context Campus

Texas Tech University

• Cognition & Cognitive Neuroscience Campus

The University of Texas at Dallas

• Cognition and Neuroscience PhD Campus

The University of Texas at El Paso

• Bilingualism, Language and Cognition Campus

University of Houston

• Developmental, Cognitive, and Behavioral Neuroscience Campus

University of Utah

• Cognition and Neural Science (CNS) Campus

Utah State University

• PhD in Psychology Brain and Cognition Campus

George Mason University

• Accelerated MA in Psychology (with a Concentration in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience) Campus
• Human Factors/Applied Cognition Concentration Campus
• Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Concentration Campus
• Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Neuroscience Campus

University of Virginia-Main Campus

University of wisconsin-milwaukee.

• Educational Psychology, MS: Cognitive and Developmental Sciences Campus

University of Wyoming

• Cognition or Cognitive Development Campus

Are we missing your school's program or need to update information listed? Please contact us so we can make the necessary changes.

Other Psychology Degree Program Profiles

• Program Areas
• Computational Cognitive Neuroscience
• Developmental
• Integrative Neuroscience
• Social Psychology

About the Program The goal of the doctoral program in Cognitive Psychology is to train graduate students to be well-rounded researchers and scholars. Our unique approach fosters integrative thinking that crosses disciplinary boundaries, and focuses on research questions that have both theoretical and practical significance. Faculty, students, and post docs collaborate on projects spanning a variety of cognitive domains, such as human memory, language and communication, perception, attention and action, and conflict resolution and negotiation. Not only do we focus on fundamentally cognitive questions, but we also situate these questions within a broader context, including the biological bases and the social manifestations of cognitive phenomena. Our integrative approach allows graduate students to benefit from the university as a whole, by interacting with faculty from the Biological Sciences, the Humanities and the Social Sciences.

Faculty Advisers in the Cognition Area : Edward S. Awh, Wilma A. Bainbridge, Akram Bakkour, Marc G. Berman, Jean Decety, David A. Gallo, Susan Goldin-Meadow, Leslie M. Kay, Boaz Keysar, Susan C. Levine, Yuan Chang Leong, Sarah London, Daniel Margoliash, Howard C. Nusbaum, Monica Rosenberg, Alex Shaw, Steven K. Shevell, Edward K. Vogel, Amanda Woodward, Jai Yu

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Ph.D. Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology

Mission statement.

The HFC Doctoral Program’s overall goals are to:

• Train and educate leaders in Psychology at the doctoral level within the scientist-practitioner tradition
• Facilitate the exploration and understanding of the complexity of human behavior while expanding our collective knowledge base through multiple avenues (e.g., publications in scientific journals, conference presentations, teaching)
• Strive to improve the health and quality of life of individuals through excellence in education as well as in research and practice in human-technology interaction.

The overall philosophy that drives these goals is embodied in the policy statement that emerged from the National Conference on Scientist-Practitioner Education and Training for the Professional Practice of Psychology held in Gainesville, Florida on January 16-20, 1990. The training model of the HFC Doctoral Program reflects our efforts to educate students so that they can advance psychological knowledge through research and scholarship, and to evaluate the impact of training regimens and interface designs using empirically derived methods and procedures. The model also strives to help students learn how to think critically and scientifically about problems while invoking the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct. The overall philosophy of the training program is consistent with that of the Mission Statement of the Department , the College of Sciences , the Graduate School, and the  University .

Program Description

A Ph.D. professional’s degree track in Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology, accredited by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, is offered to those with a baccalaureate or master’s degree in psychology or an allied area. The track seeks to develop the capacity to design, conduct, and apply human factors and cognitive psychology research in a variety of professional settings. It is patterned on the scientist-practitioner model of the American Psychological Association (APA) and adheres to guidelines established by the committee for Education and Training of APA’s Division 21 (Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology). A variety of research, consulting, and internship arrangements are included in the track. Students receive training in the content and techniques of human factors and cognitive psychology–including statistical and quantitative procedures, experimental design, survey methods, computer techniques, and other research methodologies. Students also select a concentration area, which may be in human-computer interaction, human-machine-environment interface, human performance, human factors in simulation and training, or other areas of interest with the adviser’s authorization. A dissertation representing a significant research contribution to the field is required.

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. is designed to be obtained in 4-5 years of full-time study from the baccalaureate level and in 3-4 years from the master’s level. (A minimum of one year full-time student status is required.) For students who enter with a baccalaureate degree, the program requires 74 semester hours minimum. Students who enter with a master’s degree may be granted up to 30 hours of transfer credit with approval of the program faculty, and will also be required to complete a minimum of 60 semester hours at UCF.

For Fall 2023, submission of GRE scores is not required.

Concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience

The Human Factors & Cognitive (HFC) Psychology Ph.D. Program offers students opportunities for both lab and course-based training in Cognitive Neuroscience. To support cognitive neuroscience research training, the Department of Psychology maintains state-of-the-art research facilities, including space and equipment for electroencephalography/event-related potentials (EEG/ERP), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), eye tracking, pupillometry, heart-rate variability, respiration, and electrodermal activity, as well as external collaborations to support functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In addition, the HFC Program also offers a course-based concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience with the following curriculum:

Required Coursework The Cognitive Neuroscience concentration requires the following four courses for a total of 12 credit hours:

• PSB 6328 Psychophysiology (3 credit hours)
• PSB 6348 The Neuroanatomical Basis of Psychological Function (3 credit hours)
• PSB 6352 Neuroimaging Design and Analysis Methods (3 credit hours)
• PSB 7349 Advanced Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience (3 credit hours)

Note:  Admission to these courses is not guaranteed, but is contingent on the decision of the department, college, and instructor of record for the course.

Links to More Information

Faculty in human factors and cognitive psychology.

Program Director

[email protected]

Mailing Address

UCF College of Graduate Studies Millican Hall 230 PO Box 160112 Orlando, FL  32816-0112

Institution Codes

GRE: 5233 GMAT: RZT-HT-58 TOEFL: 5233 ETS PPI: 5233

Applied Cognitive Psychology

PhD in Psychology

The Applied Cognitive Psychology PhD Program is not currently accepting applications.

The phd program in applied cognitive psychology offers students training in cognitive psychology research and theory and a wide range of statistical and methodological skills necessary to do basic and applied research on important issues related to human cognition..

CGU’s PhD programming in Applied Cognitive Psychology offers in-depth scholarship in the theories and research that define the traditional and contemporary areas of cognitive psychology, including cognitive aging, eyewitness memory, intelligence and working memory, and perception and human performance. Intensive research will define your education; you’ll be quickly involved as a student, collaborator, and colleague with globally renowned faculty-scholars, conducting research on applied topics that inform important societal problems.

Program Highlights

• A key component of the Applied Cognitive Psychology program is the apprentice model, in which PhD students collaborate closely with their faculty research advisors throughout their graduate studies.
• Many cognitive psychology students focus their research in law & psychology, including the topics of eyewitness memory, autobiographical memory, and lie detection.
• Cognitive psychology students also collaborate with faculty from The Claremont Colleges on a range of topics, including cognitive aging, decision-making, prospective memory, autobiographical memory, and embodied cognition.
• Cognitive psychology graduate students and faculty gather regularly for Cognitive Brown Bag Lunches to hear research presentations on topics of current interest.
• All Applied Cognitive Psychology students who request financial aid receive fellowships. The Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences also regularly hires students for paid teaching assistantships.
• We also offer an MA program in Applied Cognitive Psychology: User Experience. Learn more

Program At-a-glance

required units

degree awarded

Spring, Fall

program start

5-7 years | full time*

estimated completion time

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Legacy Games

Founder and President

California State University, Fullerton

Professor of Psychology

Quantitative UX Researcher

Arizona State University

Professor, School of Criminology & Criminal Justice

Naval Postgraduate School

NICE inContact

UX Researcher

Kathy Pezdek

Research Interests

Memory & Comprehension, Eyewitness Memory, Autobiographical Memory

Extended Faculty

Lise abrams.

Pomona College

Language and memory, speech production, tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) states, cognitive aging, bilingualism

Gabriel I. Cook

Claremont McKenna College

Cognition, memory

Jennifer Groscup

Scripps College

Intersection of psychology and law

Alison Harris

Cognitive neuroscience, decision neuroscience, neuroeconomics

David Moore

Pitzer College

Cognitive development, development of mental rotation, infant-directed speech, categorization in infancy

Catherine L. Reed

Cognitive neuroscience, electroencephalography, human behavior and human factors, multisensory perception

Shlomi Sher

Rational and psychological levels of analysis; scientific approaches to the mind-body problem

Patricia Smiley

Language development, self-development, achievement motivation

Sharda Umanath

Cognition, education, experimental psychology, memory

Megan Zirnstein

Sentence processing, individual differences in reading behavior and comprehension, bilingual language processing, ERPs, eye tracking

Cognitive Psychology (12 units) Cognition (4 units) Memory (4 units) Applied Cognitive Psychology (4 units)

Cognitive Psychology & Related Electives (32 units) You are encouraged to take elective courses in the School of Educational Studies, the Drucker School of Management, the Division of Politics & Economics, and the Center for Information Systems & Technology.

Statistics & Research Methods (20 units) Research Methods (4 units) Directed Research: Cognitive Psychology (two 2-unit courses) Intermediate Statistics (2 units) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (2 units) Applied Multiple Regression (2 units) Categorical Data Analysis (2 units) Additional 4 units of Advanced Methodology

Field/Teaching Experience (4 units) Supervised Teaching Seminar (4 units) or Field Placement (4 units)

Transdisciplinary Core Course (4 units) All PhD students are required to enroll in a transdisciplinary core course from the “TNDY” course sequence during their first three semesters at Claremont Graduate University.

Portfolio In addition to 72 units of coursework, you must complete a portfolio that represents a cohesive set of experiences balancing training in your area of specialization.

PhD Completion • PhD qualifying exam • Dissertation proposal • Dissertation and oral defense

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Psychology: Cognitive PhD

College of arts and sciences, program description.

The Cognitive Psychology PhD program offers an exceptional, research-intensive training environment for students interested in understanding how the mind works. The program faculty are nationally and internationally known for innovative research on sentence comprehension and discourse, speech and language perception, word recognition and lexical access, animal cognition, auditory perception, categorization, learning, and motor control. The program is for individuals who aim to become independent research scientists in cognitive psychology, primarily (but not limited to) in the context of academic careers.

Mary Wlodarczyk 213 Park Hall Buffalo, NY 14260 Email: [email protected] Phone: 716-645-8617 Fax: 716-645-3801

Instruction Method

• In Person   (100 percent of courses offered in person)

Full/Part Time Options

Credits required, time-to-degree, application fee, admission tests**.

This program is officially registered with the New York State Education Department (SED).

** At least one of the admissions tests are required for admission. Test and score requirements/exceptions vary by program. Contact the department for details.

Cognitive Psychology PhD

Content at a glance.

• Cognitive & Brain Sciences at Binghamton University

Techniques and Available Technology

• Admission information
• Additional information

Program alumni

Interested in cognition and cognitive neuroscience.

As a Carnegie Classification recognized “R1” university, research is emphasized in the program from day one. Students are expected to attend weekly brown bag meetings where their peers and faculty give full, professional talks on recent research activities from their lab.  Beyond promoting individual excellence, the program also emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science via two research centers specializing in unique interdisciplinary missions—the Center for Cognitive Applications (CAPS) and the Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience (CDBN).

Our graduate programs in psychology consistently rank within the top 25 doctoral programs at "Public Ivies." The best way to learn more about the program is to visit the department and observe firsthand. Notify us in advance of your visit to make sure that the faculty with whom you would like to speak will be available.

Area coordinator:  Deanne Westerman, PhD

Faculty 

Conte ( lab page ):   EEG source localization and neuroimaging techniques applied to the investigation of the development of face processing and social communication in infancy. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024. 

Dulas : cognitive neuroscience of relational memory and aging, using structural and functional MRI and eye-tracking, with a particular interest in hippocampal and prefrontal cortex interactions. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024.

Gerhardstein ( lab page ): visual development and digital influences on perception and learning, development of low-level contour detection and Gestalt organizational principles, using eye-tracking and ERP; fMRI anticipated 2022. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024. 

Hayes ( lab page ) : cognitive processes involved in judgement and decision-making behavior; computational cognitive modeling. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024. 

Klin : psycholinguistics, reading, comprehension and memory for text. Prof. Klin is currently Dean of Harpur College.

Kurtz  ( Scholar page ): behavioral and computational investigations of human learning and reasoning processes including categorization and analogy; improving the problem-solving and learning abilities of humans and machines. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024. 

Lim ( Lab page ): auditory cognitive neuroscience, human speech perception and communication, neural dynamics and functional networks. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024. 

McDonough ( Lab page ): neurocognitive aging, especially as it relates to episodic memory and cognitive control, environmental and lifestyle factors (e.g., the exposome) across the lifespan that shapes brain structural and functional organization, using (f)MRI, transcranial electric stimulation, and functional near infrared spectroscopy.

Miller : basic learning and memory processes, sources of forgetting, reducing and enhancing forgetting, retrieval mechanisms.

Solomon : Joining Binghamton University Fall of 2024 cognitive neuroscience of semantic cognition at the interface of category learning, memory, and language use; generalization and flexibility in categories and concepts; behavioral, fMRI, and computational methods. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024. 

Van Petten : language processing focusing on the interface between semantic processing and spoken word identification, executive processes that contribute to memory.

Westerman : human memory; particularly memory illusions, familiarity-based judgements, and the attributional processes in memory. Accepting graduate students for Fall 2024. 

Our labs utilize a variety of methods to understand the organization of cognitive processes. These techniques and available technology include:

• Programs created in python, Matlab, and HTML/CSS/JavaScript, hosted in-person or over the web, and designed to gauge accuracy, reaction time, and/or depth of understanding
• Computational modeling of qualitative and quantitative patterns of behavior
• Eye tracking studies (particularly gaze direction and the timing of eye movements)
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
• Cortical electrophysiology (event-related potentials, phase coherence, and synchronization in the EEG)
• Other psychophysiological measures such as heart rate, pupil diameter, and skin conductance

Admission Information

To formally apply to a graduate program at Binghamton University, it is recommended that you complete an application by December 10; however, applications will be accepted until December 31. Please follow the directions on  how to apply  described on the  Graduate School website .

Admission to the graduate program is selective, which allows faculty to devote a great deal of individual attention to each of our students. Admission is based on: 

• Academic performance as an undergraduate (e.g., official transcripts)
• GREs are optional
• Letters of recommendation
• Fit of research interest between applicant and faculty member

Additional information on student resources may be found here .

The Cognitive & Brain Sciences Program prepares students for employment in academic settings, research institutes, and positions in the private sector. Our ultimate marker of success is the excellent placement of our graduate students in the job market following their PhD—with a 96% employment rate immediately following completion of their degree. 

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Last Updated: 7/22/24

Cognitive science

Psychology phd specialization.

Explore the scientific study of the mind through collaborative, interdisciplinary training in psychology with a focus on cognitive science.

How to apply

PhD program details

Specialization description

Degree awarded: psychology, phd.

Cognitive science is one of six degree specializations offered through ASU's PhD program in psychology. With award-winning faculty, students explore fundamental cognitive processes using various theoretical perspectives. The specialization emphasizes both basic and translational research, investigating topics like:

• Decision making
• Multilingual experiences and word learning
• Natural language processing
• Neuroscience
• Perception and action

The Department of Psychology cultivates a collaborative learning environment. Students specializing in cognitive science complete unique core curriculum while engaging with faculty and peers across all psychology disciplines.

• Decision making.
• Multilingual experiences and word learning.
• Natural language processing.
• Neuroscience.
• Perception and action.

Important dates

• September 1: Fall 2025 application opens.
• December 5: Fall 2025 application deadline.

Students must submit ASU’s graduate application and the Department of Psychology’s Slideroom application to be considered for admission.

More about applying

Faculty and research labs

Engage in quality academics and groundbreaking research, led by renowned cognitive science experts.

Dr. Eric Amazeen

Dpac: dynamics of perception, action and cognition lab.

The DPAC Lab adopts a dynamical approach to understanding perception, action and cognition. Using principles of complex systems and ecological psychology, the lab studies team and motor coordination, physiological processes, postural control, learning, exploration, weight perception and tool use.

Explore the lab

View faculty profile

Dr. Gi-Yeul Bae

Visual cognition neuroscience lab.

The Visual Cognitive Neuroscience Lab explores how we maintain stable visual perception amid noisy sensory input. Their research spans visual attention, working memory and decision-making, using psychophysics, EEG and computational modeling. 

Dr. Viridiana Benitez

Learning and development lab.

The Learning and Development lab focuses on understanding how cognition and experience shape word learning across development. Using behavioral experiments and observational methods, they work with infants, children and adults from monolingual and bilingual backgrounds. They aim to identify the factors that promote learning for children growing up in diverse language environments.

Dr. Michael McBeath

Pearl: perception, ecological-action, robotics and learning lab.

The PEARL Lab explores perception-action and biases in natural environments including sports, music, scene processing and language-emotion.

Dr. Samuel McClure

Decision neuroscience lab.

The Decision Neuroscience Lab studies how the brain makes decisions about rewards. Using fMRI and EEG, the lab relate findings to computational models of brain function and investigates how brain systems interact during decision involving self-control and competitive social interactions.

Dr. Danielle McNamara

Solet: science of learning and educational technology lab.

The SoLET Lab improves education by studying factors in comprehension and learning for K-12 students, adults, and second language learners. They integrate psychology, linguistics, and computer science to develop game-based tutoring systems and natural language processing tools.

Courses and electives

Core and skill courses (24 credits).

Core courses.  Students choose three 500-level courses in cognitive science, along with the area's topical seminar offered each semester.

Skill courses. Two required courses that integrate quantitative methodologies into students' work.

Electives (6 credits)

Elective breadth courses. Students are required to take a course on cognitive processes and encouraged to take a class related to current issues in cognitive science. 

Research (42 credits)

Research activities.  Milestone courses, involving independent study and regular meetings with a faculty member to discuss assignments and conduct research.

Dissertation (12 credits)

Dissertation.  Supervised research including literature review, research, data collection and analysis, and writing.

Graduate students in the cognitive science training area must complete 84 credit hours. Following an apprenticeship model, they work closely with a faculty mentor and publish in major peer-reviewed outlets by graduation. Students may also participate in multiple research labs and have the opportunity to earn a master's degree en route to their PhD.

Student Handbook

The cognitive science specialization prepares students for careers in cognition and technology. 

Faculty members serve not only as educators but also as mentors, guiding students towards impactful research and fulfilling careers in computer science, informatics, intelligence, marketing, speech synthesis, telecommunications, medicine and data analysis.

Get in touch

• For questions about the specialization, email the cognitive science area head, Dr. Samuel McClure, directly at [email protected] . 

Other specialized areas of study

Behavioral neuroscience and comparative psychology, clinical psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, quantitive research methods.

Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences

• Financial Support
• Graduate Courses
• Facilities and University Resources
• PhD Requirements
• Training Programs and Grants
• Graduate Awards

In 1883, G. Stanley Hall founded the first psychological laboratory in America at Johns Hopkins University. American psychology has undergone many changes since then, and the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Hopkins has played a key role in that evolution.

Our graduate students are trained in psychological science through general and advanced seminars in the various subdisciplines of psychology, and by active engagement in research. We do not offer a clinical training program. Rather, our department emphasizes training and experience in the research methods essential to the development of new knowledge in the various fields of psychology.

The core program for training doctoral students emphasizes scientific methodology and provides training in both pure research and research related to problems in the world. Each doctoral candidate is expected to become familiar with both a relatively narrowly defined area and a broad spectrum of knowledge related to the student’s topic of specialization.

The department specifically supports interdisciplinary research in several core areas in biopsychology and cognitive and developmental psychology.

Areas of Instruction and Research

Biopsychology.

• Animal Cognition and Learning
• Animal Models of Neurocognitive Aging
• Auditory Perception and Communication
• Biological Rhythms
• Brain Mechanisms of Memory
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Hormones and Behavior

Cognitive and Developmental Psychology

• Age-related Neurocognitive Disorders
• Cognitive and Perceptual Development
• Cognitive Neuroscience and Functional Neuroimaging
• Language Development
• Visual Perception and Psychophysics
• Social Cognition
• Intuitive Psychology, Sociology, and Physics

• Meltzer Center
• Support Psychology

Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

• Colloquium Series
• Alumni Outcomes
• Testimonials
• BA in Psychological & Brain Sciences
• BS in Psychological & Brain Sciences
• BS in Cognitive Neuroscience
• Combined BA/MA
• Student Resources
• PBS Undergraduate Events
• MS in Applied Psychology
• PhD in Applied Social Psychology
• PhD in Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience Ph.D. Alumni Testimonials
• Undergraduate Student Research
• Research Funding
• Core Faculty
• Affiliated Faculty
• Doctoral Students & Postdoctoral Fellows
• Faculty Emeriti
• Making an Appointment
• Meltzer Center Services & Fees

PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience

The Cognitive Neuroscience doctoral program develops scientists who perform research in academic and research institutions. The curriculum offers an intense research experience in the areas of perception, attention and memory, with an emphasis on the neural bases of these capacities. Students collaborate with faculty using diverse research methods, including patient-based testing, neuro-imaging, animal modeling, psychophysical scaling and computational modeling. Unlike clinical neuropsychology programs, this program does not provide training in diagnosing or treating brain or neurological disorders.

GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences and its teaching hospital are resources for cognitive neuroscience research, with dedicated departments studying neurology, neurosurgery and neuroradiology.

Apply to GW

Resources for Current Students

Neuroscience Research in Action 

Quieting the Voices of Schizophrenia

Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience Guangying Wu is trying to pinpoint the the misfiring neurons that cause agonizing internal noise for people with schizophrenia. His research enlisted the help of student researchers, colleagues in other scientific disciplines and a pack of genetically engineered mice.

"My research experiences in cognitive neuroscience helped me figure out what interests me most and develop the necessary skills and network to pursue a career in academia."

Jeongmi Lee PhD '13

Course Requirements

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under  Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs .

The requirements for the  Doctor of Philosophy Program .

Cognitive and Psychological Sciences

Graduate study.

Our graduate programs are highly selective, successfully recruiting and retaining excellent students, competing with the top programs in the world. Our doctoral students go on to be scientists and scholars who contribute to the generation of knowledge in both academic and non-academic settings.

Graduate Program Handbook

About our programs, how to apply, director of graduate studies, william heindel, graduate advisors, fulvio domini, oriel feldmanhall, bertram f. malle.

• Utility Menu

Department of Psychology

• https://twitter.com/PsychHarvard
• https://www.facebook.com/HarvardPsychology/
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFBv7eBJIQWCrdxPRhYft9Q
• Participate

Graduate Program

The Department of Psychology offers a PhD program in four areas: Clinical Science, Social, Developmental, and Cognition, Brain, and Behavior (CBB). Admissions information, program requirements, funding and financial aid details, and other resources for the graduate program are detailed on the   Psychology Graduate Program website  and on the Harvard Griffin GSAS website . 

• Undergraduate Program
• Clinical Psychology
• Postdoctoral Program
• Doctoral Alumni

Department of Cognitive Science

• PhD Requirements
• Computational Cognitive Science Track
• PhD Sample Program
• PhD Funding
• PhD Admissions
• Alumni Testimonials
• PhD Alumni Placement
• MA Requirements
• MA Sample Program
• MA Admissions
• Graduate Courses
• Professional Development

The Department of Cognitive Science’s one-year, full-time, in-person Master of Arts program is designed to flexibly provide graduate-level training to a wide range of students with diverse backgrounds and interests.

This 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.

A student in the MA program chooses to pursue either the research track or the course track. For both tracks, the student works closely with a faculty mentor throughout the program.

The MA in cognitive science allows students to develop research-oriented expertise needed to pursue a PhD at another institution or research-centered employment, and provides interdisciplinary education beyond the undergraduate level that will be useful for careers related to cognitive science.

There are many career opportunities open to those with advanced degrees in cognitive science and related fields. Outside of academia, these include positions in lab management, grant and technical writing, market research and consulting, computational linguistics, and human-computer interaction (e.g., work on automatic language production and recognition systems).

Please note that the MA program is not a pathway into the department’s  PhD program . They are separate and distinct programs. Students in most cognitive science PhD programs generally earn an MA/MS degree on the way to a PhD, but most of the cognitive science departments in the U.S. do not offer stand-alone MA degrees. Few programs can provide pre-PhD training beyond the undergraduate level. The cognitive science MA program is a preparation for those wishing to pursue doctoral studies in a related field or to gain a competitive edge in the job market.

Educational Objectives

The MA program aims to develop and extend the knowledge and research skills of individuals interested in pursuing a PhD in a field of cognitive science or gaining research-centered employment.

Students in the MA program:

• Acquire a strong background in the empirical findings and theoretical frameworks of one or more areas of cognitive science
• Acquire and apply analytic and technical skills needed to critically evaluate research findings, and to communicate research findings orally and in writing
• Develop the ability to conduct original problem-centered and theory-driven research in the chosen areas of study
• Gain experience with and fully participate in a collaborative lab-based community of researchers from a wide range of backgrounds and fields.

Graduate Student Resources

• Cognitive Science Graduate Handbook
• Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs Website topics include academic policies, credit hours, student services, professional development, Hopkins life, graduation guide

Degree Checklists

• MA Course Track Checklist
• MA Research Track Checklist

Rashi Pant, MA 2016

My experience with the [MA] course track was one of courses that offered breadth and depth within the field of cognitive science, which is ideal not only for somebody continuing […]