|
Programs |
Educational
objectives and outcomes
Graduating students will have:
§ basic knowledge
in the fields of cognitive psychology, philosophy of science, cognitive
modelling, linguistics, neuropsychology, and research methodology
§ specialized
interdisciplinary training in one of the following areas: perception, memory,
learning and education, thinking, language, and cognitive development
§ skills for
critical analysis of scientific literature and for practical application of the
methods and theories of cognitive science
§ experience in
and abilities to conduct experimental research in cognitive science
independently
Admission to
the program:
The program is open to students with a Bachelor’s or a Master's degree
in Psychology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Linguistics, Biology, Medicine,
Philosophy and other related fields of study.
The application procedure includes submission of a Statement of Purpose
essay on the topic "Why I want to study Cognitive Science" and an
interview. Successful study in the program depends on a good command of English
(academic reading and writing skills); applicants are required to present a
certificate of English language proficiency or to take an equivalent exam at
NBU.
Graduation requirements:
Credits - 120
COGM101 and COGM001 are mandatory.
Participation in the International Summer Schools in Cognitive Science
is obligatory.
The students can enroll in up to 4 courses from other master programs.
The program is completed by the defense of a Master's thesis which is
written in English and in compliance with international standards. The defense
is carried out before a Thesis Committee during the Summer Schools. The Thesis
Committee includes at least one external examiner (a member of the
International Advisory Board or a professor recommended by the Board).
SEMESTER I
Courses (15 credits required)
COGM 101 Foundations
of Cognitive Science
Assoc. Prof. Lilia Gurova, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
001 Experimental Methods
Prof. Stefan Mateev., 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
008 Statistics
Assit. Prof. Georgi Petkov, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
002 Cognitive Psychology
Prof. Stefan Mateev, Prof. Encho Gerganov, Assoc.
Prof. Boicho Kokinov, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM 004 Cognitive Modeling
Assoc. Prof. Boicho Kokinov, Assoc. Prof. Maurice Grinberg, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
007 Information Processing in the Human Brain
Prof. Ivailo Tournev, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM 201 Dynamical System Approach in Cognitive Science
Assoc. Prof. Maurice Grinberg, 30 h, 3 credits
Seminars and Labs (15 credits required)
COGM 009 Practicum in Experimental Design
Assit. Prof. Evgenia Hristova,
Assit. Prof. Penka Hristova, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
010 Practicum in Thinkin Aloud method and Protocol Analysis
Assit. Prof. Penka Hristova, 3 credits
COGM
011 Practicum in Statistics
Assit. Prof. Georgi Petkov,
3 credits.
COGM
012 Practicum in Reaction Time Experiments (E-Prime software)
Armine Janyan, 3 credits
COGM
013 Practicum in Simulation Modeling
Assit. Prof. Georgi Petkov,
3 credits
COGM 901 Individual Directed Studies in Dynamical System Approach
Assoc. Prof. Maurice Grinberg, 3
credits
COGM 902 Individual Directed Studies in Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Assoc. Prof. Lilia Gurova, 3
credits
SEMESTER II
Courses (15 credits required)
COGM 109
Analogy
Assoc. Prof. Boicho Kokinov, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
205 Visual Information Processing
Prof. Angel Vassilev, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM 111 Constructive
memory
Assoc. Prof. Boicho Kokinov, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
113 Psychophysiological Studies and Cognitive Processes
Assit. Prof. Evgenia Hristova, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
903 Grounding Cognition
Armine Janyan, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
213 Psycholinguistics
Armine Janyan, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
904 Attention, perception, action
Prof. Stefan Mateev, 30 h, 3 credits
Seminars and Labs (15 credits required)
COGM 120 Memory
and analogy Seminar
Assoc. Prof. Boicho Kokinov, 3 credits
COGM
130 Psycholinguistics Seminar
Armine Janyan, 3 credits
COGM
215 Practicum in Visual Perception
Prof. Stefan Mateev, 3 credits
COGM
216 Practicum in Psychophysiological Studies
Assit. Prof. Evgenia Hristova, 3 credits
COGM 145 Summer School in Cognitive Science, 3 credits
COGM 231 Individual Directed Studies, 3 credits
COGM 905 Individual Directed Studies in Psychophysics
Prof. Stefan Mateev,
3 credits
SEMESTER III
Courses (15 credits required)
COGM 204
Cognitive Development
Assoc. Prof. Maria Trifonova, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
207 Judgment and Decision Making
Assit. Prof. Evgenia Hristova, Assit. Prof. Penka
Hristova, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
313 Concepts and Categorization
Assoc. Prof. Lilia Gurova, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM 906 Genes, Brain, Behavior
Prof. Ivailo Tournev, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
305 Social Cognition
Assit. Prof. Penka Hristova, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
306 High-Level Vision
Prof. Stefan Mateev, 30 h, 3 credits
COGM
907 Left Brain, Right Brain
Armine Janyan, Prof. Ivailo Tournev, 30 h, 3 credits
Seminars and Labs (15 credits required)
COGM
225 Game Theory Seminar
Assoc. Prof. Maurice Grinberg, Assit. Prof. Evgenia Hristova, 3 credits
COGM 318 Teaching Assistance, 6 credits
COGM 319 Research Assistance, 6 credits
COGM 908 Individual Directed Studies in High-Level Vision
Prof. Stefan Mateev, 3 credits
COGM
909 Individual Directed Studies in Concepts and Categorization
Assoc. Prof. Lilia Gurova, 3 credits
SEMESTER IV
Seminars and Labs (15 credits required)
COGM 340 Summer School in Cognitive Science, 3 credits
COGM 220 AMBR and DUAL Seminar
Assoc. Prof. Boicho Kokinov, Assoc. Prof. Maurice Grinberg, 3 credits
COGM 230 Individual Directed Studies, 3 credits
COGM 317 Individual Directed Studies, 3 credits
COGM 910 Research
Assistance, 9 credits
Master Thesis – 15 credits
The Doctoral Program in Cognitive Science is
open to Bulgarian and international students with a relevant academic background
and serious research interests in the interdisciplinary field of cognitive
science. The language of instruction is English; therefore, proficiency in this
language is a necessary prerequisite for admission and study in the program.
Applicants without a Master’s degree in cognitive science are admitted to the
Preparatory program first as described further in this document.
COMPETENCIES
The programme maintains high international standards and offers training
to researchers and lecturers which allows them to be
highly competitive at the EU and broader international market. PhD graduates
will have:
1.
Wide interdisciplinary background combining knowledge and competencies in
the field of cognitive psychology, informatics and cognitive modelling, neuroscience,
linguistics and philosophy;
2.
Specialized interdisciplinary training in one of the following areas:
perception, memory and thinking, language and development, as well as
opportunities for their practical implementation in the field of cognitive economics,
advertising and marketing, education, artificial intelligence, human-machine
interface and web design;
3.
Skills for independent formulation of a research problem, identification
of relevant literature, critical analysis, construction of perspective alternatives
and their testing;
4.
Skills for independent conduction of theoretical, experimental and
applied studies in the field of cognitive science, as well as for management of
research teams engaged in such studies;
5.
Skills for drafting scientific texts and for publishing in international
editions;
6.
Skills for using contemporary educational methods.
ADMISSION
Applicants
must have a Master’s degree in psychology, computer science, linguistics,
biology, medicine, physics, philosophy or related disciplines and a very good
command of English. Admission is based on:
-
research project proposal
-
specialized exam in cognitive science
-
exam in English language proficiency
Doctoral student supervision:
Applicants may contact faculty members (potential
supervisors) for consultations on their choice of areas, topics, and methods of
research as part of the application process. Information on active research
areas and faculty members involved in them can be found at: http://www.nbu.bg/cogs/research/research_topics.htm
STRUCTURE OF THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM
The total number of credits required is 180. (exclusive of the credits, required for the Preparatory
program):
1.
Research activities - 90 credits
2.
Teaching activities - 20 credits
3.
Courses – 10 credits
4.
PhD oral defense - 30 credits
5.
Comprehensive Examination Requirements - 30 credits
Preparatory program - up to 120 credits
(depending on the applicant's academic background the Program Committee makes
up a plan in accordance with the Master's Program in Cognitive Science
requirements)
Once a year, doctoral students present a
report on their activities to the Program Committee. On the basis of this
report the Committee assigns credits to the student. A positive resolution on
the student's activities on behalf of the Committee is a prerequisite for
continuing participation in the program.
The Ph.D. dissertation is written in English, in compliance with international
standards, and based on data obtained by the doctoral student. Students make a
public oral presentation of the dissertation before a Dissertation Committee
during the annual
international summer school in cognitive science. The members of the
Dissertation Committee write a critical review of the dissertation and the
Committee reaches a decision on the basis of these reviews and of the public
presentation.