The Social Cognitive Affective & Neuroscience (SCAN) program at Catholic University offers advanced training in applied-experimental psychology and applied-cognitive science to prepare individuals for career opportunities in industry, government, and universities. The program strongly emphasizes research skills and the examination of research questions related to real-world practical problems. Students are given a careful grounding in statistics and research methodology in applied-experimental psychology. Courses in basic and applied-experimental psychology, human factors, and cognitive science, complete the formal academic curriculum. Coursework is supplemented by "hands-on" research training. Within the first year, students identify a specialty related to the research interests of a program faculty member and receive research-intensive experience in that area. Faculty research has been supported in recent years by government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Office of Naval Research, and NASA, as well as by private foundations. The Social Cognitive Affective & Neuroscience (SCAN) program also maintains close ties to other research institutions within and outside the University (e.g., Army Research Institute, NIH, Naval Research Lab), thus providing students with excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary research experience.

Specialization areas within the program include:

• cognitive deficits
• applied cognitive science
• human performance and human factors
• artificial intelligence
• cognitive neuroscience
• applied memory research
• human-computer interaction

The Social Cognitive Affective & Neuroscience (SCAN) program is one of three doctoral programs in the Department of Psychology at The Catholic University of America. The University has an attractive, grassy campus located in the Northeast section of Washington, D.C., near major cultural, educational, Federal, and entertainment centers of the nation's capital.

 Our program has made the GRE General Test optional for admission to the fall 2024 class. Applications without GRE scores will be given equal consideration. If applicants have GRE scores, they may submit scores and they will be considered by the admissions committee.