For Students of Academic Year 2025/26
IMPORTANT: Please note that from September 2021, our program for incoming and continuing Cognitive Science PhD students will move to Vienna, however some research activities remain in Budapest.
Credit requiremements (see Departmental Doctoral Regulations) :
1st yr students: 30 credits (60 ECTS) to be collected during the academic year (16 for courses, 6 for JC + Colloquia, 8 for PhD thesis proposal.)
2nd, 3rd and 4th yr students: 30 (60 ECTS) credits to be collected during each academic year (6 for JC + Colloquia each year, 2 for workshop presentation each year, 12 for PhD Progress Report (each year), 2 for conference participation (two times only), 2 for Teaching Assistantship (one time), 24 for dissertation (one time).)
****NEW REGISTRATION SYSTEM CALLED SITS is available here***
Fall Term Schedule 2025/26 as of 15 September 2025
Curriculum
The main goal of the coureses in our PhD program is to ensure that the students master the basic notions and theories in cognitive science and can do cutting-edge doctoral research in one area of expertise of program, such as social cognitive sciences and the study of social cognition. The PhD program will provide basic training (taught courses) on at least the following topics:
- Cognitive psychology
- Research methods in cognitive science
- Social cognition
The credit requirements to be fulfilled during the three-year Cognitive Science PhD program are such that the course work is concentrated during the first year, while most of the requirements are research focused.
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Courses and Syllabi
Fall Term (2025/26) - credit requirements: 10 for 1st yr students
Core Course (Mandatory):
Research Courses: [4 credits to be elected by 1st yr students]
- Infant Cognition - Ágnes Melinda Kovács, Ernő Téglás (2 credits for Grade) - offered for crosslist to PHIL
- Visual Cognition - József Fiser (2 credits for Grade) - offered for crosslist to PHIL and NDS
- Joint Action and Communication - Natalie Sebanz (2 credits for Grade) - offered for crosslist to PHIL
Elective Courses: [2 credits to be elected by 1st year students]
- The Origin of Abstract Combinatorial Thought - Ágnes Melinda Kovács (2 credts for Grade) - offered for crosslist to PHIL
- What are social and cultural things made of (and why it matters)? - Dan Sperber (2 credits for Grade) offered for Crosslisted to Phil and SOCI (Starting in the week of November 3, 2025 with double classes per week)
- Dehumanization - Maria Kronfeldner (2 credits for Grade, MA/PhD level) - PHIL offers for crosslist
Mandatory to attend for Pass/Fail (for all 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th yr students):
- CDC Seminar/Department Colloquium - (1 credit for Pass/Fail)
- Journal Club/Research Club - (1 credit for Pass/Fail)
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Winter Term (2025/26) - credit requirements: 10 for 1st yr students
Core Course (Mandatory):
Elective Courses: [2 credits to be elected by 1st yr students]
- Professional Development – Eva Wittenberg (2 credits for Grade)
- Bayesian Data Analysis I – József Fiser (2 credits for Grade) offered for crosslist to NDS
- Practical Programming for Cognitive Science - Jonathan Kominsky (2 credits for Grade) -offered for crosslist to NDS
Mandatory to attend for Pass/Fail (for all 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th yr students):
- CDC Seminar/Department Colloquium- (1 credit for Pass/Fail)
- Journal Club/Research Club - (1 credit for Pass/Fail)
- One Individual Study Course with the Supervisor, 4 credits, graded (mandatory for all 1st yr students)
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Spring Term (2025/26)
- Research Proposal Development (8 credits for Pass/Fail - for 1st year students)
- Comprehensive exam (0 credits for Pass/Fail - for 1st year students)
- PhD Progress Report and Dissertation Chapter (12 credits for Pass/Fail- for 2nd 3rd and 4th yr students)
- Research Progress Workshop presentation (2 credits for Pass/Fail - for 2nd 3rd and 4th yr students)
- Conference presentation (2 credits for Pass/Fail - for 2nd and 3rd yr students)
- Teaching Assistantship (2 credits for Pass/Fail - once for 2nd or 3rd yr students)
- Dissertation (24 credits for Pass/Fail - for 4th yr students)
Mandatory to attend for Pass/Fail (for all 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th yr students):
- CDC Seminar/Department Colloquium - (1 credit for Pass/Fail)
- Journal Club/Research Club - (1 credit for Pass/Fail)
Detailed course descriptions are available at Courses.
Departmental Essay Marking Scheme is available here.
More information on credits and CEU Grading System available at Student Records Office.
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Exam Schedules
Statistics exam: March 31, 2026., Tuesday 11 am. Room C503.
Comprehensive Exam for 1st yr students: June 1, 2026., Monday, 10 am. Room D001.
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