Cognitive Psychology Degrees and Careers
(found programs from 198 schools)

Online Programs in Cognitive Psychology

Unfortunately, very few online cognitive psychology degrees are available. Students seeking cognitive psychology online programs may find many individual online courses - including some that are free - but very few degree programs.

However, students interested in this field can learn more about it by earning an online general psychology degree and specializing in cognitive psychology. A number of online psychology master's and bachelor's degrees allow students to take elective courses in cognitive psychology. Bachelor's degrees tend to have more room for electives, so students interested in learning as much as they can about cognitive psychology may want to earn an online bachelor's degree in psychology with an emphasis in cognitive psychology.

Students should also contact schools with online master's and doctoral programs in psychology and inquire about individual plans of study. Some schools will allow students to create their own degrees or specializations provided knowledgeable faculty members are available to oversee them.

Online Cognitive Psychology Degrees to Consider:

At Kaplan University, students can earn an online Master of Science in psychology that allows for elective courses in cognitive psychology. Not only can students earning the general psychology specialization take courses in cognitive psychology, but also students who choose the thesis track can center their research on this area.

Drexel University offers an online bachelor's degree in psychology that allows students 56 free electives and 24 advanced psychology electives. Students can take cognitive psychology for three of these credit hours. They may also choose cognitive psychology areas, such as psychology of learning and psychology of sexual behavior, to fill the other credit hours.

Finally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a number of free online lectures in cognitive psychology. The courses include cognitive neuroscience, cognitive processes and foundations of cognition. Although completing these courses will not result in a degree, they are a good start for people looking to brush up on cognitive psychology before entering a master's or doctoral program.

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology Careers

Many of the toughest questions about neural behavior - i.e., how the brain works - are within the ambit of cognitive psychology. For example, is complex thought possible in the absence of language, or can such ideas only be expressed and considered verbally? How does the brain process musical notes, recognizing their combinations and deriving pleasure from them? How can a person hold on to some memories for years while others are soon forgotten? Why do people consistently fall prey to certain cognitive biases that can be easily disproved by logic? If these theoretical questions fascinate you, consider cognitive psychology.

Useful Resources

• Cognitive Science Society
• International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy

Cognitive Psychology Job Description

Cognitive psychologists study the manner in which the brain (in both humans and animals) acquires, digests and processes information.

Cognitive Psychology Requirements

As undergraduates, future cognitive psychologists tend to major in psychology or biology, and in any event are adept with science, psychology and statistics. Some have backgrounds in computer science as well. While there are a few master's-granting programs in this area, most graduate programs require five to six years of study culminating in award of the Doctor of Philosophy in psychology (Ph.D.). Because cognitive psychologists engage almost exclusively in research - not clinical practice - candidates for graduate programs often must demonstrate particular and developed interest in the field. In some programs, applicants are selected for admission individually by faculty members with whom they share an academic interest. The most competitive candidates possess prior research experience, relevant undergraduate study and satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).

Cognitive Psychology Career Outlook

Cognitive psychologists can define their interests along the numerous stages of cognition: perception, storage of perceived material, retrieval of stored material, and thinking. Modes of research that cognitive psychologists engage in include experimental psychology (assessing cognition through administration of tests on actual human subjects), computer modeling (simulating cognition with computer programs), and cognitive neuropsychology (examining biophysical and biochemical aspects of the brain that are responsible for cognition).

Cognitive psychologists generally work in academic setting as teachers and researchers, and their salary is reflective of trends within academia. According to a 2005 report by the American Psychological Association, salaries for cognitive psychologists in academia ranged from $59,000 to $75,000.

Cognitive Psychology Trends

A number of topics within cognitive psychology have lately been drawing a significant amount of scholarly attention. Recent topics of interest include: the extent to which cognitive processes differ in men and women, how closely human and animal thought can be simulated by artificial forms of intelligence, and the relationship between sleep and cognition.

Cognitive Psychology Degree Programs

Welcome to the most complete directory on the Web of Cognitive Psychology programs. It contains all the nationally accredited programs, from 198 schools across the country.

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