The Cognition, Perception, and Neuroscience area of focus is an informal track within the M.A. Psychology Program that does not appear on students' transcripts.
If you are a prospective applicant interested in this area of focus, you should apply directly to the M.A. Psychology Program and indicate Cognition, Perception and Neuroscience as your area of interest.
Cognition, Perception, and Neuroscience Description
NYU’s MA Psychology program offers an unparalleled opportunity to pursue a career in cognition, perception and neuroscience. You will study questions across a broad range of topics. For example, how does sensory perception relate to higher-order cognition in language development, problem solving and memory? How does attention manage the load and resources available for information processing? Are you interested in how neuroscientists map brain structures and neural interconnections to examine the interaction between cognition and emotion? Explore how motor capacity, perception and cognition in infancy changes over time. Or study how artificial intelligence and machine learning contribute to knowledge of human cognition. These topics are just the starting point in our MA core curriculum. By first demonstrating a strong academic foundation, MA students with permission may enroll in doctoral courses and work in faculty research labs. We also offer specialized classes in quantitative psychology tailored for cognition, perception and neuroscience research in the Psychology department and through other NYU departments including Mathematics and Computer Science. MA students are invited to attend weekly Psychology Department colloquia and brown bag lunch forums along with faculty and doctoral students.
Career Pathways
Academic. MA students have been competitive in gaining admissions to Ph.D. programs in this area given high achievement in coursework and research working in faculty labs conducting empirical theses. Alumni of the M.A. program have continued in doctoral programs at prestigious schools.
Note: The MA program is distinct from the NYU Ph.D. program in Cognition and Perception. Application to this Ph.D. program requires a separate application and is evaluated by a different committee. Applicants to the Ph.D. program may request consideration for the MA program if not accepted to the Ph.D. program.
Employment. Graduates with a focus in cognition, perception and neuroscience, particularly with advanced quantitative skills have gained employment as lab managers and research assistants in academic institutions, as corporate data scientists, in technology-based user experience design firms, in neuroscience market research roles, and in consulting firms focused on behavioral economics and decision making.
Curriculum Pathway for Cognition, Perception, and Neuroscience
See Program Requirements link for required Foundation and Core Courses - 15 credits
Recommended Core Courses in Cognition, Perception, and Neuroscience – (2 may count towards Core requirement, others may be taken as electives)
- Cognitive Psychology (core A)
- Cognitive Neuroscience (core A)
- Physiological Basis of Behavior (core A)
- Principles of Learning (core A)
- Sensation and Perception (core A)
Recommended Electives Most Relevant to Cognition, Perception and Neuroscience
- Additional Core A courses taken as electives (see above)
- Affective Neuroscience
- Child Development
- Neuropsychology
- Psychology of Decision Making
- Behavioral Economics and Consumer Neuroscience
- Scientific Programming for the Behavioral Sciences
- Advanced Statistics
- Other, determined through advisement
- With permission, advanced Ph.D. courses offered in the Psychology Department
Electives in other departments and schools at NYU
As the largest private University in the country, NYU has multiple Schools, Centers, and Departments with psychology related courses. Cross registration requires advisor approval.
