Program

Our program has a central focus in training scholars and professors of cognitive neuroscience, a rapidly growing research area in psychology. Thus, our primary goal is to equip students with the skills necessary to function as academic and research psychologists.

We maintain a strong emphasis on learning basic neuroanatomy and physiology, cognitive neuroscience research methodologies (including MRI, TMS, EEG and other electrophysiological measures), and analytic skills and neural bases of psychology and psychopathology.

We have a strong developmental cognitive neuroscience representation, with significant overlap with the Developmental Science and Clinical Science in Child and Adolescent Psychology programs. Adult cognitive neuroscience and comparative research in avian species, non-human primates, rodents, and pigs are also represented. There is a strong representation in neuroinformatics research in collaboration with faculty in the Department of Physics.

Important Dates and Deadlines

Important Deadlines for Graduate Students are updated regularly and are posted here.

2025–2026 Academic Year Deadlines

📘 Important Fall 2025 Deadlines:

New Doctoral Student Orientation: August 19, 2025
Last day to add/drop classes: August 31, 2025 (please enroll well ahead of this date to ensure that you can obtain permission codes, tuition waivers can post, and you are fully enrolled for your GA contract to start)
Last day to send Preliminary Approval of Dissertation and Request for Oral Defense to GPD: Five Weeks Before Your Defense Date
Last day to apply for graduation (Ph.D. only): See https://onestop.fiu.edu/registration/graduation/applying-for-graduation/
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal due to GPD for Fall 2026 graduation: October 31, 2025 (Happy Halloween!!)
Last day to file master’s paperwork to GPD for Fall 2025 posting: Friday, October 31, 2025 (Happy Halloween!!)
Last day to Hold Defense for Fall 2025 Graduation: November 14, 2025
Final Electronic Dissertation Approval due to GPD: November 21, 2025
Program for Doctoral Degree and Application for Candidacy due to GPD on my.fiu.edu: December 8, 2025
Allowable defense dates for Fall 2025: August 29, 2025 – December 12, 2025; Dates after November 14, 2025, will be spring graduation.
Commencement: December 15-18, 2025
Petitions for outside employment during Fall 2025 are accepted on a rolling basis; early submission is encouraged.

📗 Important Spring 2026 Deadlines:

Enroll by: December 8, 2025 to ensure you are able to obtain permission codes and enroll on time
Last day to add/drop classes: January 11, 2026
Last day to apply for graduation (Ph.D. Only): TBD; See https://onestop.fiu.edu/registration/graduation/applying-for-graduation/
Last day to send Preliminary Approval of Dissertation and Request for Oral Defense to GPD: Five Weeks Before Your Defense Date
Last day to submit petitions for Summer 2026 additional hours: March 4, 2026
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal due to GPD for Spring 2027 graduation: March 13, 2026
Last day to file master’s paperwork to GPD for spring posting: March 13, 2026
Last day to Hold Defense for Spring 2026 Graduation: March 27, 2026
Final Electronic Dissertation Approval due to GPD: April 3, 2026
Establish Dissertation Committee and Submit Form on my.fiu.edu no later than: April 17, 2026
Program for Doctoral Degree and Application for Candidacy due to GPD on my.fiu.edu: April 24, 2026
Commencement: April 27-30, 2025
Last day to route annual evaluations to GPD: May 8, 2026
Allowable defense dates for Spring 2026: January 9, 2026 – April 24, 2026; Dates after March 27, 2026, will be summer graduation.
Petitions for outside employment during Spring 2026 are accepted on a rolling basis; early submission is encouraged.

📙 Important Summer 2026 Deadlines:*

Last day to submit petitions for Summer 2026 additional hours: March 4, 2026
Enroll by: April 25, 2026 to allow time to obtain permission codes
Last day to route annual evaluations to GPD: May 8, 2026
Last day to add/drop classes: May 17, 2026
Last day to apply for graduation (Ph.D. only): TBD; See https://onestop.fiu.edu/registration/graduation/applying-for-graduation/
Last day to send Preliminary Approval of Dissertation and Request for Oral Defense to GPD: Five Weeks Before Your Defense Date
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal due to GPD for Summer 2027 graduation: June 18, 2026
Last day to file master’s paperwork to GPD for summer posting: June 18, 2026
Last day to Hold Defense for Summer 2026 Graduation: July 2, 2026
Final Electronic Dissertation Approval due to GPD: July 10, 2026
Program for Doctoral Degree and Application for Candidacy due to GPD on my.fiu.edu: August 1, 2026
Allowable defense dates for Summer 2026: May 15, 2026 to July 31, 2026; Dates after July 2, 2026 will be a Fall Defense Date
Commencement: August 3-6, 2025
Petitions for outside employment during Summer 2026 are accepted on a rolling basis; early submission is encouraged.

*Not all programs allow for summer proposals and defenses. Please check with your Advisor and Program Director regarding scheduling during the summer. Please also be aware that most faculty are not on 12-month contracts, so their summer availability is likely more limited.

Please see this site for allowable summer defense dates: https://gradschool.fiu.edu/calendar-deadlines/#toggle-id-3

Curriculum

Courses
The requirements for our program include a number of advanced statistics courses (9 credits), electives (3 credits) and content course requirements (6 credits). Content course options include:
- DEP 5058 Biological Basis of Behavior Development
- EXP 5667 Cognitive Neuroscience
- EXP 5508 Applied Cognitive Psychology
- EXP 5527 Memory and Consciousness
- PSB 6247 Biological Bases of Behavior
- PSB 6215 Human Neuroanatomy
- CBH 5256 Animal Cognition
- CLP 6426 Neuropsychology
- PSB 6350 Cognitive Neuroimaging Methods
- PSB 6351 Cognitive Neuroimaging Methods II
- PSB 5115 Introduction to Psychophysiology: Basics of Electroencephalography and Event-Related Potentials
- PSB 6035 Introduction to Computational Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSB 5247 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
Students must also take PSY 5938 Current Topics in Neuroscience Series (0-1) every Fall and Spring while enrolled in the Doctoral Program.
See Thesis Project and Dissertation below for information on these additional requirements.
For more information, consult the Graduate Catalog.
Course Offerings by Semester
Fall 2025
- PSB 6215 Human Neuroanatomy (Ferdinand Gomez)
- PSB 5615 Visual and Visuospatial Cognitive Neuroscience (Dr. Fabian Soto)
Spring 2026
- EXP 5667 Cognitive Neuroscience (Dr. Aaron Mattfeld)
Thesis Project and Dissertation
Students must complete a master's thesis project and a dissertation to earn the PhD.
- Master's Thesis Process for Doctoral Students
  - Cognitive Neuroscience Thesis Project Instructions
  - Example Thesis Proposal
- Doctoral Dissertation Process
  - Qualifying Paper Requirements
  - Dissertation Proposal Requirements from UGS
    - Sample Dissertation Proposal
Research Experience
Hands-on research experience is an essential part of the training, and students become involved in research early in their graduate training by participating in faculty research projects and carrying out individual research under the guidance of one or more faculty members. Students will receive guidance in every aspect of conducting research, including developing ideas; designing and conducting a study; and developing papers for dissemination, presentation at national conferences and publication in scientific journals. In addition, we emphasize development of students' grant-writing skills, a necessary component of a successful research career.
Students benefit from our faculty’s diverse areas of interest and expertise, which converge to provide a well-rounded training program in cognitive neuroscience. Faculty employ “under-the-skin” electrophysiological and functional imaging methodologies on humans, with a special emphasis on understanding typical and atypical development. Faculty also conduct research on birds and non-human primates. Visit Team to meet our faculty.
Our faculty's research labs and programs include:

Cognitive Neuroscience Resources

College and University Resources

CASE Graduate Resources - thesis/dissertation defense dates, registration deadlines, travel grant applications and more
Academic Calendar - dates for registration, class start, add/drop deadlines, exams and more
Doctoral Annual Student Evaluation and Mentoring Plan - must be completed by the student and their major professor from the first year through passing the qualifying exam. Upon reaching candidacy, the student's dissertation committees must sign as well
University Graduate School: Students - forms, deadlines, policies and more

Edward and Rita Girden Cognitive Neuroscience Scholarship

Enrolled Psychology students may apply to this scholarship for travel support to conferences to present their research. Students are eligible for up to $1,000 for domestic conferences, and $1,500 for international conferences. Two awards will be made per semester.

Eligibility

Eligible students:

Are the presenting author at the proposed conference
Must present on a topic in neuroscience, as determined by the review committee
Must present at the Cognitive Neuroscience Colloquium Series

Application

Submit the abstract you submitted to attend the conference. If you have not yet submitted a conference abstract, submit an abstract of up to 500 words (plus title and references) summarizing the project.
Provide information about the conference, including the proposed cost of the flight, hotel, and registration. The scholarship will cover these costs up to the amounts listed above.
Applications must be submitted to Dr. Aaron Mattfeld by Oct. 15 or Feb. 15. February submissions can cover conferences that occur in the summer session.

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