Cognitive Science Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree

Explore the human mind through psychology, neuroscience, AR, and more in RIT’s interdisciplinary Ph.D.


Overview for Cognitive Science Ph.D.

Why Pursue a Cognitive Science Ph.D. at RIT?


  • STEM-OPT Visa Eligible: The STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program allows full-time, on-campus international students on an F-1 student visa to stay and work in the U.S. for up to three years after graduation.

  • Cutting Edge Cognitive Science Research: Including context, culture, and cognition; biologically-inspired computational models; and cognition and human action.

  • Future-Focused Curriculum: Provides a dynamic program designed by academic and industry leaders to integrate formal education with state-of-the-art research and best practices from industry.

  • Top-Notch Faculty: Work side-by-side with experienced faculty conducting research on contemporary problems.

Students in the Ph.D. in cognitive science conduct research on human perception, cognition, action, and language with a focus on the representation and processing of information within biological and computational frameworks. Ph.D. degrees in cognitive science prepare students for careers in academia or industry and to develop abilities to analyze data, grasp complex concepts, and interpret and communicate concepts for a wider audience. Faculty advisors come from across the RIT campus to create a thriving, interdisciplinary community that supports students on their path to becoming cognitive scientists.

Interdisciplinary Curriculum for the Ph.D. in Cognitive Science

The cognitive science graduate program is jointly delivered by faculty experts from five RIT colleges, allowing students to develop valuable, career-enhancing interdisciplinary skills and communication competency as part of the program experience.

The six colleges include: College of Liberal Arts; College of Science; Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences; Kate Gleason College of Engineering; College of Engineering Technology; and National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

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Research

Cognitive Science Research

Ph.D. in cognitive science faculty, all sharing a passion for understanding the biological and computational foundations of human cognition - including memory, perception, attention, language, learning, decision-making, creativity, and problem solving. While faculty research interests are broad, our program emphasizes:
 

  • Context, culture, and cognition: Whilst the existence of cognitive universals is likely given the high degree of genetic overlap across animal species, there are significant variations in environments that are likely to lead to individual differences in cognition. Understanding how context and culture drive this variability can both improve our understanding of human cognition and lead to a more inclusive cognitive science.
     
  • Biologically-inspired computational models: Computational models provide insights into the mechanisms of cognition and how information is represented and processed in cognitive systems. Biologically-inspired models not only help us constrain our cognitive theories, they also allow us to apply the insights of cognitive science to the development of innovative and powerful computational tools.
     
  • Cognition and human action: Cognition cannot be separated from action. The purpose of cognition is to allow us to navigate the world around us in both goal-driven and stimulus-responsive ways. Therefore it is important to explain how cognition is realized in human behavior, and the role of cognition in guiding human action.

Featured Work and Profiles

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Curriculum for 2025-2026 for Cognitive Science Ph.D.

Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements

Cognitive Science Ph.D.

The curriculum below outlines the typical course sequence(s) for this program.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallHours
COGS-600 Foundations in Research 3
COGS-610 Laboratory Methods 3
COGS-780 Cognitive Science Research 3
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
PSYC-640 Graduate Statistics 3
 Hours12
Spring
COGS-711 Philosophical Foundations in Cognitive Science 3
COGS-780 Cognitive Science Research 3
COGS-800 Cognitive Science Qualifying Examination 0
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
PSYC-712 Graduate Cognition 1 3
Elective 3
 Hours12
Second Year
Fall
COGS-621 Foundations of Scientific Computing 3
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
COGS-880 Cognitive Science Dissertation Research 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours12
Spring
COGS-720 Teaching Practicum 3
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
COGS-880 Cognitive Science Dissertation Research 3
PSYC-717 Advanced Graduate Statistics 1 3
Elective 3
 Hours12
Third Year
Fall
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
COGS-880 Cognitive Science Dissertation Research 6
 Hours6
Spring
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
COGS-880 Cognitive Science Dissertation Research 6
COGS-887 Cognitive Science Dissertation Proposal 0
 Hours6
Fourth Year
Fall
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
COGS-888 Continuation of Dissertation 0
 Hours0
Spring
COGS-801 Cognitive Science Research Colloquium 0
COGS-888 Continuation of Dissertation 0
 Hours0
 Total Hours60
1

Students may need to take PSYC-717 Advanced Graduate Statistics in Spring 1 and PSYC-712 Graduate Cognition in Spring 2 depending on course availability.

Program Electives

CGNS-601Cognitive Neuroscience3
CGNS-710Design Thinking and Cognition3
CLRS-820Modeling Visual Perception3
CMPE-677Machine Intelligence3
CMPE-765Brain Inspired Computing3
COGS-760Foundations of Cognitive Modeling3
COGS-761Graduate Psycholinguistics3
COGS-762Animal Cognition3
COGS-765Psycholinguistics of Signed Languages3
COGS-766Neuroplasticity in Deaf and Blind Individuals3
COGS-768Deaf Vision3
CSCI-630Foundations of Artificial Intelligence3
CSCI-631Foundations of Computer Vision3
CSCI-633Biologically Inspired Intelligent Systems3
CSCI-635Introduction to Machine Learning3
CSCI-736Neural Networks and Machine Learning3
IMGS-620The Human Visual System2
IMGS-624Interactive Virtual Env3
IMGS-684Deep Learning for Vision3
PHIL-604Philosophy of Mind3
PHIL-790Philosophy of Action3
PSYC-681Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models I3
PSYC-682Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models II3
PSYC-684Graduate Speech Processing3
PSYC-711Graduate Biopsychology3
PSYC-714Graduate Engineering Psychology3
PSYC-715Graduate Perception3
STAT-670Design of Experiments3

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Admissions and Financial Aid

This program is available on-campus only.

Offered Admit Term(s) Application Deadline STEM Designated
Full‑time Fall January 15 priority deadline; rolling thereafter Yes

Full-time study is 9+ semester credit hours. International students requiring a visa to study at the RIT Rochester campus must study full‑time.

Application Details

To be considered for admission to the Cognitive Science Ph.D. program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

  • Learn tips to apply for a doctoral program and then complete a graduate application.
  • Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
  • Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college. Since the program encompasses a wide variety of disciplines, students with diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) is recommended.
  • Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Submit a statement of purpose for research which will allow the Admissions Committee to learn the most about you as a prospective researcher.
  • Submit two letters of recommendation.
  • Entrance exam requirements: None
  • Submit one writing sample. This may be an example of your research, publications, project, or other scholarly written work.
  • Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, etc.), if required. Details are below.

English Language Test Scores

International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.

Duolingo (DET): 130

IELTS: 6.5

PTE Academic: 60

TOEFL: 88

International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Deaf and hard-of-hearing test takers with significant hearing loss do not need to take the listening and speaking sections for the TOEFL and IELTS. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.

How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application

Cost and Financial Aid

An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Ph.D. students typically receive full tuition and an RIT Graduate Assistantship that will consist of a research assistantship (stipend) or a teaching assistantship (salary).

Contact

Admissions Contact
  • Laura Watts
  • Senior Associate Director
  • Office of Graduate and Part-Time Enrollment Services
  • Enrollment Management
  • 585‑475‑4901
  • Laura.Watts@rit.edu
Program Contact
  • Matthew Dye
  • Graduate Program Director, Cognitive Science
  • NTID SPACE Center
  • National Technical Institute for the Deaf
  • 585‑475‑2252
  • mwddls@rit.edu