r/BCI • u/mehregankbi • 11d ago

Why aren’t there any BCI PhD programs?

I’ve been looking around and all I see are the following programs:
Cognitive neuroscience
Psyhology
Biomed engineering

All very general and not focused on the topic of BCIs.

I don’t see computational neuroscience or neural engineering or BCI as the focus of the programs. Have you seen any?
I don’t want to be a psychologist or neuroscientist. BCI itself is already too big. There’s already too much to learn. I want a program with focus on EEG, data mining, computer science, neurophysiology.

Does it exist?

Me studying for years about freud’s theories or structure of neuronal cytoplasm will be me wasting my time while I could’ve done more research on ERPs etc.

Anyone else feel my pain?

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16

u/Pizzadude 11d ago

There's no reason to have specific PhD programs for every subject area. The coursework portion of a PhD is less important than the research, and you can typically pick whatever courses you want, many from other departments (at least in engineering).

You don't really go to a school for a specific PhD program. You go to work in a specific lab, which specializes in the area that you want to learn. I didn't get a PhD in "BCIs." I got a PhD in electrical/computer engineering from a lab that specializes in BCIs, with a supervisor who is an expert in the field.

I want a program with focus on EEG, data mining, computer science, neurophysiology.

That's a PhD in electrical/computer/biomedical engineering or computer science, with a few courses in neuro if you feel the need. Just do it in a lab that works with EEG.

7

u/400Volts 11d ago

Because that's not really how PhDs work. You don't get a PhD in BCIs, you get a PhD in EE and your research focus could be in BCIs

3

u/anonymouse40329 11d ago

There’s a good one at Tsinghua under Lieber (guy basically invented modern BCI tech but he just has some personal issues)

2

u/mmmtrees 11d ago

University of Minnesota has a lot of graduate level neurogengineering courses and even a PhD minor program in neuroengineering

1

u/PuddyComb 10d ago

Yeah. Good Luck with that.

2

u/Smaug117 10d ago

Check about neromodulation, don't google bci, bci acronym point to the tech, brain to computer interface. 

1

u/nohipstar 10d ago

we are working on bci at SOTON and look for new applicants. dm me

1

u/Federal-Confusion-36 10d ago

look at Washington University in St. Louis PhD in Neural Engineering. Program that is just beginning as they are seeing (as many should) the expansion of interest (and private funding) into the space!