Brain and Cognition
Diverse Research Opportunities
Engage in cutting-edge research
across various areas such as
cognitive development, multisensory processing, and neuropsychiatric disorders, guided by a team of highly qualified and experienced faculty members.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Benefit from a collaborative academic environment that encourages interdisciplinary work, allowing students to integrate knowledge from multiple fields and develop innovative approaches to research.
Strong Future Career Prospects
Graduates are well-prepared for diverse career paths in academia, research institutions, healthcare,
and industry, supported by a
robust network of professional
connections and alumni.
Program Benefits
For approved programs of study, your tuition is fully covered and you will be awarded an assistantship with a monthly stipend. Assistantships include research and teaching experiences, allowing you to expand your academic skillset.
Brain & Cognition Faculty
Catalin V. Buhusi
Professor - Neuroscience Program & Brain and Cognition Specialization
Kerry Jordan
Associate Professor - Brain & Cognition Specialization
Timothy A. Shahan
Professor - Brain & Cognition and Behavior Analysis Specializations
Christopher Warren
Associate Professor - Neuroscience Program & Brain & Cognition Specialization
Application Requirements
Submit the following to the School of Graduate Studies:
- Application
- Statement of Purpose/Intent - Recommended length of 500-1000 words
- CV
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- GRE Scores- Some individuals may have experienced difficulty taking the GRE due to COVID-19. As such, the Brain and Cognition program is not requiring GRE scores for applications, but does encourage you to submit them if you have them.
- Official Transcripts from All Previous Schools
Admission Criteria:
- GPA for the last 60 credits taken of 3.0 or higher
- GRE scores for the verbal and quantitative areas at the 40th percentile or above
- Fit with a current faculty member affiliated with the specialization
Applications are due by December 1st.
This specialization will be conducting invitation only interviews of applicants in-person on February 22nd - 24th.
Brain & Cognition Labs
Mona Buhusi Lab | Mona Buhusi
The Mona Buhusi Lab conducts research involving identifying the specific sets of guidance cues along individual pathways and understanding how anomalies in neuronal connectivity relate to human neuropsychopathology.
Multisensory Cognition Lab | Kerry Jordan
The Multisensory Cognition Lab asks the question, “How did we, starting as prelinguistic infants, extract meaningful information from our world's busy mixture of multisensory stimulation?”
Warren Neuromodulation Lab | Chris Warren
The Warren Neuromodulation Lab conducts research on how the brain optimizes cognitive performance under varying circumstances.
Timothy Shahan Lab | Timothy Shahan
The Shahan Lab focuses on quantitative analyses of conditioning and learning.
Quantified Cognition Lab | Emily Weichart
The Quantified Cognition Lab focuses on the interplay between perception, memory, and decision-making with the broader goal of understanding how these processes collectively shape knowledge and guide human actions.
Student Spotlight
Chloe Taylor - Brain & Cognition
Chloe Taylor is a student in the Brain & Cognition Ph.D. program and a member of the Neuromodulation Lab with Dr. Christopher Warren. Chloe's research interests include attention and laterality difference, specifically how hemispheric laterality differences process differing emotional sensory stimuli and impact attention. Prior to pursuing graduate studies, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy at Washburn University.
Chloe shares how she decided USU was the right place for her and her future goals in the field of psychology.
Program News