You will study at one of the world’s best universities – UCL is ranked joint eighth in the world (QS World University Rankings 2027) and our research is pioneering. UCL is ranked first for research power in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience by the UK’s most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), with more than two-thirds of our research in these areas rated as world-leading (4*).
Key topics in this course include the nature of computational explanation; the general principles of cognition; the scope of rational choice explanation; probabilistic models of the mind; learning and memory; and applications to economics and business. The course involves training in experimental design and methodology, building computational models and undertaking original research.
This course will appeal to outstanding students interested in pursuing a research career in the cognitive and decision sciences, or to those wishing to develop an understanding of core theoretical principles of human thought to tackle applied problems in a range of areas including marketing, finance, and public policy.
On completion of the course, students will have acquired theoretical and empirical knowledge in cognition science and decision-making, and a broad range of practical research skills.
You will have made original contributions to this field in your research projects, and will understand how to apply your knowledge to real-world decision problems. You will also have developed various analytical and logical reasoning skills which can be applied to many domains of research and non-academic work. Additionally, you will have an understanding of the philosophical issues underlying cognitive science and neuroscience.
Students have gone on to find employment in the following areas: research, teaching, lecturing, consultancy, finance, and marketing. Within 15 months of completing their studies, 90% of graduates were either in work or further study (Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of graduates in the 2018–2024 cohorts).
The course draws on an outstanding academic staff, ranging across many disciplines, including internationally renowned researchers in psychology, computational modelling, neuroscience and economics. According to Clarivate Web of Science’s ‘Highly Cited Researchers 2025’, 16 of our faculty’s professors are named as being among the most influential academics in the world.