What is Cognitive Science?
Cognitive scientists answer questions about the mind and how it computes and manipulates information. It can involve researching humans or animals, and may use computational approaches to model cognitive processes. The field spans a wide variety of disciplines including computer science, linguistics, mathematics, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. Understanding human behavior is foundational in many fields, making career paths for cognitive science wide-ranging.
About the Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science
Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science (RuCCS) is an internationally recognized cognitive science center that has been fostering interdisciplinary collaborations for more than twenty-five years. RuCCS faculty with intersecting interests from numerous disciplines come together to carry out innovative and transformative research in the complex field involving the mind and brain. RuCCS collaborations create an enriched student experience that engages research at the intersection of the Arts and Sciences, and uniquely prepares the next generation of Cognitive Science scholars. Through our undergraduate major and undergraduate minor, RuCCS provides interdisciplinary training and research experiences with pioneers in the field. In addition, in the Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Science program, doctoral students learn about areas outside of their specialization and conduct research with faculty members who introduce them to novel ideas and techniques.
Why Study Cognitive Science at Rutgers?
Cognitive Science Major Career
The Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science (RuCCS) on Busch campus is the hub for over 70 faculty from a number of departments, including biomedical engineering, computer science, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. We offer:
- Dynamic Courses: RuCCS offers a cognitive science major and minor, with modest course-loads and a large degree of flexibility.
- Interdisciplinary Research: Students can engage in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of Arts & Sciences.
- Specialization of Interests: Students choose from 1 of 5 tracks: Cognitive Neuroscience, Decision Making, Language, Minds, Machines, & Computation, and Perception.
If you are interesting in becoming a Major or Minor in Cognitive Science, please find out more about our options at Rutgers by visiting the Major / Minor page.
If you have questions, please contact
Careers in Cognitive Science
Cognitive scientists answer questions about the mind and how it computes and manipulates information. Understanding human behavior is foundational in many fields, making career paths for cognitive science wide-ranging: from medical school or graduate studies, to artificial intelligence or marketing. Our students have had success in both transitioning to postgraduate education, as well as obtaining industry-related positions.
- A Path to Graduate Education: A degree in Cognitive Science offers great preparation for medical school, law school, or graduates studies in cognitive science or one of its constituent disciplines (e.g., anthropology, biomedical engineering, computer science, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology).
- A Path to Industry: A degree in Cognitive Science can prepare you for a variety of careers, which range from the more technical and analytic to social and humanities-driven. Some of these career tracks can involve: artificial intelligence, business, data science, education, public sector, healthcare, human-computer interactions, applied linguistics, information processing, law, marketing, product design, psychology, human resources, research, and software engineering.
