Classes and Research

The following is a brief overview of the requirements for graduate students in the Program in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience. The classes are designed to give you a solid background in different aspects of cognition. There is a strong emphasis on research.

Cognitive students also fulfill the PBS department Graduate Requirements.

• Courses
  • First Year:
    • A yearlong sequence in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience. These courses provide the fundamentals of cognition and an introduction to computational modeling and neuroscience.
    • A yearlong sequence in Statistics.
  • After the first year: Each semester you will take a Graduate Seminar in a different aspect of Cognition.
  • Each semester: Attend the weekly Colloquium in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience. At least once each year, you will give a talk describing your research.
• Research
  • First-Year Project
  • Master’s Project
    • Write and defend a proposal describing your master’s research project.
    • Complete your master’s research project and defend your master’s thesis.
  • PhD Dissertation
    • Write and defend a proposal for your dissertation research.
    • Complete your dissertation research and defend your dissertation.
• Comprehensive Exam
  • Define a set of broad research questions.
  • Read the literature relevant to each question.
  • Write extensive answers to each question, reviewing the relevant literature.