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Cognitive Science

L. Elizabeth Crawford, Coordinator (Psychology)

Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary study of the structures and functions of the human mind. Cognitive science investigates such topics as our sensory/perceptual apparatus, including vision, audition, olfaction; internal mental processes such as language, thinking, reasoning, and problem solving; motor control and the organization of skilled behavior such as speech and musical performance; memory; consciousness; attention; and many other aspects of the human mind. Cognitive science requires a multi-disciplinary approach and includes such fields as psychology, biology, neuroscience, philosophy, anthropology, linguistics, sociology, and computer science.

The cognitive science major is offered as a Bachelor of Arts degree only.

The Cognitive Science Major

Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70).

12 units, including

PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychological Science
PSYC 200 Methods and Analyses
PSYC 331 Neuroscience
PSYC 333 Cognitive Science or PSYC 337 Human Cognition
PSYC 341 Cognitive Neuroscience

Two additional foundation courses chosen from:

CMSC 101 Minds and Machines
CMSC 150 Introduction to Computing or CMSC 155 Introduction to Scientific Computing
LLC 203 Linguistics
PHIL 370 Philosophy of Mind

One advanced senior-level course chosen from:
BIOL 391 Senior Seminar
CMSC 395 Artificial Intelligence
PSYC course in the 433-449 range
Four electives chosen from:
ANTH 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
BIOL 343 Neurobiology
BIOL 350 Independent Research
CMSC 221 Data Structures
CMSC 301 Computer Organizations
CMSC 340 Independent Research
PHIL 251 Symbolic Logic
PHIL 390 Independent Research
PSYC 361 Independent Research
PSYC course in the 433-449 range

Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the major. Prerequisites do not count toward the major unless otherwise noted.