Cognitive psychology training imparts a variety of skills to students, such as assessing patients, conducting consultations and research, interacting with people of various ethnic and social backgrounds, and teaching. These skills are used in practice by cognitive psychologists and are needed in order to become certified in the discipline.
Cognitive psychology students complete required coursework in areas such as statistics, perception, cognitive processes and language development. Teaching undergraduate courses is also required. They then submit a master's thesis, take a qualifying examination and begin work on the dissertation. The doctoral dissertation is an original piece of research that typically expounds on the master's thesis.
Cognitive psychology training in the form of the Ph.D. is designed to be completed in four or five years of full-time study. Research is an important part of cognitive psychology training, and towards that end, students are mentored with faculty members who share their specialty area of interest. Cognitive psychology students engage in research from the first semester of graduate study. They present papers at conferences and take independent study courses to focus in depth on areas of interest. Students utilize laboratories to carry out research in the areas of perception and cognition.
Certification is granted to cognitive psychologists by the American Board of Professional Psychology. To become certified, candidates have their credentials reviewed, and then submit documentation including a professional statement and practice sample that represents the type of work the candidate is engaged in as a cognitive psychologist. Candidates also complete a three-hour oral examination.
Cognitive psychologists find work in academia and in the private sector as teachers and researchers. For example, graduates of Rutger's Ph.D. program in cognitive psychology have gone on to positions at Yale and the University of Massachusetts, as well as private "think tanks."