Cognitive Rehabilitation (Without Thesis)

Cognitive Rehabilitation Master's Program

Various cognitive impairments may occur following different types of brain injuries and in association with neurological disorders. These impairments can significantly affect an individual's daily life, functional capacity, independence, and social and occupational functioning.

The term Cognitive Rehabilitation refers to interventions aimed at restoring, reducing, or compensating for impairments in cognitive functions—such as attention, executive functions, memory, language, and visuospatial perception/construction—that arise following neurological damage. It also seeks to rebuild patients' lost functional abilities and facilitate their adaptation to daily life. By its nature, Cognitive Rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary field that encompasses neurology, psychology, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and many other related disciplines.

Today, as in many areas of healthcare, the accurate diagnosis of disorders affecting higher human cognitive functions, a comprehensive understanding of their pathophysiology, the mechanisms of brain neuroplasticity and how to maximize their therapeutic potential, the development of supportive technologies and equipment, and ultimately the translation of these scientific advances into patient care can only be achieved through a multidisciplinary approach. In this regard, the fields of neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, physiotherapy, psychology, and psychiatry work collaboratively. Cognitive Rehabilitation is a discipline that integrates the knowledge and resources of these clinical specialties, together with contributions from numerous basic sciences and engineering disciplines, to help patients regain the highest possible level of functional ability. Moreover, there is currently no comparable graduate program in this field in Türkiye. Therefore, establishing the Master's Program in Cognitive Rehabilitation represents one of our key academic priorities.

The Master's Program has been developed based on the extensive clinical and research infrastructure available at our university. In addition to specialized outpatient clinics for patients with cognitive disorders and expert faculty members from related clinical departments at our university hospital, the program utilizes the Neuropsychology Laboratory, operating under the Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center (REMER), as well as the Cognitive Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic, both of which serve as primary settings for education, clinical practice, and research. Furthermore, the Clinical Electrophysiology and Neuromodulation Laboratory, another REMER subunit within the university hospital, together with REMER's basic science laboratories, provides substantial support for the research component of the program.

Through the Master's Program in Cognitive Rehabilitation, Istanbul Medipol University aims to contribute nationally to the establishment of new clinical service units and to lead scientific research in the field. Internationally, the program offers opportunities for collaboration with institutions engaged in research and technology development in cognitive rehabilitation through its existing educational, clinical, and research capabilities.

Students enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to receive education from internationally recognized scholars and to participate in collaborative research projects with leading experts in the field. Graduates of the Master's Program in Cognitive Rehabilitation will be qualified to work in healthcare institutions, helping to address a significant need in the clinical rehabilitation services of Türkiye. They will also be well prepared to pursue doctoral studies at distinguished universities in Türkiye or abroad, continue academic and research careers, and provide high-quality clinical services based on their advanced professional knowledge and skills.

Applicants who satisfy the admission requirements specified in the Istanbul Medipol University Graduate Education and Training Regulations are eligible to apply to the Master's Program in Cognitive Rehabilitation. Graduates of undergraduate programs in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Psychology, Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Nursing, and Medicine are eligible for admission. The undergraduate education of admitted students will be evaluated, and where deemed necessary, students may be required to complete a scientific preparatory program before commencing graduate studies.

Head of the Department of Cognitive Rehabilitation
Prof. Dr. Lütfü Hanoğlu
[email protected]