PhD Psychological Sciences (Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience) at Rice University

Programme overview

The PhD in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience trains students to assess scholarship, conduct independent research, write a thesis of publication quality and communicate their work. Students without a prior master's in psychology or a related field also defend a master's thesis for the MA in Psychology (30 credit hours).

What you will study

Core courses include Advanced Psychological Statistics I and II, Foundations of Cognitive Psychology, Functional Human Neuroanatomy and Professional Issues, with neuroscience, cognitive and affective/health course groups and two electives. Students complete first- and second-year projects in May, a thesis with public defense and admission to candidacy.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience PhD: GRE is required per the application page. Three letters of recommendation, a 1-2 page statement of purpose, a CV or resume, unofficial transcripts and a writing sample (ideally a psychology project where the applicant was lead author) are required. A psychology degree is not required. Fall admission only, application deadline December 1 (fee $85). International applicants show English proficiency with a US degree, a degree taught in English, or minimum scores of TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 115. Application fee is $85.

USD 66,784 a year (2026-27). School of Social Sciences: Masters & PhD full-time tuition ($33,392 per semester) for the school's standard full-time master's and PhD programmes; estimate, excludes fees and health insurance. Reduced rate of $3,710 per year applies to continuing doctoral Source

Most doctoral applications for Fall 2027 close December 1, 2026 (Mechanical Engineering December 15, Computer Science January 1, 2027); applications open September 1, 2026 through the Rice graduate portal (gradapply.rice.edu). Application fee is generally $85, waived for some doctoral applicants.

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