Cognitive Science – (Ph.D.)

Department of Cognitive Science

Cognitive science is the study of the ways in which information is acquired and used by humans as well as other living organisms and cognitive systems, including artificial intelligence. The CEU Department of Cognitive Science concentrates on human social cognition: how learning, processing and sharing information about and with others takes place. Students and faculty undertake innovative, interdisciplinary research drawing on psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, mathematical modeling, linguistics and the social sciences. The department currently offers one doctoral program.

Doctor of Philosophy in Cognitive Science

This research-based, interdisciplinary program focuses on, but is not restricted to, the field of social cognition. The study of social cognition links psychological processes to economic and political behavior and to the cultural transmission of social conventions and ideas. It is highly relevant for theorizing about the biological and social roots of the human mind. Students may take courses in cognitive psychology, philosophy of mind, cognitive anthropology, computational cognition and linguistics, and receive practical research training in methods, experimental design and data analysis in the laboratories of departmental faculty members.

Career Paths

The doctoral program equips students with skills necessary for successful careers in academia and beyond. Graduates can move into research and teaching positions, meeting the growing demand for experts in social cognitive science. They can also obtain positions at large organizations, where there is increasing awareness that institutional design and governance benefit from a better understanding of the cognitive bases of decision-making.