Cognitive Science
Overview
Cognitive Science is the science of the mind. Drawing on the fields of philosophy, psychology, neurobiology, mathematics, computer science, and linguistics, Cognitive Science studies the nature of consciousness, the interaction of mind and matter, and the relationship between thought and language. Cognitive Science addresses long-standing questions about the nature of thought, intelligence, perception, memory, emotion, and other aspects of our mental life by employing the methodologies of the contributing disciplines mentioned above, including philosophical reflection and argument, experimental psychology, the modeling of intelligence with machines, and the investigation of the biological basis of cognition.
Requirements
Major
To major in Cognitive Science, students take total of at least 48 units. Along with six required courses, students select at least one course each from the approved list of courses in Computation, Linguistics and Philosophy. Electives can be any course with a COGS designation, can be drawn from the approved lists of courses in Computation, Linguistics and Philosophy, or selected from the additional electives list.
Required Courses
| COGS 101 | Introduction to Cognitive Science | 4 units |
| PHIL 150 | Formal Logic | 4 units |
| COGS 201 | Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science | 4 units |
| COGS 306/PSYC 306 | Cognitive Psychology | 4 units |
| COGS 320 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 4 units |
| COGS 490 | Senior Seminar in Cognitive Science | 4 units |
Computation
Students must select one course from the list below:
| COGS 242 | Computational Approaches to Cognition | 4 units |
Linguistics
Students must select one course from the list below:
| COGS 330 | Linguistics for Cognitive Science | 4 units |
| LING 301 | Introduction to Linguistics | 4 units |
| LING 350/PSYC 351 | Psycholinguistics | 4 units |
Philosophy
Students must select one course from the list below:
| COGS 308 | Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Cognitive Science | 4 units |
| PHIL 242 | Minds, Agents, and Persons | 4 units |
| PHIL 243 | Representation and Reality | 4 units |
| PHIL 311 | Wittgenstein | 4 units |
| PHIL 323 | Logic, Language, and Knowledge in Medieval Arabic-Islamic Philosophy | 4 units |
| PHIL 342 | Theory of Knowledge | 4 units |
| PHIL 344 | Language, Translation, and Meaning | 4 units |
| PHIL 345 | Consciousness and Cognition | 4 units |
Additional Electives
Electives can be any course with a COGS designation, can be drawn from the approved lists of courses in Computation, Linguistics, and Philosophy, or can be selected from the additional electives list. A maximum of 4 units can be applied to the major from COGS 390, COGS 395, and COGS 495. All students are also encouraged to take statistics and computer science coursework.
| BIO 240 | Vertebrate Physiology | 4 units |
| BIO 268 | Biostatistics | 4 units |
| BIO 320 | Developmental Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 333 | Neurobiology | 4 units |
| BIO 340 | Sensory Biology and Neurophysiology | 4 units |
| BIO 373 | Computational Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 378 | Animal Behavior | 4 units |
| COMP 113 | Data Science | 4 units |
| COMP 131 | Fundamentals of Computer Science | 4 units |
| COMP 146 | Statistics | 4 units |
| COMP 149 | Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science | 4 units |
| COMP 325/COGS 325 | Topics in Artificial Intelligence | 4 units |
| COMP 331 | Natural Language Processing | 4 units |
| COMP 347 | Machine Learning | 4 units |
| COMP 353 | Information Theory | 4 units |
| CSLC 246 | Cognitive Science and Culture: New Encounters with Ancient Rome | 4 units |
| ECON 305 | Game Theory | 4 units |
| ECON 340 | Behavioral Economics | 4 units |
| EDUC 205/LLAS 206 | The Politics and Pedagogy of First and Second Language Acquisition | 4 units |
| KINE 301 | Human Anatomy II | 4 units |
| KINE 304 | Human Physiology | 4 units |
| KINE 310/PSYC 310 | Motor Learning and Control | 4 units |
| LING 351 | Phonetics | 4 units |
| MATH 150 | Statistical Data Analysis | 4 units |
| MATH 330 | Probability | 4 units |
| MATH 350/PHIL 350 | Metalogic | 4 units |
| MATH 354 | Set Theory and Foundations of Mathematics | 4 units |
| MATH 370 | Numerical Analysis | 4 units |
| PHIL 210 | Modern Philosophy | 4 units |
| PHIL 222 | Knowledge and Power | 4 units |
| PHIL 233 | Bioethics | 4 units |
| PHIL 241 | Paradoxes | 4 units |
| PHIL 251 | Logic, Problem Solving, and Education | 4 units |
| PHIL 310 | Topics in Modern Philosophy | 4 units |
| PHIL 341 | Philosophy of Space and Time | 4 units |
| PHIL 361 | Philosophy and Children | 4 units |
| PSYC 111/COGS 111 | The Origins of Knowledge | 4 units |
| PSYC 201 | Statistics in Psychological Science | 4 units |
| PSYC 302 | Perception | 4 units |
| PSYC 322L | Physiological Psychology Laboratory | 2 units |
| PSYC 444 | Thinking and Reasoning | 4 units |
| WRD 275 | Popular Science Writing | 4 units |
Students may also apply PHIL 395 as an elective in Cognitive Science if they have enrolled in the "Science and Social Values" section of the course.
Honors in the Major
Honors in Cognitive Science may be awarded to graduating seniors who demonstrate excellence in their course work and distinction in their senior comprehensive project. To be eligible, students must have a 3.5 grade point average in the major and a 3.25 overall grade point average. In addition, the comprehensive project or thesis must be judged as a "pass with distinction."
Minor
A total of 24 units. Students must take COGS 101, and 20 additional units of courses any of which can come from the list of required courses, the approved lists of courses in Linguistics and Philosophy, or have a COGS designation. One of these can be a course selected from the additional electives list. A maximum of 4 units of research may be applied to the minor.
Second-Stage Writing Proficiency
Students will normally fulfill the second-stage writing requirement by passing both the Research Proposal and Scientific Research Paper assignments in COGS 201: Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science with a grade of C or better. Students who do not successfully complete both assignments with a grade of C or better will be required to submit a writing portfolio to the Department Chair no later than the midterm of the following semester. This portfolio will be prepared in consultation with the COGS 201 instructor.
Comprehensive Requirement
In the senior year the student carries out a project or writes a thesis on a topic in Cognitive Science related to their prior coursework. The project or thesis is coordinated with the work of the Cognitive Science Senior Seminar. All majors take the Senior Seminar in the fall semester of the senior year. Those students intending to do an empirical project for their senior comprehensives or who intend to go on to graduate school in cognitive science or in a related field should discuss taking a statistics course and gaining research experience prior to their senior year with their adviser.
Advising Information
Students interested in the Cognitive Science major are encouraged to take COGS 101 during the first year and COGS 201 (Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science) during sophomore year. All interested students should meet with a Cognitive Science faculty member early on to discuss opportunities for research, study abroad, and more. If you wish to be invited to our events (such as seminars, social events, and open advising sessions), please contact the department chair.
Placement Information
No placement exams are specifically required for the Cognitive Science major.
Sample 4-Year Plan
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Curricular Notes
Our major is flexible and has multiple introductory courses with no prerequisites, including:
- COGS 101: Introduction to Cognitive Science
- COGS 104: Introduction to Neuroscience
- COGS 111: The Origins of Knowledge
- COGS 220: Animal Cognition
- COGS 230: Mind, Brain, and Behavior
All of these courses count towards the major.
Transfer Credit Policies
The Cognitive Science Department may accept online courses for major, minor, and general elective credit. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details.