Career Paths

What can I do with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Science (BCS)?

BCS majors have an extensive range of career paths that can be pursued. The following lists some of the fields and programs for which the BCS major can provide a strong foundation.

Academic Research and Teaching

  • University teaching (graduate and undergraduate)
  • College teaching (undergraduate only)
  • Basic research in universities or research labs (see also postgraduate degree programs)

Education

  • Primary and secondary education
  • Special education
  • Counseling
  • Children's television network (Sesame Street, etc.)
  • Deaf education

Administration

  • Hospital administration
  • Day care work, day care administration
  • Social security administration counseling

Hi-Tech

  • Cognitive engineering (human factors)
  • Computer programming
  • Computer games research and development
  • Software research and development computer graphics and image processing (scientific and entertainment)
  • Information technology
  • Computer interface technology development
  • Robotics
  • Speech recognition software
  • Research/development
  • Information analyst
  • Institutional fundraising, science and technology
  • Scientific journalism, science editor, scientific publishing, media consultant
  • Scientific instrumentation, sales

Engineering

  • Human factors and ergonomics
  • Toy companies--research

Language

  • Speech language pathology
  • Communication/language processing disorders (school or clinic setting)
  • Language specialist (schools)
  • Sign language interpreting
  • Audiology

Biotech

  • Pharmaceutical research, sales biotechnology
  • Clinical drug testing
  • Clinical trials coordination
  • Clinical lab technician

Medical/Healthcare

  • Behavioral medicine
  • Research lab technician--wide range of fields
  • Physical therapy
  • Nursing
  • Physician's assistant
  • Neuropsychological evaluation and rehabilitation
  • Vocational rehabilitation
  • Disability prosthetic devices: visual processing for the blind, speech recognition and speech production for the deaf or people with speech disorders

Government

  • Congressional assistant, research on topics related to health, child welfare, and education
  • Public policy analysis, lobbyist, organizational, etc. on topics related to cognition, education, health child welfare
  • Science/technology policy

Others

  • Advertising
  • Forensic science

Post-graduate Degree Programs (Masters and PhD)

These are a compilation of fields and programs our graduates can enter. This is not exhaustive nor are you restricted to just these.

  • Audiology
  • Brain and cognitive sciences
  • Clinical psychology
  • Cognitive science
  • Dentistry
  • Education
  • Forensic sciences
  • Human factors and ergonomics
  • Information technology
  • Interpreting
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Medicine (MD, nursing, physician's assistant, therapy)
  • Neuropsychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Optometry
  • Patent law (new biotechnologies)
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology
  • School/educational psychology
  • Sign language
  • Speech/language (pathology/communication disorders)
  • Veterinary medicine