Program Overview

Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS)

The NACS program offers a wide range of research and training opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing doctoral-level research in a variety of areas within neuroscience and cognitive science. Faculty research interests center around seven main areas: Cellular & Molecular, Sensory & Motor Systems, Computational Modeling & Theory, Language & Speech, Cognition & Emotion, Development & Aging, and Disorders & Treatment. Research approaches include both the theoretical and experimental, with several laboratories doing both.

Abstract

The NACS program requires the completion of two required core courses and three out of five core courses, including introduction to neurosciences, cognitive neuroscience, computational neuroscience, cellular and molecular neuroscience, and cognitive science. The goal of the Program is to bring together the diverse perspectives and strengths of all the included disciplines in order to understand the working of the nervous system, the mind, and behavior.

Financial Assistance

Fellowships are available on a competitive basis to both entering and continuing students, while qualified students may also receive teaching assistantships. In addition, some faculty have research assistantships for their students.

General Requirements

• Statement of Purpose
• Transcript(s)
• TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (international graduate students)

Program-Specific Requirements

• Letters of Recommendation (3)
• Writing Sample
• CV/Resume

Application Deadlines

• Domestic Applicants: December 2, 2025
• International Applicants: December 2, 2025

Degrees Offered

• Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
• Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, Master of Science (M.S.)

Facilities and Special Resources

The Program, by virtue of its breadth, has access to the facilities of all the departments, institutes, and centers of its faculty members. These include the Institute for Systems Research, the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, the Center for Advanced Study of Language, the Maryland Neuroimaging Center, and the various well-equipped research laboratories and department facilities of the faculty. Animal facilities are available where necessary. NACS has developed close collaborations with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC), and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). NACS students can conduct research in laboratories with NACS adjunct faculty at these institutions.

Faculty

The faculty members of the NACS program are from various departments and units, including Aerospace Engineering, Animal and Avian Sciences, Biology, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, English, Entomology, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Hearing and Speech Sciences, Human Development, Kinesiology, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology, and Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, as well as the Center for Advanced Study of Language, the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, the Institute for Systems Research, the Maryland Neuroimaging Center, and the Second Language Acquisition program. The faculty list includes:

• Abshire, Pamela
• Aloimonos, John
• Anderson, Samira
• Angueyra, Juan
• Araneda, Ricardo
• Babadi, Behtash
• Ball, Gregory
• Bernat, Edward
• Bolger, Donald J.
• Butler, Lucas
• Francis, Nikolas
• Gard, Arianna
• Gentili, Rodolphe
• Goupell, Matthew
• Hart, Evan
• Hatfield, Bradley D.
• Herberholz, Jens
• Hoover, Eric
• Horiuchi, Timothy
• Hu, Ming
• Huang, Yi-Ting
• Idsardi, William
• Israel, Michael
• Jiang, Nan
• Juntti, Scott
• Kane, Stacey
• Killen, Melanie A.
• Krishnaprasad, P.S.
• Lau, Ellen
• Li, Xuan "Anna"
• Lidz, Jeffrey
• Lin, Huang "Frederick"
• MacSwan, Jeff
• Miller, Ross H.
• Newman, Rochelle
• Novick, Jared
• Payne-Sturges, Devon
• Pessoa, Luiz
• Phillips, Colin
• Powell, Danielle
• Prather, Richard
• Ratner, Nan Bernstein
• Redcay, Elizabeth
• Resnik, Philip S.
• Riggins, Tracy
• Roesch, Matthew
• Romeo, Rachel
• Saetti, Umberto
• Shackman, Alexander
• Shah, Yasmeen
• Shamma, Shihab
• Shim, Jae Kun
• Simon, Jonathan
• Simon, Madlen
• Singer, Joshua
• Slevc, Robert
• Smith, Carson J.
• Speer, Colenso
• Taneyhill, Lisa
• Uriagereka, Juan
• Wang, Jian
• Xie, Weizhan "Zane"
• Xu, Nan