Cognitive Computing (specialisation)

Entry requirements

A completed Bachelor's degree

A completed Bachelor's degree (this does not include a Bachelor’s from a University of Applied Science, in Dutch HBO) in Artificial Intelligence or a related programme with a comparable content that sufficiently prepares for an advanced master program in AI. An acceptable applicant should have some knowledge of Computer Science (in particular sufficient programming experience and software development experience, about 15-24 EC), Artificial Intelligence techniques (search/planning/representation algorithms, machine learning, reasoning under uncertainty, neural networks, logics, and robotics, about 36-42 EC), Mathematics (calculus, linear algebra, statistics, about 15-18 EC), and some Cognitive Science (e.g. cognitive psychology or cognitive neuroscience).

Proficiency in English

In order to take part in this programme, you need to demonstrate fluency in both written and spoken English. Students with a Dutch VWO diploma or an English Bachelor are considered sufficiently proficient in English. Other non-native speakers of English* must obtain one of the following certificates:

• A TOEFL score of ≥575 (paper based) or ≥90 (internet based)
• An IELTS score of ≥6.5
• Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher

* Applicants are considered to be a native speaker of English if they are from Australia, Canada (with exception of Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, USA or South Africa.

Months of entry

February, September

Course content

Learn how to create artificial information systems that mimic biological systems as well as how to use theoretical insights from AI to better understand cognitive processing in humans.

The human brain is a hugely complex machine that is able to perform tasks that are vastly beyond current capabilities of artificial systems. Understanding the brain has always been a source of inspiration for developing artificially intelligent agents and has led to some of the defining moments in the history of AI. At the same time, theoretical insights from artificial intelligence provide new ways to understand and probe neural information processing in biological systems.

The Master’s in Cognitive Computing addresses how models based on neural information processing can be used to develop artificial systems, such as neuromorphic hardware and deep neural networks, as well as the development of new machine learning and classification techniques to better understand human brain function and to interface brain and computer.

It also addresses various ways of modelling and understanding (the limitations of) cognitive processing in humans. These range from abstract mathematical models of learning that are derived from Bayesian statistics to resource-bounded computations in the brain, explainable AI, and neural information processing systems such as neural networks that simulate particular cognitive functions in a biologically inspired manner.

What will you learn?

• Get in-depth understanding into the social, ethical and legal impacts of AI
• Learn about key techniques in the development of intelligent systems, namely Machine Learning
• Gain academic and professional skills, and learn how to design, conduct and communicate research findings

Career prospects

Many graduates from the AI programme are offered jobs before they have actually graduated. Others choose to pursue a PhD at research institutes or universities aroudn the world. Our graduates have found jobs in a number of intenational companies, such as: Booking.com, Webpower, Google, Facebook, Philips, Booking.com, Philips, Rabobank.

Graduates of this programme could find work in a variety of positions:

• PhD researcher, for example, on enhancing speech recognition using semantic knowledge or in user interaction design for patient doctor communication in a virtual hospital
• Data Scientist in a web start-up
• Developer for Computer Aided Language Learning
• EU R&D programme leader on machine translation of natural language
• Developer of intelligent software for music studios

*This is an specialisation of the Master's in Artificial Intelligence

To apply for this course, please contact us by e-mail.

Learn more via the Radboud University contact form.

Fees and funding

Radboud Scholarship Programme

RSP offers approximately 30 talented prospective non-EEA students the opportunity to receive a scholarship, which consists of a partial tuition waiver. For example: a grant holder in 2021/2022 will pay a tuition fee of only € 2,209, instead of €16,500. Also, it covers the cost of visa and insurance.

Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme

Orange Tulip Scholarship programme offers excellent students coming from either Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam the opportunity to receive a scholarship. Instead of the institutional tuition fees, non-EEA students pay the legal tuition fees. Also, visa and residence permit costs, liability insurance and health insurance are covered.

Indonesian Education Scholarship

The Indonesian Education Scholarship (BPI) for Master’s and PhD programmes is a scholarship program funded by the Indonesian government and is managed by LPDP to finance higher education in Indonesian or overseas institutions.

Fulbright-Radboud Scholarship

The Fulbright Center, sponsored by Radboud University, is offering scholarships to excellent American students for study and research purposes at graduate and PhD levels at Radboud University.To qualify for a scholarship, applicants must have American nationality, have excellent academic marks, engage in extracurricular activities and be admitted to Radboud University.

Sino-Dutch Bilateral Exchange Scholarship

The Sino-Dutch Bilateral Exchange Scholarship awards 25 scholarships a year to Chinese candidates for study or research in the Netherlands. The Dutch contribution to the scholarship consist of a monthly allowance of €1,000, international travel costs of € 1,400, and tuition/research fee € 1,951. Also it covers other costs such as visa and insurance.

Dutch Student FInance

The Dutch Student Finance programme is financed by Dutch government. It consists of a basic grant, a supplementary grant (depending on the parental income), a student travel product, and a loan. EU/EEA students and Swiss students under 30 years of age are eligible if they are working at least 56 hours per month in the Netherlands, or have been living in the Netherlands for five years or more.

Holland Scholarship Programme

The Holland Scholarship (HS) gives excellent students the opportunity to study at Radboud University. The HS is open to students with the following nationalities: Canadian, American (USA only), Colombian, Taiwanese and Turkish. All English-taught Master’s programmes are eligible for the HS.