Master of Science in Cognitive Science

This Master's programme offers advanced, research-oriented training in Cognitive Science by bridging methods and knowledge from the social sciences and psychology with computing, linguistics and the biological/neuroscientific sciences. The curriculum is designed to help you apply established theories and empirical techniques from these diverse areas to investigate how people think, communicate and behave, and how those human capacities interact with technology, organisations and economic or social systems.

By combining perspectives from several fields, the degree equips you to approach complex, real-world questions about perception, language, decision-making, human–computer interaction and social behaviour from multiple angles. Coursework and research training emphasize cross-disciplinary understanding so you can translate insights from one domain (for example, neuroscience or computer science) into approaches that inform another (such as social science or applied technology).

Central disciplines that form the backbone of the programme are:

• Psychology
• Computer Science
• Biology (including Neuroscience)
• Linguistics
• Philosophy

Admissions and application requirements

• The brief programme description provided does not list specific entry requirements.
• For exact prerequisites, required documents, language tests and application deadlines, consult the official programme webpage or contact the university’s admissions office.
• Common items you should be prepared to provide (check whether they are required for this specific programme): a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, academic transcripts, proof of English proficiency, a CV, a motivation letter, and references; international applicants will also need to verify visa and residence permit processes.

Curriculum overview

The programme begins with a compulsory introduction module in the first semester that establishes common foundations across the interdisciplinary field. After this common start, students tailor their studies by selecting three specialisations from five available areas: Perception; Cognition and Knowledge; Language and Linguistics; Cognitive Neuroscience; and Computation. This structure lets you combine complementary perspectives and methods to build a personalised study profile.

Each chosen specialisation deepens your theoretical understanding and methodological competence within that domain while retaining the programme’s interdisciplinary emphasis. Through coursework and seminars you consolidate core concepts relevant to perception, cognitive processes and knowledge representation, language structure and use, neural bases of cognition, and computational approaches to cognitive phenomena. The programme culminates in an internship that provides hands-on experience, followed by an independent Master’s thesis that demonstrates your ability to carry out sustained research or applied work.

Key learning outcomes include gaining integrated, cross-disciplinary knowledge of cognitive science topics, developing specialised expertise in three focus areas, acquiring practical experience in a real-world or laboratory setting through the internship, and demonstrating capacity for independent research and synthesis in the Master’s thesis.

• Start: Introduction module (first semester) to build common foundational knowledge
• Specialisation: Choose 3 of 5 areas — Perception; Cognition and Knowledge; Language and Linguistics; Cognitive Neuroscience; Computation
• Practical experience: Internship in the final phase of the programme
• Research capstone: Completion of a Master’s thesis demonstrating independent research and synthesis

Graduates are prepared for research and development roles across academia, industry, and public institutions. The programme’s interdisciplinary and research-focused training — combined with laboratory experience and an internship — equips students for positions such as research assistant, PhD candidate, UX/cognitive researcher, data scientist, computational cognitive scientist, or roles in neurotechnology and human-computer interaction.

Alumni can also pursue careers in applied areas like AI and machine learning, human factors, clinical and cognitive assessment services, education technology, and consultancy. The degree provides a strong foundation for those aiming to continue to doctoral studies or to work in interdisciplinary teams within startups, established tech firms, healthcare companies, and research institutes.