Master of Science in Applied Cognitive Psychology
Utrecht University
Key Information
Campus location
Utrecht, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,209 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
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* EU/EEA, Surinam or Swiss students; €17,500: International students
Introduction
Using Knowledge of Psychology to Improve Daily Life
In the Master’s program Applied Cognitive Psychology, you will learn to apply knowledge of cognition and behavior to situations and problems that occur in daily life.
Processing information
During this one-year program, you will learn about human information processing. That knowledge is useful for making signage or advertising more effective, for example, or for making products more user-friendly.
You will also learn to come up with solutions for a wide range of problems that can occur in professional practice. Humans are dramatically changing their environment using increasingly complex technology, such as the Internet, social media, robotics, and automation. In order to design an environment that is well suited to human cognitive abilities, one should understand human perception, understanding, and reasoning.
International orientation
This Master’s program is internationally oriented, from the literature used in class to the opportunity to do an internship and write a thesis abroad, and from the option of attending electives at foreign universities to participating in international summer schools, research conferences, or workshops.
Learn to work in multidisciplinary teams
Both our lecturers and our students have very diverse backgrounds. During the study program, you will spend a lot of time learning to work in multi-disciplinary teams. Accurate and careful communication is vital to that process.
Program Outcome
Once you have completed the Master’s program, you will be a true academic professional who can apply scientific knowledge, such as acting as an independent consultant on ergonomic problems. As a member of an interdisciplinary team, you will contribute to solving these problems together with designers, policymakers, technicians, computer scientists, and business experts. You can also advise on the sensory aspects of marketing communications. You will also have developed excellent verbal and written communication skills to communicate with all sorts of audiences.
How does this Master’s program differentiate itself from similar programs at other universities?
- This program has a strong empirical foundation. During the start of the master program, you will learn several important skills and techniques to quantify and qualify aspects of human behavior and the physical context. These are important aspects of validation.
- The program deals with a wide range of problems, such as: communicating advertising messages, cockpit ergonomics, safety and the design of public space, and workload at the police hotline.
- The program has a strong connection with the work field, from small to large companies, and with basic science. Utrecht has considerable specialist knowledge on vision science, attention, and eye-tracking.
The Master’s in Applied Cognitive Psychology at Utrecht University is limited in size, allowing students to have more intensive contact with the lecturers in their program.
Curriculum
Program Outline
Period 1
- Applied Cognitive Psychology Research Toolbox 10 EC
Period 2
- Research in a Commercial Setting 5 EC
- Internship: 12,5 EC or 7,5 EC + Elective course 5 EC
Period 3 and 4
- Master's thesis 27,5 EC
Career Opportunities
With this Master's you can pursue a career in the commercial and the non-profit sector as well as in academia.
Towards the Job Market
Potential professional careers include:
- consultant
- applied researcher
- Potential job markets include:
- design industry
- health care
- ICT sector
- marketing and advertising
- railway companies
- traffic and the automotive industry
- telecommunications
- airports/aviation
- industrial product development
Academic Career
Another possible career option is a career in academia.