What Can I Do With a Major In Cognitive Science?

UGA Specific Information for Cognitive Science

Cognitive science is an emerging new science of mind and intelligent processes involving humans, animals, computers, and the abstract. The field spans a wide variety of standard disciplines including psychology, computer science, anthropology, linguistics, biology, and education. Cognitive science is expected to play a large role in the development of the technologies, training, and intervention programs of the twenty-first century. The curriculum of this interdisciplinary major includes courses in artificial intelligence, psychological foundations, language and cultural foundations, and philosophical foundations.

For the AB degree, students take lower-level classes in computer science, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, and statistics. At the upper-division level, all majors take Introduction to Cognitive Science , Cognitive Psychology , and choose between either Artificial Intelligence or Generative Syntax.  

Students then focus on two (or more) of four areas of concentration:

  • Artificial Intelligence Foundations
  • Philosophical Foundations
  • Psychological Foundations
  • Language and Culture (Linguistics and Anthropology)

A cognitive science major is preferable preparation for students who plan to go on to graduate programs in cognitive science, educational technology, artificial intelligence, instructional psychology, cognitive psychology, cognitive philosophy, or cognitive neuroscience. Cognitive science A.B. holders typically find themselves employed in technology-related positions demanding excellent technical, writing, and speaking skills.

Taken from UGA Bulletin.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW EMPLOYERS/POSITION TITLES and GRADUATE SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS REPORTED FOR THIS MAJOR

Class of 2024 Career Outcomes for Cognitive Science*

** Includes Self-Employed

Campus Resources

Career Consulting

  • Drop-In Hours are great if you have a question or if you aren’t sure where to start. Drop-in hours are available Monday - Friday from 11 AM - 2 PM. Further information can be found at career.uga.edu/appointments. 

  • The Career Center offers in-person, phone, and virtual career coaching appointments. To schedule an appointment, please do so through your Handshake account or call (706) 542-3375. 

Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Certificate Programs

Involvement Network

Institute for Artificial Intelligence

Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations

Find alumni on LinkedIn who have graduated from UGA with their Cognitive Science degree. See what they are currently doing and how they got there! To find UGA alumni, search for UGA's LinkedIn profile and select Alumni from the menu in the left margin.

Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.

Researching Careers: Regardless of the career that you desire to pursue, talking with professionals in that field is essential and can help validate your decisions. Use the Informational Interview guidelines in the UGA Career Guide to learn more about how to connect with individuals in your areas of interest.

Graduate School: If you are interested in going to graduate school, check out these Getting Into Graduate School resources on the UGA Career Center’s website. For additional graduate school help, meet with your Career Consultant at the UGA Career Center.

Study Away

The Forage online job simulations

Additional Career Research Resources

  • O*NET Online – The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledge, work activities, and interests associated with over 900 occupations.  

  • My Next Move – An interactive tool for students and job seekers to learn more about their career options.  

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook – The OOH is a career resource offering information on the hundreds of occupations that provide most of jobs in the United States.  

  • UGA Mentor Program – Connect with a mentor (alumni, faculty, staff) to research and explore industries and careers. Research industries and careers by connecting with a mentor for a quick chat or formal 16-week mentorship through the UGA Mentor Program.  

  • Interstride- Interstride is an interactive tool for both international and domestic students to enhance their international experience and employment potential. The platform consists of job-listings, hiring trends, employer information, self-assessments, and up-to-date immigration guidance. 

  • Glassdoor - Glassdoor is a free jobs and career community that offers an inside look at jobs and companies through "employee generated content" – anonymous salaries, company reviews, interview questions, and more – all posted by employees and job seekers.  

  • Steppingblocks - Research your future career with real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with career and education searches designed to find your best path based on millions of others. It’s data-powered career exploration for doers like you.

Employment Websites

General  

  • Handshake (scroll down to the bottom of the page; login with your UGA MyID and password)  
  • LinkedIn (this popular networking site also has a job board!) 
  • Idealist (non-profit jobs) 
  • USAJobs (federal jobs) 

Major/Industry Specific

Professional Associations/Resources

Employers/Position Titles Reported by Class of 2024 Cognitive Science Majors

The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2024 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Employer Position Title(s)
Carolina Psychology Group Administrative Specialist
Epic Project Manager
Epic Project Manager
Fox Communication Financial Analyst
Greystar Leasing Professional
Northrop Grumman Associate Software Engineer
PwC Cybersecurity, Risk and Regulatory Consulting Associate
RaceTrac Business Analyst
U.S. Bancorp Software Engineer
University of Georgia IT Professional Assistant
* denotes no responses received.
*Source: Areas above marked with an Asterisk (*) have been created utilizing data taken from the UGA Career Outcomes Survey. The "Employers Hiring...," "Job Titles of...," "Career Outcomes for...," and "Graduate/Professional Schools and Programs..." information listed above represent UGA Class of 2024 Graduates. The lists are not exhaustive and therefore do not represent all potential career options. Click here for more detailed Career Outcomes information regarding this major.
Graduate/Professional Schools Attended by Class of 2024 Cognitive Science Majors

The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2024 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Graduate School Program(s)
Georgia Institute of Technology Human Computer Interaction, MS
Kennesaw State University Information Security and Assurance, Master’s
Pennsylvania State University Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Doctoral
Texas A&M University Neuroscience, PhD
University of Florida Linguistics, PhD
University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence, MS
University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence, MS
University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence, MS
University of Georgia Artificial Intelligence, MS
University of Georgia Journalism and Mass Comm, MA
University of Georgia Emerging Media, MA
University of Georgia Business Analytics, MSBA
University of Georgia AI, Linguistics, PhD, MA
* denotes no responses received.

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