Dartmouth College

What you'll study

The Cognitive Science major at Dartmouth is organised around a core set of conceptual and methodological foundations together with flexible electives across multiple departments. You will take introductory and intermediate courses that cover cognitive psychology, neuroscience, language and grammar, computational modelling and the philosophy of mind. Coursework typically addresses perception and attention, memory and learning, language acquisition and processing, decision-making, and neural bases of cognition.

Methodological training is a major component: students learn experimental design, statistical analysis, programming for behavioural and computational modelling, and neuroimaging or electrophysiological techniques where relevant. The programme emphasises hands-on experience in laboratories, involvement in faculty-led research projects, and opportunities to apply computational tools from computer science and data science.

In the senior year students normally complete a capstone experience such as a supervised research thesis or an advanced seminar that culminates in an original project. Electives allow concentration in areas such as cognitive neuroscience, computational cognitive science and artificial intelligence, psycholinguistics, or philosophy of cognition.

Entry requirements

Admission to Dartmouth College is competitive and based on a holistic review of academic achievement, extracurricular engagement and personal qualities. Successful applicants to the Cognitive Science programme typically present a strong high-school record with challenging coursework in mathematics and sciences; prior study in biology, psychology, computer science or languages is advantageous but not mandatory.

Typical preparation includes competence in algebra and statistics, some exposure to scientific laboratory work or programming, and strong written and analytical skills. Because the major draws on multiple disciplines, applicants who can demonstrate curiosity about both empirical research and formal or conceptual analysis are particularly well suited.

Career prospects

Graduates with a degree in Cognitive Science pursue a wide range of pathways. Many continue to graduate study in cognitive science, psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, computer science or philosophy. The programme also provides excellent preparation for careers in artificial intelligence and machine learning, data science, human–computer interaction and user experience research.

Other common career destinations include healthcare and clinical research, education and speech/language services, product design and UX, public policy related to technology and cognition, and roles in industry that require strong quantitative and experimental skills. The interdisciplinary training and research experience also make graduates attractive to employers seeking people who can bridge technical, empirical and human-centred perspectives.

Why study at Dartmouth College

Dartmouth is an undergraduate-centred institution where students benefit from close mentorship by faculty across psychology, linguistics, computer science, philosophy and neuroscience. Small class sizes and an emphasis on undergraduate research create many opportunities to join active labs and to pursue independent projects under faculty supervision.

The college supports interdisciplinary collaboration through institutes and partnerships that bring together computational and cognitive work, and students can take advantage of resources across the liberal arts campus as well as engineering and computational facilities. Strong advising, a culture of undergraduate research, and career services geared to placing students into graduate programmes and employment make Dartmouth a supportive environment for aspiring cognitive scientists.