Top Undergraduate CogSci Programs - Part I

Applying to colleges is overwhelming and terrifying. There are so many exceptional colleges, and each has something different.

Whether you are a senior already accepted to college or a freshman looking at your options, this article provides a broad overview of some of the top universities that offer an undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science. Sources include authority.org and The Princeton Review.

Find your perfect fit through this series of articles!

#1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Boston, MA

Private, City, Undergraduate Enrollment ~4,625

MIT is known for its academic excellence, extensive research opportunities, interdisciplinary approach to learning, incredible facilities, and immense diversity.

The main areas of research at MIT’s Department of Brain + Cognitive Sciences are:

• Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

• Systems Neuroscience

• Cognitive Science

• Computational Neuroscience

#2 Stanford University - Palo Alto, CA

Private, City, Undergraduate Enrollment ~7,645

Students in the Cognitive Area of Stanford’s Department of Psychology investigate a wide range of topics including language, meaning and mental representation, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, and reasoning. Their research methods include behavioral experimentation, computational and mathematical modeling, neuro-imaging, naturalistic observation, and cross-cultural fieldwork.

Stanford has a long history of cognitive science research and its culture is centered around around collaboration and participation. Taken together, this shapes an environment focused on enhancing learning and interdisciplinary research.

#3 Dartmouth University - Hanover, NH

Private, Village, Undergraduate Enrollment ~ 4,535

Students pursuing a major in Cognitive Science at Dartmouth will become familiar with the basic approaches of psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, computer science, and linguistics.

Special electives allow students to gain specialized knowledge in a particular focus areas, including:

• Decision-Making

• Language & Thought

• Learning & Development

• Consciousness

• Cognitive Science of Design

• Social Interaction Networks

• Intelligence

• Moral Reasoning

#4 University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA

Private, Metropolis, Undergraduate Enrollment ~ 10,000

Penn’s Major in Cognitive Science features a core curriculum of psychology, computation, language, philosophy, neuroscience and mathematics. Students then self-select in one of three concentrations: Cognitive Neuroscience, Computation and Cognition, or Language and Mind. There is also an option to create a special Independent Concentration and students can complete a research-based independent study project and/or honor thesis.

Penn’s cognitive science program takes a mechanical approach requiring all theories to be developed in a rigorous way that can be modeled on a computer. It also focuses on the descriptive aspects of the mind (how it actually works), not the prescriptive aspects (how it should work)

#5 Yale University - New Haven, CT

Private, City, Undergraduate Enrollment ~ 6,535

Yale’s Cognitive Science major is open by application only and uniquely allows students to build a curriculum based on a theme of their own choosing. Accepted students create a custom set of skills, breadth and depth courses from an array of affiliated departments and use what they learn to complete a Senior Thesis. They are also encouraged to pursue research opportunities both on and off campus.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the field, Yale’s Cognitive Science faculty includes researchers from a wide variety of departments, laboratories, and programs across its campus.