Program Overview

Introduction to the Cognitive Science Program

The Cognitive Science program is a second-cycle interdisciplinary Master's study program provided in cooperation with the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Arts, and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ljubljana, and a consortium of foreign universities. This program researches mentality, with basic disciplines including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, biology, linguistics, anthropology, philosophy, and psychology.

Program Overview

• The goal of the study is to educate researchers in cognitive science and experts qualified for integrative work in interdisciplinary projects.
• Master's degree holders will be capable of applying the findings of cognitive science to specific areas, such as teaching, designing software for machine learning, measuring user experience, producing interfaces, and managing group processes.

Admissions

• Admitted are students holding a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 180 ECTS.
• The number of places is 25; in case of too many applicants, an entrance exam takes place.
• After the application procedures, interviews are held with applicants to gain insight into the structure of students' background education, interests, and to help students design their curriculum for the first and second semester.

Mentors/Supervisors

• A mentoring program supports students in their individual reflections and choices, helping them focus and find their way through the curriculum towards their specialization.
• Students also have the option of having a second master's thesis supervisor from the joint degree network.

Tutoring

• All modules of the integrative kernel dedicate ECTS-credits to teamwork, where students discuss important concepts of cognitive science, ethical questions, social implications, as well as their problems, interests, research projects, and future possibilities under tutorial supervision.
• Tutors are available to students at all other times via email or special appointments when necessary.

Project-orientation and Teamwork

• At different stages of the program, students engage in projects and teamwork, working in interdisciplinary and international environments (in the exchange semester).
• At the beginning of the first semester, students form teams to cooperate on homework assignments, seminar work, paper writing, presentations, and projects throughout the first year of the study program.

Interdisciplinarity

• The integrative kernel serves as a locus of integration, discussion, and reflection, providing an epistemological and conceptual framework.
• The MEi: CogSci curriculum is interdisciplinary and intercultural, with special care given to the creation of an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect, hopefully contributing to the personal development of students and teachers involved.

The Introductory Phase

• This phase enables students to orient themselves in the field of cognitive science and provides a foundation for interdisciplinary research.
• Students entering the program differ greatly in terms of their disciplinary backgrounds and research interests.
• A central challenge of the program is not only to bridge the different disciplinary approaches, thus enabling communication and cooperation among the students, but also to turn these differences into a potential for interdisciplinary cooperation.

The Phenomenon-Oriented Phase

• This phase builds on the interdisciplinary foundations laid in the first year.
• Students gain specialized knowledge of a chosen topic focusing on a cognitive phenomenon through the integration of research methods and perspectives from multiple disciplines.

Student Mobility

• Based on their research topic chosen individually, students select one of the universities participating in the network in line with the areas of expertise of the respective partner universities.
• Mobility is planned for the third semester with the possibility of extending it to the fourth semester – if the student has a co-supervisor of his/her master's thesis from a partner university.

Master's Thesis

• The fourth semester of the study program is dedicated to students' master's theses – at the home or partner university – with the support of Master's thesis seminar.
• Students have to present their master's thesis (or a draft) at the MEi: CogSci student conference.

Program Details

• Duration: 2 years
• Semesters: 4
• ECTS credits: 120
• Obtained title: Master of Science

Curriculum

• The curriculum is published on the website of the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana.
• The program includes a range of interdisciplinary courses and research projects, designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of cognitive science and its applications.