A computer monitor diplays a scan of the human brain.The School of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology offers programs of study leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy, with five areas of specialization: Cognition and Brain Science, Adult Development and Aging, Engineering Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Quantitative Psychology.

All five programs of study provide intensive exposure to the theoretical and methodological foundations of psychology with strong emphasis on quantitative skills. Each student is expected to show individual initiative in both research activities and academic study, supported by close faculty-student contact.

The School of Psychological and Brain Sciences also participates in interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree programs in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology and Quantitative Biosciences, and an interdisciplinary M.S. degree program in Human Computer Interaction (Please note that we do not offer a terminal Master’s degree in Psychological and Brain Sciences).

Our graduates have positions in academia, industry, the military, and government. Over the last 10 years, 56% of our graduates earned a position in academia, 11% earned a government or non-profit position, 30% work in industry, and 4% are entrepreneurs. Our current student-to-faculty ratio is 3-to-1, and we strongly believe in the apprenticeship model of mentoring. In an anonymous survey of our graduates, our alumni stated that they appreciated "the opportunity for interdisciplinary studies and research," consider their time here "extremely valuable," that Georgia Tech “prepared [them] extremely well for [their] career," and that "the quality of education [they] received was due to the dedication of the very accomplished faculty." We, of course, agree.

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  • Cognition and Brain Science: The Cognition and Brain Science specialty area of the Psychological and Brain Sciences Ph.D. program trains students to develop a thorough understanding of diverse aspects of cognition and neural mechanisms of behavior.
  • Adult Development and Aging: Students gain an understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of aging as they relate to cognitive development over the adult lifespan.
  • Engineering: Engineering Psychology is the science of making technology accessible for all users. Engineering psychology operates at the intersection of experimental psychology and human factors engineering.
  • Industrial/Organizational: Industrial/Organizational Psychology develops, extends, and applies psychological principles, data, and methodology in manufacturing, commercial, industrial, governmental, and other work-oriented organizations.
  • Quantitative: Quantitative Psychology emphasizes the interface between quantitative methods and psychological issues. Graduates will be trained as quantitative specialists, with a substantial background in psychology.

Centers of Excellence

The School hosts 3 internationally recognized Centers of Excellence: the Center for Research and Education in Navigation; the Center for Human-AI-Robot Teaming; and the Center for Computational Cognition. These centers, housed in the School of Psychological and Brain Sciences, promote interdisciplinary and collaborative research within Georgia Tech and link students and faculty with national and international leaders in their fields. 

Application requirements 

  • A Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in psychology, neuroscience, or a related field (e.g., computer science, biology, linguistics, mathematics)
  •  GRE (Graduate Record Examination) general test scores (optional) 
  • Three letters of recommendation 
  • For international students, proof of English proficiency (e.g., TOEFL scores)

The School admits students for graduate studies once a year in the fall, and the graduate application deadline is December 1 of each year. We do not accept students for graduate studies in the spring. The Ph.D. application must be submitted online through the Office of Graduate Studies and Admissions. Please visit the Graduate Admissions "FAQ" section for assistance with the application process: grad.gatech.edu.

Funding informationA person holding up two photographs. One photo features the face of a person and the other features that of a robot.

Ph.D. students obtain stipends either via GRAs, GTAs, or fellowships such as the NSF GRFP, NIH NRSA, and other competitive fellowships. Yearly stipends for Ph.D. students start at $37,000 (plus waiver of tuition) and include health insurance coverage. There are also a variety of sources of financial aid potentially available to (in-state, out-of-state, and international) graduate students.

For more information

For more information, please see psychology.gatech.edu, or contact the school’s Academic Program Manager: psychgradsupport@gatech.edu.