For more information please contact us at apply[at]cmuportugal.org
The Dual Degree in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience is a partnership between the Neuroscience Institute and the Psychology Department at Carnegie Mellon University and the participating Portuguese Universities, Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação, Universidade de Coimbra and Instituto Superior Técnico from University of Lisbon.
The CMU associated degrees are:
The Portuguese Universities and associated degrees are:
Ph.D. Program in Cognitive Neuroscience
The Ph.D. Program in Cognitive Neuroscience aims to train cognitive neuroscientists who deeply understand and integrate cross-disciplinary research findings, perspectives, and tools for the study of mind, brain, and behavior.
Objectives
The goal of the program is to train graduate students to engage in rigorous, innovative research; to teach how to present this research both orally and in written form; to provide a deep knowledge base in a specific area of study as well as a broad understanding of psychological research outside of that area; and to afford teaching experience in a university setting. The graduate program is based on a mentorship model whereby students work closely with one faculty member in their area, in the context of a committee that consists of other faculty in and/or outside the department.
Program and Course Structure
The Program, course structure and requirements are available at the Department of Psychology’s website. The graduate student handbook is available here.
Ph.D. Program in Neural Computation
The Ph.D. Program on Neural Computation seeks to train new scientists in the field. Computational neuroscience is an area of brain science that uses technology to develop and analyze large data sets that are used to understand the complexities of neurobiological systems. In recent years, these methods have become more and more vital to the field of neuroscience as a whole. The use of quantitative methods in neurophysiology has led to important advances, and there has been a continuing stream of related work within mathematics and applied physics. More recently, engineers, computer scientists, and statisticians have contributed to the field, further expanding the definition of computational neuroscience.
Objectives
This program is designed to attract students with strong quantitative backgrounds (in computer science, physics, statistics, mathematics, and engineering) and to train them in quantitative disciplines relevant to neuroscience and provide them with the essential background in experimental neuroscience.
It is aimed at those who are interested in computational neuroscience, particularly with an emphasis on quantitative methods from computer science, machine learning, statistics and nonlinear dynamics.
Program and Course Structure
The Program, course structure and requirements are available at the Neuroscience Institute’s website.
For both the PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience and the PhD in Neural Computation:
Supervision
The thesis will be co-advised by at least two co-advisors, one from CMU and one from a Portuguese partner University.
Type of Degree
The student will be awarded with a dual degree Ph.D. conferred by CMU and another by the Portuguese partner University. During the Ph.D., the student should comply with the regulations of both Universities.
5 years (full-time), with up to 2 years at CMU and up to 3 years at a Portuguese University.
The Ph.D. students enrolled in the dual degree Ph.D. program will receive financial support through an FCT - CMU Portugal Fellowship (includes tuition fees and a monthly stipend).
The following documents are usually required, although the candidate should carefully read the announcement of the call available on the "Admissions and Scholarships webpage for the complete information on the required documents.
You must submit the following documents with your application:
• CV (pdf.)
• A statement of purpose — a concise one- or two-page essay describing your primary research interests, related experiences, and objectives in pursuing a Ph.D.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required.
• English proficiency: If your native language is not English or you have not graduated from a U.S. university, you must submit a TOEFL test. Duolingo tests are also accepted in case you are unable to to test for TOEFL.
• List all the Colleges and/or Universities you have attended from which a degree was obtained. Upload a copy (in English) of your most recent transcript(s) in PDF format.
• Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which are from faculty or recent employers.
