Overview

This Master of Arts in Cognitive Science program from Johns Hopkins University is intended to appeal to students who have undergraduate degrees in linguistics, psychology, computer science, neuroscience, and other subdisciplines of cognitive science. It may be of particular interest to students who wish to strengthen their qualifications for a PhD program or a career in which an MA in cognitive science would make them more competitive.

A student in the MA program chooses to pursue either the research track or the course track. For both tracks, the student works closely with a faculty mentor throughout the program.

The MA in cognitive science allows students to develop research-oriented expertise needed to pursue a PhD at another institution or research-centered employment, and provides interdisciplinary education beyond the undergraduate level that will be useful for careers related to cognitive science.

There are many career opportunities open to those with advanced degrees in cognitive science and related fields. Outside of academia, these include positions in lab management, grant and technical writing, market research and consulting, computational linguistics, and human-computer interaction (e.g., work on automatic language production and recognition systems).

Please note that the MA program is not a pathway into the department’s PhD program. They are separate and distinct programs. Students in most cognitive science PhD programs generally earn an MA/MS degree on the way to a PhD, but most of the cognitive science departments in the U.S. do not offer stand-alone MA degrees. Few programs can provide pre-PhD training beyond the undergraduate level. The cognitive science MA program is a preparation for those wishing to pursue doctoral studies in a related field or to gain a competitive edge in the job market.

Educational Objectives

The MA program aims to develop and extend the knowledge and research skills of individuals interested in pursuing a PhD in a field of cognitive science or gaining research-centered employment.

Students in the MA program:

Acquire a strong background in the empirical findings and theoretical frameworks of one or more areas of cognitive science
Acquire and apply analytic and technical skills needed to critically evaluate research findings, and to communicate research findings orally and in writing
Develop the ability to conduct original problem-centered and theory-driven research in the chosen areas of study
Gain experience with and fully participate in a collaborative lab-based community of researchers from a wide range of backgrounds and fields.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Cognitive Neuroimaging Methods

Neurolinguistics

Deep Learning for Cognitive Neuroscience

First Language Acquisition

Sociophonetics
Language & Thought

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-01-21 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-10-15 00:00:00
Starting 2026-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

100

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Cognitive Science View 98 other Masters in Cognitive Science in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

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Other requirements

General requirements

Resume or CV: Include relevant background and research experience.

Letters of Recommendation: Exactly two letters of recommendation are required. They should be detailed, address the applicant’s suitability for the program, evaluate the applicant’s research experience (if relevant), and assess their future promise
Statement of Purpose

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

62840 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 62840 USD per year during 12 months.
National

62840 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 62840 USD per year during 12 months.
In-State

62840 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 62840 USD per year during 12 months.

Living costs for Baltimore

1240 - 2100 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Cognitive Science.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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