Cognitive Science

Newcastle University

Are you curious about how the human mind functions? Fascinated by how people communicate effectively? Interested in why technologies aren’t always accessible? Cognitive Science, like psychology, aims to understand the mind's complexities and how the brain's mental processes influence behaviour. It emerged in the 1950s as a response to Behaviourism, which argued that behaviour is shaped by past experiences and conditioning. This theory became difficult to defend, especially for researchers studying language development, which Behaviourism couldn’t explain. Cognitive Science developed as an interdisciplinary field, bringing together insights from psychologists, linguists, computer scientists, and philosophers. This shift led to key breakthroughs in understanding language, perception, memory, and decision-making. This degree explores key cognitive functions like perception, attention, memory, and language. You’ll understand the various methods used to explore behaviour and understand the strengths and limitations of different approaches. By studying modules from across the University, you’ll come to understand: The structure and function of the human mind and brain The development and evolution of human language and communication How AI impacts the way we think and communicate You’ll graduate with the ability to combine critical thinking and problem-solving skills with the knowledge and understanding to reshape our future.

School of Psychology