Information for Prospective Students
The Program in Cognitive Psychology offers research and training leading to a PhD in psychology with broad coverage of topics within cognitive psychology, including:
- Problem solving and reasoning
- Learning and memory
- Attention and executive control
- Emotion and motivation
- Social and collaborative processes in cognition
Three domains of investigation have particularly strong representation:
- Language, reading and text processing
- High-level cognition, complex learning, and instruction
- Cognitive neuroscience
Overall, two features distinguish our program: an emphasis on crossing traditional research boundaries and an interest in bridging between basic and applied research. These features of the program are outlined below, and described more fully in the summary of cognitive program research.
A summary of our training philosophy and program requirements, financial support and application materials, and life in Pittsburgh can also be found below. More general information for prospective students can be found under graduate studies.
Learn more about how our program crosses traditional research boundaries and bridges basic and applied research.
Training Philosophy and Program Requirements
A PhD implies specialized expertise, broadly related knowledge, and a commitment to scholarly and scientific inquiry.
The training philosophy of the program reflects these values within the apprenticeship model of training. Students work with faculty members, under close supervision, on research programs throughout their graduate careers. Over time, students acquire increasing independence in the pursuit of research, as indicated by completion of program milestones (first-year project, master's project, specialty paper, and dissertation project).
Within this model, the other two components—broad knowledge and commitment to inquiry—are promoted in an integrated program that includes basic coursework, seminars, brown bags, colloquia, and conferences. More details can be found in the Student Handbook for the Cognitive Program. Students with an interest in cognitive neuroscience may complete additional coursework as part of a specialized concentration offered by the Cognitive Program and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC).
Financial Support and Application Materials
Students in the program receive reimbursement for tuition, a stipend to support their living expenses, health insurance, and free public transportation as long as they remain in good standing with the program. Support comes from graduate research assistantships, teaching fellowships and assistantships, and external fellowships.
Applications to the cognitive program must be received by December 1. All applicants should complete the standard departmental and University applications, designating "Cognitive" and/or "Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration" as their program(s) of choice. Prospective students interested in Cognitive Neuroscience should also complete an application to the CNBC by December 15. An applicant can request that copies of his or her undergraduate transcript, GRE scores, and letters of recommendation be forwarded to the CNBC.
Life in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is a friendly and safe city that offers a high quality of life. Living expenses are low (each $1,000 earned in Pittsburgh is equivalent to more than $1,400 earned in New York, Boston, or San Francisco), so students can afford a variety of housing options, with or without roommates. Most choose to live close to campus, in the neighborhoods of Squirrel Hill, Oakland, or Shadyside. Each neighborhood contains a distinctive mix of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options, with frequent public transportation to the campus and downtown. Squirrel Hill and Oakland also border 456-acre Schenley Park.
The city offers many options for cultural enrichment and entertainment. The Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History are adjacent to the Pittsburgh campus, and the Andy Warhol Museum and Mattress Factory offer exposure to cutting-edge art. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, the Pittsburgh Dance Council, the Pittsburgh Public Theater, the City Theatre, and the Pittsburgh Playhouse offer full seasons of works.
The live music scene includes major touring acts in the summer and shows at club venues throughout the year. The city is home to three major-league sports teams, and outdoor recreational opportunities are abundant—hiking, biking, whitewater rafting, fishing, and skiing are less than an hour's drive from the campus.