Computational Cognitive Science (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).

A proficiency in English

In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English.This requirement has been satisfied when the student meets the conditions, listed on our website.

Months of entry

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 Computational Cognitive Science 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

If you have any questions, email us here: study-information@ru.nl

Learn more via the Radboud University contact form.

Information for international students

Application deadlines

Non-EU/EEA students

• The deadline for non-EU/EEA students who wish to apply for a scholarship is 31 January prior to the September intake. For the requirements and selection procedure for scholarships, please check our scholarship overview.
• The deadline for those not applying for a scholarship is 1 April for non-EU/EEA nationals for the September 2026 intake. You can apply for the September 2026 intake from 1 October 2025.

EU/EEA students

• The application deadline for EU/EEA students with housing assistance for the September 2026 intake is 1 May, and the deadline without housing assistance is 1 July. You can apply from 1 October onward for the 2026/2027 academic year.

The application deadlines for Master’s starting in February are 1 November for non-EU/EEA citizens and 1 December for EU/EEA citizens.

Fees and funding

Radboud University offers 3 different scholarships that are open to prospective Master's students from non-EU/EEA countries and who want to follow an English-taught Master's programme.

Radboud Scholarship Programme

The Radboud Scholarship Programme offers talented, highly motivated, non-EU/EEA students with outstanding study results the opportunity to be awarded a partial scholarship for an English-taught Master’s programme.

NL Scholarship (for prospective students)

The NL Scholarship (formerly known as Holland Scholarship) is a partial scholarship for non-EU/EEA students who want to do their Master’s in the Netherlands.

Fulbright-Radboud Scholarships

The Fulbright Commission, sponsored by Radboud University, is offering scholarships for talented American students to study at Radboud University.