University of California, Irvine

Program Information

Degree Offered

Ph.D. - Psychology with a Concentration in Cognitive Science

Format: Campus

Program Description:

UC Irvine's Department of Cognitive Sciences offers the Ph.D. in Psychology, with a specialization in cognitive science, to prepare students for research & teaching careers in academia, industry, and government. Our emphasis is on modern techniques of experimentation & theory construction. Special attention is given to providing hands-on research experience & equipping students with sophisticated mathematical & computing skills. The Department is ranked 22nd in the nation in cognitive psychology by US News & World Report. A nationally-acclaimed faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a well-rounded student body make the program one of the best of its kind. Two of our faculty members are National Academy of Sciences members while many have served as editors, on editorial boards of leading professional journals, and as members of NSF and NIH study panels. Cognitive Sciences faculty are also members of UCI's Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences, the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, & our department is generally regarded as one of the world's leading centers for mathematically-oriented research in cognitive psychology.
Concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience: Students can also pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology with a Cognitive Neuroscience concentration. This interdisciplinary field studies the relation between mind and brain. With the development of non-invasive functional brain imaging techniques during the last two decades, the integration of cognitive and neural models of information processing has become a major focus in the field, and a major growth area within the Department's academic plan. Commensurate with the multidisciplinary nature of cognitive neuroscience, the Department expects to admit students with a variety of undergradua

Accreditation:

UC Irvine is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and all graduate programs receive rigorous external reviews mandated by the University of California every five years.

Eligibility Requirements:

--COSTS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT--
The University of California charges students both fees & tuition.California residents pay only fees while non-residents pay both fees & tuition. US citizens moving to California from other states may become legal California residents after 1 year of residency if they follow certain procedures. For international students, tuition is reduced by 75%, for up to nine quarters, once they have passed the "Advancement to Candidacy" examination.

Fellowship Awards are offered to a number of outstanding doctoral students. These awards may include a stipend for living expenses, research/travel stipends, fellowships funding student fees & nonresident tuition. A supplemental teaching (TA) or research assistantship (RA) may be provided as well. Students may be considered for teaching assistants for up to 12 quarters. RAs are also available & normally arranged individually with faculty members, and the salary is approximately the same as for TAs.

International Student Requirements:

1. International Students and students who do not speak English as their native language must submit scores for TOEFL iBT with an overall minimum score of 80. As an option to TOEFL, you may submit scores from the IELTS exam (overall score = 7 .AND. with sub-scores = 6 on each individual IELTS module). 2. Applicants who qualify to serve as Teaching Assistants (TA) may be more competitive for admission. To be eligible to serve as a TA, a TOEFLibt score = 26 on the Speaking component, OR, an IELTS score = 8 on their Speaking module, OR, a score = 50 on the TSE (Test of Spoken English). Official Test Scores must be transmitted to UC Irvine. TOEFL/TOEFLibt scores will be transmitted to UC Irvine when you specify the following on your exam: Institutional Code = 4859, Departmental Code = 47 ** TOEFLibt or IELTS test scores must be = two years old as of the first day of classes. Older scores are NOT acceptable.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities - Extensive

Institution Sector: Public

Locale: Midsize City

Size & Settings: 20,000 and above