Cognitive Science is the study of the human mind and how it shapes and is shaped by our experiences and interactions. Students of Cognitive Science are introduced to the basic cognitive processes underlying our conscious and unconscious perceptions and actions – how we make decisions, how we use language to communicate and share emotions, how we interact socially with others. This involves learning scientific theories as well as engaging in practical exercises where students use computer programming and statistics to design and carry out their own investigations of the human mind, the brain, and human behaviour.

AN INTERDISCIPLINARY ENDEAVOUR

The mind is hugely complex, and no single discipline can hope to exhaustively understand it. Cognitive Science combines theories, methods, and insights from a range of disciplines such as neuroscience, philosophy, linguistics, anthropology, and psychology in a coordinated effort to investigate human behaviour and the human mind.

Teaching is organised around lectures and group sessions in which students participate in discussions, make presentations, and work in study groups. Students also take part in practical lab work where they learn to analyse data from brain scans, behavioural experiments, and large text databases using computer programming and statistics.

The Cognitive Science programme is embedded in a rich research environment surrounding Aarhus University’s Centre for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, its Interacting Minds Centre, and its Centre for Semiotics. Students can attend research seminars and learn about new findings on an almost daily basis.

CAREERS

On completing the BSc in Cognitive Science, you will be able to choose from a range of master’s programmes offering specialisation in topics such as cognitive science, neuroscience, information studies or corporate communication. The interdisciplinary profile of the programme, combined with the concrete skills acquired in data acquisition, programming, and analysis, make graduates sought after by employers across a wide range of industries, including IT development, product design, neuroscience, consumer behaviour, and business analytics.

DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS, COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND SEMIOTICS

The Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics is one of the nine departments at the School of Communication and Culture at the Faculty of Arts.

Teaching in the department is not only research-based, but also research-oriented. Students are encouraged to collect and analyse data and to design and carry out experiments, either alone or in cooperation with the research staff. Students may even have their research published. Students regularly present their research to fellow students and staff at research seminars.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

If you wish to study a bachelor’s degree at Aarhus University, you can find all the information on our page ‘How to apply for a bachelor’s degree’. This page will tell you about the application portal, entry requirements, and specific entry requirements: https://bachelor.au.dk/en/admission/

English language requirements for bachelor’s degrees: https://bachelor.au.dk/en/admission/moreinfo/language-requirements#c2608484

Would you like to chat with a fellow student from your country, or with someone who studies the programme you are interested in? You can get help with your questions from Aarhus University’s Student Ambassadors: https://international.au.dk/education/meetau/chat-with-our-students/