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Cognitive Science (Joint PhD)

Doctorate
Overview
Application Requirements
Faculty
Home Departments
Related Programs
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Application Deadlines
Fall: Dec 1 (Child Study and Human Development & Psychology), Dec 15 (Computer Science), Jan 15 (Education)
Spring: Sep 15 (Computer Science)
Summer: n/a
School/Department

Cognitive Science Program

Program Director
J.P. de Ruiter
Location
Medford/Somerville
Format
On-campus
Commitment Options
Full-time
Average Duration
5 years
Credits
Varies
Contact

gradadmissions@tufts.edu


Overview

Cutting across the information and life sciences, cognitive science is a paradigmatic multi- and inter-disciplinary research program with enormous future societal benefits, especially as intelligent artificial agents are becoming part of our lives.

Program Objectives

Tufts has built up a world-renowned faculty in Cognitive Science, some of whom have been prominent since the beginnings of the field. The joint PhD program has particular interdisciplinary strength in the area of human language, including theoretical linguistics, psycho- and neurolinguistics, reading and dyslexia, and computational linguistics, and it offers considerable expertise as well in other traditional subareas of cognitive science including animal cognition, human memory, behavioral/cognitive/affective neuroscience, cognitive modeling, robotics, and human computer interaction.

Application Requirements

  • Application Fee
  • Resume/CV
  • Personal Statement
  • Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores, if applicable
  • Transcripts
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • GRE General Test scores: Not required for applicants applying to Psychology: Cognitive Science, Child Study and Human Development: Cognitive Science, and Education: Cognitive Science. If you are applying to the Computer Science: Cognitive Science program, GREs are waived for those who will have received a degree from a U.S. or Canadian institution by time of enrollment.

There is no separate admissions process for the cognitive science PhD program. Simply indicate on your application to a home department that they would like to be admitted to the cognitive science PhD program. The program director will work with faculty responsible for admission in the home department to determine your eligibility. Note that this process will not conflict with the admissions process (or criteria) in your home department; only students that satisfy the admissions criteria of the home department can be considered for admission into the cognitive science PhD program.

  • PhD in Psychology: Cognitive Science - Indicate "Cognitive Science" on application.
  • PhD in Child Study and Human Development: Enroll in Cognitive Sciences program after matriculation.
  • PhD in Computer Science: Indicate "Cognitive Science" on application.
  • PhD in Education: Cognitive Science: Indicate "Cognitive Science" on application.

Tuition and Financial Aid

See Tuition and Financial Aid information.

Faculty

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J.P. de Ruiter

Professor of Psychology and Computer Science
Cognition and Psycholinguistics
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Stephanie Badde

Stibel Family Assistant Professor of Brain and Cognitive Science
Perception
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Eileen Crehan

Assistant Professor
Neurodevelopmental disorders; autism spectrum disorder; sexuality education; social perception; eye tracking; dimensional measurement of psychological symptoms
Academic Leave
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Calvin Gidney

Associate Professor
Linguistics; literacy, sociolinguistic development; dyslexia in African-American children; language of children's cartoons; children's name-calling
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Brian Epstein

Associate Professor
Metaphysics, Philosophy of Social Science, Philosophy of Language
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Mimi Kao

Assistant Professor
Neural basis of vocal communication
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Gina Kuperberg

Dennett Stibel Professor of Cognitive Science
Cognitive Neuroscience, Language (semantics), Clinical cognitive neuroscience
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Tama Leventhal

Professor and Department Chair of Child Study & Human Development
Neighborhood and community context; housing context; family context; poverty and socioeconomic status; social policy; adolescence; immigrant young children
Academic Leave
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Paul Muentener

Associate Professor
Conceptual Development, Causal Reasoning, Language & Thought
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Ayanna Thomas

Professor and Dean of Research for Arts and Sciences
Memory and Aging

Home Departments

There are four departments are associated with this exciting interdisciplinary program: Psychology, Computer Science, Child Study and Human Development and Education. Students apply to and enroll in the joint Cognitive Science PhD program through one of these departments (referred to as the 'home departments'), either as a prospective graduate student or as a current graduate student after they have been accepted by one of the departments (e.g., after they have already started their PhD).

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