What type of job would someone with a cognitive science degree do?

There are two main routes you can take with a cognitive science degree: 1) Academia, and 2) Industry.

1) Academia: This field includes both research and teaching, and occurs at University or College. Your funding may be given to you by the institution or publicly and privately funded by government and non-profit or clinical institutions, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF).

2) Industry: The alternative to academic is industry. Both academia and industry are competitive, and will most likely require a second degree (e.g., PhD or MA/MS) or a stellar portfolio/job history to be a success. The way of industry is quickly moving into the field of cognitive science, and includes jobs like User Experience Design and Market Research.

Both routes are challenging and rewarding in their own ways. One way to achieve success is to find a mentor along the way--someone who already does what you want to do, and can keep you updated on what are the current trends in academia or industry. While in college, either volunteer your time (for credit) in research labs and/or work on projects in the industry you find appealing. There is a lot you can do to enhance your CV/portfolio, so try things out, and waste no time!

Hi Kaitlyn,

I've got a degree in computer science with a minor in cognitive psychology. I gravitated towards the user experience design/research field. To me, using my cognitive psychology background to design better technology interfaces for humans to use has been quite rewarding.

Good Luck!

Hello fellow cog sci major! I graduated from Berkeley Cog Sci and have had a very fun and interesting career at AT&T. Since I graduated, the field has really exploded. If you are interested in helping businesses understand how to maximize the power of AI, Machine Learning, Chat Bots, and other human/machine interface challenges, then there are jobs a plenty.

Seek opportunities to see these technologies in action. Shadow professionals and conduct informational interviews. Try to go to industry conferences and seek out mentors that are working in these fields. Your challenge will be to pick an industry where you expertise and career passion meet.