The core objective of the Cognitive Science PhD Program is to enable excellent students to carry out independent research in promising and highly active areas of Cognitive Science. The programme aims at optimal synergy between the dissertation projects and current research at the Osnabrück Institute of Cognitive Science.

Specific characteristics of the programme are:

• interdisciplinary research, integrating all Cognitive Science sub-disciplines;
• a curriculum comprising seminars, colloquiums and reading groups, systematically supporting the thesis work and enabling students to finish their PhD within three years;
• international research environment including seminars conducted by renowned guest lecturers and an assignment abroad;
• supervision by at least two principal investigators from different Cognitive Science sub-disciplines. Joint supervision with an external supervisor from a university abroad is welcomed;
• the opportunity to gain teaching experience by co-teaching a seminar together with an experienced lecturer;
• English as the language of instruction; the PhD thesis can be written in either German or English and for the oral examination candidates can also choose between these two languages;
• soft skills courses which provide training on presentation and communication skills, academic writing and publication, grant application, project management, etc.