To apply to the Culture and Cognition program, you must be a University of Michigan PhD student in good standing, or be applying to a UM PhD program. PhD students/applicants from any discipline are invited to apply. Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Certificate in Culture and Cognition in addition to their doctoral degree. Post-doctoral students may also participate in the program, but will not receive a certificate. Information about program requirements is below.

Students typically begin by participating in the Culture & Cognition seminar (Anthro 760/Psych 689), which takes place in the fall. You are welcome to apply at any time during the year, and are encouraged to attend the winter speaker series even if you have not officially begun the program.

Please send Culture&CognitionProgram@umich.edu a letter describing the reasons for your interest in the program. If you are already a PhD student, please also supply a letter of recommendation from a UM faculty member. If you have not yet applied to the University of Michigan, consult with someone in the Graduate Office of your prospective department for additional information about the application process. After you submit that application, write the essay to reflect your interest in the C&C program and be sure to let Shinobu Kitayama and Dick Nisbett know to what discipline you are applying and that you want to pursue a certificate in C&C. There is also the possibility of creating a student initiated PH.D. program that combines anthro and psych -- but that is a much more involved process and you must be accepted to both Anthropology and Psychology in order to do this. Please feel free to contact Culture&CognitionProgram@umich.edu or Shinobu Kitayama at kitayama@umich.edu if you have any questions about the program or the application process.

Program Requirements

• Participate for one year in the Culture & Cognition seminar (Anthro 760/Psych 689).
• Participate for one year in the research seminar in Culture & Cognition, beginning the second year of participation in the program.
• Establish competency in the theory and method of cognitive science, typically by taking one graduate-level course in cognitive psychology.
• Establish competency in statistics, either through an upper-level undergraduate statistics course, a graduate-level statistics course, or an ISR summer statistics program.
• For psychology students, complete the proseminar in ethnology or Traditions II. For anthropology students, complete the proseminar in Social, Cognitive, or Developmental psychology.
• Complete one approved course relevant to culture and cognition in Psychology, Anthropology, Linguistics, and Sociology (not including the Culture & Cognition Seminar or Research in Culture & Cognition).