Cognitive Science

Matthew Lowder, 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 333 Cognitive Science or PSYC 337 Human Cognition

Two lab-based foundational courses chosen from:

PSYC 331 Behavioral Neuroscience

PSYC 341 Cognitive Neuroscience

PSYC 343 Psycholinguistics

CMSC 101 Minds and Machines

CMSC 150 Introduction to Computing 

LING 203 Introductory Linguistics

PHIL 370 Philosophy of Mind

One advanced senior-level course chosen from:

BIOL 391 Senior Seminar

CMSC 327 Machine Learning

PSYC course in the 433-449 range (with approval of Cognitive Science coordinator)

Four units of electives, chosen from:

ANTH 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

BIOL 343 Neurobiology

BIOL 394 Undergraduate Research

CMSC 221 Data Structures

CMSC 240 Software Systems Development

CMSC 340 Independent Research

CMSC 395 Selected Topics (with approval of Cognitive Science coordinator)

PHIL 251 Symbolic Logic

PHIL 390 Independent Research

PSYC 300 Methods and Analyses Core Project (with approval of Cognitive Science coordinator)

PSYC course in the 331-359 range

PSYC 361 Independent Research (with approval of Cognitive Science coordinator)

PSYC course in the 433-449 range (with approval of Cognitive Science coordinator)

PSYC course in the 461-492 range (with approval of Cognitive Science coordinator)

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

Note: No more than two units of research-related coursework (PSYC 300, PSYC 361, PSYC 461-492, BIOL 394, CMSC 340, and/or PHIL 390) may be applied to the major.