Cognitive Science

OFFICE: 140 Cognitive Science Building
http://www.cogsci.ucsd.edu

Professors

Courses

Introduction

Cognitive science is a young and diverse field which is unified and motivated by a single basic inquiry: What is cognition? How do people, animals, or computers ‘think,’ act, and learn? In order to understand the mind/brain, cognitive science brings together methods and discoveries from neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, philosophy, and computer science. UCSD has been at the forefront of this exciting new field and our Department of Cognitive Science was the first of its kind in the world. It is part of an exceptional scientific community and remains a dominant influence in the field it helped create.

In addition to preparing undergraduates for careers in a variety of sciences, the major also provides an excellent background for many professional fields, including medicine, clinical psychology, and information technology.

The concerns of cognitive science fall into three broad categories: the brain—the neurological anatomy and processes underlying cognitive phenomena; behavior—the cognitive activity of individuals and their interaction with each other and their sociocultural environment, including the use of language, information, and media; and computation—the capacity of mathematical and computer systems to model cognitive and neural phenomena and represent information, and the role of computers as cognitive tools.

The department collaborates closely with other academic departments and research communities, including the Center for Research in Language, the Center for Human Development, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the UCSD Medical Center, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the Center for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, and the new Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, providing many outstanding resources and opportunities.

Students are encouraged to participate actively in the department by sharing their ideas about curriculum, research, and other topics with faculty and staff. Undergraduate students may join the Students in Cognitive and Neurosciences (SCANS) organization, which provides opportunities for undergraduates to meet students and faculty from UCSD and other institutes, visit research laboratories, and make job contacts. Graduate students take an especially active role in shaping the department, both academically and administratively, while they gain experience in research, teaching, and managing both labs and department affairs.

The Undergraduate Programs

The department offers both a B.A. and a B.S. degree. The B.S. requires completion of more rigorous lower-division course work and three additional courses at the upper-division level. The B.S. Degree may be taken optionally with a specified area of specialization. There is also an honors program for exceptional students in both degree programs. Major Code: CG25.

Please note: Students who officially declared the major before fall 2001 may choose to follow the old major requirements or the new major requirements, but not a combination of both. See department adviser for more information.

Grade Requirements for the Major

A minimum grade-point average of 2.0 is required for admittance to and graduation from the B.A. or B.S. Degree program. Students must receive a grade of C– or better in any course to be counted toward fulfillment of the major requirements. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, with the exception of Cognitive Science 195, 198, and 199, which are taken Pass/No Pass.

Four-Year Plan of Study

The four-year plan of study below assures that all prerequisites and requirements for the cognitive science major are completed. The department does enforce course prerequisites and several courses are offered only once a year, so careful planning is important. It is recommended that lower-division courses be taken in the first two years, core courses in the third year, and electives in the final year. Check with a departmental adviser about which quarter cognitive science courses will be offered each academic year. Check with a college adviser about course planning to meet college requirements.

Freshman Year:

Twelve units of math (B.A.) Or sixteen units of math (B.S.) Students intending to take Cognitive Science 118A and/or 118B should take Mathematics 20A-B-C. College requirements

Sophomore:

Cognitive Science 1. Cognitive Science 14. Cognitive Science 18. Students intending to take Cognitive Science 118A and/or 118B should take Mathematics 20E-F and Mathematics 180A.

Junior Year:

Nine core courses, chosen from a list of twelve (see Core Sequences)

Senior Year:

Electives for the major

Lower-Division Requirements

All majors must complete lower-division courses in introductory cognitive science, mathematics, statistics, and computer programming:

Mathematics Requirement

The cognitive science major requires twelve units of mathematics courses (for the B.A. degree), or sixteen units of mathematics courses (for the B.S. degree), chosen from the following list:

Mathematics 10A-B-C
Mathematics 20A-B-C-D-E-F
Mathematics 15A or CSE 20
Mathematics 15B or CSE 21

(Students should check with the Department of Mathematics for rules governing duplication of credit between the 10 and 20 series.)

Lower-Division Requirements for the B.A. Degree

Twelve units of mathematics courses chosen from the list above, in addition to the lower-division cognitive science course requirements.

Lower-Division Requirements for the B.S. Degree

Sixteen units of mathematics courses chosen from the list above, in addition to the lower-division cognitive science course requirements.

Lower-Division Cognitive Science Course Requirements

The following lower-division courses in Cognitive Science are required for all majors:

Cognitive Science 1
Cognitive Science 14
Cognitive Science 18

Students intending to take Cognitive Science 118A and/or 118B are advised to take Mathematics 20-A-B-C-E-F and Mathematics 180A before their junior year.

Upper-Division Requirements

The cognitive science major requires the completion of nine core sequence courses, plus three elective courses (for the B.A. degree), or six elective courses (for the B.S. degree). Students are advised to complete these core courses in their junior year, especially if they intend to apply to the honors program. The remainder of the upper-division requirement is fulfilled by completing electives.

Core Sequences

The core sequences courses in the Department of Cognitive Science are:

Cognitive Science 101A-B-C (Cognitive Theory and Phenomena)
Cognitive Science 102A-B-C (Distributed Cognition, Everyday Cognition, Cognitive Engineering)
Cognitive Science 107A-B-C (Cognitive Neuroscience)
Cognitive Science 109, 118A-B (Computational Models of Cognition)

The cognitive science major requires the completion of nine courses from the core sequences, which must include two courses in the Cognitive Science 101 series, two in the Cognitive Science 102 series, two in the Cognitive Science 107 series, Cognitive Science 109, and two additional courses from any of the core sequences.

Electives

At least half of the electives for the major must be taken in the department. Courses in the Cognitive Science 19X series (190A, 190B, 190C, 198, 199) may NOT be used as an elective to satisfy the major requirements for the B.A. degree. One course in the Cognitive Science 19X series may be used as an elective to satisfy the requirements for the B.S. degree, but only with the approval of both the instructor who supervised the course and the undergraduate adviser. A course taken outside the department must meet the following criteria:

  1. The course must deal with topics and issues that are clearly part of cognitive science.
  2. The material must not be available in a course offered inside the department.

This policy permits students and their advisers to be responsive to changes in course offerings. Majors must obtain departmental approval for electives taken outside of the department.

Areas of Specialization

A major may elect to receive a B.S. in cognitive science with a specified area of specialization. The areas of specialization are intended to provide majors with guidance in choosing elective courses and to make the specific interests and training of a major clear to prospective employers and graduate schools. Specifying an area of specialization is optional; however, students should take into consideration when planning for their specialization that approved courses are not necessarily offered every year.

To major in cognitive science with an area of specialization, the student must fulfill the requirements for the B.S. Degree and must choose four of the required six elective courses from a list of approved electives for that area of specialization. (The lists of approved electives for each area of specialization are available in the department office.)

The following areas of specialization are currently offered by the department:

Specialization in Clinical Aspects of Cognition

This area of specialization is intended for majors interested in cognitive neuropsychology, psychiatry, cognitive disorders, and the effects of drugs and brain-damage on cognitive functions. Allowed electives include courses in those topics, as well as organic chemistry, biochemistry, and physiology. Major code: CG31

Specialization in Computation

This area of specialization is intended for majors interested in software engineering or research in computational modeling of cognition. Allowed electives include advanced courses in neural networks, artificial intelligence, and computer science. Students interested in this specialization will most likely select courses from the computer science and engineering course offerings, as courses offered within the cognitive science department are limited. Major code: CG27

Specialization in Human Cognition

This area of specialization is intended for majors whose primary interests include human psychology and applications of cognitive science in design and engineering. Allowed electives include courses in cognitive development, language, laboratory research of cognition, anthropology, and sociology. Major code: CG28

Specialization in Human Computer Interaction

This area of specialization is intended for majors interested in human computer interaction; Web; visualization; and applications of cognitive science in design and engineering. Additional electives may be petitioned from communication, computer science, computer engineering, and visual arts. Major code: CG30

Specialization in Neuroscience

This area of specialization is intended for majors interested in neuroscience research or medicine. Allowed electives include courses in cognitive neuroscience, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and physiology. Major code: CG29

Cognitive Science Honors Program

The Department of Cognitive Science offers an honors program for a limited number of majors who have demonstrated excellence, talent, and high motivation.

Eligibility Requirements

Students are eligible for admission to the program when they:

  1. Complete all core courses
  2. Have at least junior level standing
  3. Have at least a 3.5 GPA in upper-division major courses and at least a 3.0 overall GPA

Eligible students will enroll in four units of 190A (Pre-Honors Project in Cognitive Science) under a faculty member who has agreed to advise them on a potential honors project. Students may apply the COGS 190A course as an elective toward major requirements whether or not they enter the Honors Program. At the end of the 190A course, students will submit to their faculty mentor a written project proposal. The proposal will define the question to be investigated, survey existing literature, describe the approach and methods that will be used, explain how data will be collected if it is an empirical study, detail how human subjects requirements will be met if necessary, discuss expected results, and provide a timeline for project completion.

Acceptance in Honors Program

To formally enter the Honors Program, students must meet the eligibility requirements above, receive a grade of A– or better in COGS 190A, establish an honors committee of at least two faculty and one graduate student to review the proposal and advise them during the process of completing the honors project, and have their project proposal approved by their honors committee.

The honors committee must be kept informed of any deviations from the original approved project proposal and timeline. Students who fail to make satisfactory progress may be asked to withdraw from the program at any point the adviser or the department chair deems necessary.

Successful completion of the Honors Program requires:

  1. Maintenance of a 3.5 GPA in upper-division major courses, and a 3.0 overall GPA
  2. Completion of one cognitive science (or related) graduate level course (may be taken P/NP). Students may use the required graduate course as one of their electives for the major whether or not they complete the honors project
  3. Completion of COGS 190B and 190C with letter grades of A- or better
  4. Completion of COGS 190D (Preparation for Thesis Presentation), a 1-unit seminar given each spring (P/NP)
  5. Completion of a written honors thesis describing the project
  6. Approval of the thesis by the honors committee and the department chair
  7. Satisfactory presentation of the honors thesis to the cognitive science community at the Honors Thesis Presentation Conference, spring quarter.

Students who successfully complete all of the requirements for the Honors Program will graduate with Distinction in Cognitive Science recorded on their transcripts.

Minors and Programs of Concentration

Each college has specific requirements, and students should consult with an academic adviser in their provost’s office as well as a cognitive science adviser to be sure they fulfill requirements of the college and of the department.

To receive a minor from the Department of Cognitive Science, a student must complete a total of seven (four unit) courses; five of which must be upper-division. Lower-division requirements are normally fulfilled by completing (one of) Cognitive Science 1, 3, 10 or 11 and (one of) Cognitive Science 14, 17 or 18. Upper-division requirements are normally fulfilled by completing two cognitive science electives and one of the following sequences:

Cognitive Science 101A-B-C
Cognitive Science 102A-B-C
Cognitive Science 107A-B-C
Cognitive Science 108D-E-F
Cognitive Science 109, 118A-B

All courses must be taken for a letter grade. No grade below C– is acceptable.

Transfer Credit

Students who wish to transfer from another institution to UCSD as cognitive science majors should work closely with university advisers to ensure that all lower-division requirements have been completed and are equivalent to those offered at UCSD. It is extremely important for students to have completed lower-division requirements by the end of their sophomore year so they are prepared for core courses in their junior year. Advanced UCSD students who wish to transfer to the department should consult with the departmental advisers about credit for courses already completed.

Education Abroad

Students majoring in cognitive science are encouraged to participate in the Education Abroad Programs (EAP), and to investigate other options of foreign study through the Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP). By petition, credits earned through EAP/OAP can fulfill UCSD degree and major requirements. Please visit the Web site at http://programsabroad.ucsd.edu for further details. Financial aid is applicable and special study abroad scholarships are readily available.

The Graduate Programs

There are two Ph.D. Programs, each with different admissions and graduation requirements. The Department of Cognitive Science offers a Ph.D. In cognitive science. Students are admitted to UCSD directly into the department and fulfill degree requirements of the department. The Interdisciplinary Program in Cognitive Science offers a joint Ph.D. In cognitive science and a home department (anthropology, communication, computer science and engineering, linguistics, neurosciences, philosophy, psychology, or sociology). Students are admitted to UCSD through the home department and fulfill the requirements of both the interdisciplinary program and the home department.

Ph.D. In Cognitive Science

This program provides broad training in neurological processes and phenomena; the experimental methods, results, and theories from the study of psychology, language, and social and cultural issues; and the studies of computational mechanisms. The first year is devoted to familiarizing the student with the findings and current problems in cognitive science through courses in foundations and issues.

By the second year, basic courses and laboratory rotations are completed, with the major emphasis on the completion of a year-long research project. Future years are spent completing the advancement to candidacy requirements and doing the thesis research. Throughout the program, there are frequent faculty-student interactions, including special lectures by the faculty or invited speakers and the weekly informal research discussions and cognitive science seminar.

Admissions

The application deadline is January 5. The admissions committee reviews each applicant’s statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, previous education and work experience, and grade-point averages, then recommends candidates for admission to the entire faculty, who make the final decision.

Advising

An interim adviser is appointed to serve as general adviser and counselor for each entering student. The adviser helps chart a set of courses that fulfill the content area requirements, taking into account the student’s prior training and interests. Students may change the interim adviser at any time (as long as the new interim adviser is willing). At the time of advancement to candidacy, students choose a permanent adviser who also functions as the chair of the dissertation committee.

All entering students are assumed to have basic prerequisite knowledge, and a list of basic readings will be provided to incoming students. Students who do not have this background can acquire it through self-study in the summer preceding arrival at UCSD or by taking self-paced study courses or relevant undergraduate courses at UCSD.

Summary of Requirements

  1. Foundations courses
  2. Approved study plan, which includes issues courses, methods courses, and laboratory rotations
  3. Second-year project
  4. Language requirement
  5. Advancement to candidacy
  6. Teaching
  7. Cognitive Science 200 seminar
  8. Participation in departmental events and committees
  9. Ph.D. dissertation and defense

Description of Requirements

The expectation is that graduate students in the program will maintain a 3.4 GPA, and falling below this expectation may lead to the student being put on departmental probation. No course in which the student is assigned a grade below B– will be allowed to fulfill department requirements.

  1. Foundations Courses (Cognitive Science 201, 202, 203). Students complete foundations courses in the areas of brain, behavior, and computation by the end of the second year. The department may waive some or all courses for students who already have the required knowledge.
  2. Study Plan. Students complete a study plan recommended by their adviser. The normal plan includes:
    1. Issues Courses. A minimum of six issues courses are required, at least one in each of the areas of brain, behavior, and computation. At least four of the issues courses should be taken within the department. Department recommends completion by the end of the second year. Issues courses taken outside the department require the approval of the adviser in conjunction with the Graduate Committee. Five of the six issues courses must be taken for a letter grade.
    2. Methods Courses. Three methods courses are required, one of which must be an approved statistics course. Students should obtain approval for all three courses from their adviser. An approved list of courses is on file with the department to assist students in selecting courses. Students may petition courses not on the approval list. Such petitions must be approved by the student's adviser and graduate committee. All three courses must be taken for a letter grade.
    3. Laboratory Rotations (Cognitive Science 290). A total of three quarters of laboratory rotations in at least two different faculty laboratories are required. Each rotation is for one to two full quarters as required by the faculty laboratory. All rotations should be completed by the end of fall quarter of the second year.

      Students can meet this requirement in the following ways:

      1. Three one-quarter rotations in three different laboratories, or
      2. One one-quarter rotation and one two-quarter rotation in two different laboratories, or
      3. Two two-quarter rotations in two different laboratories for a total of four quarters enrolled in COGS 290.

      Department recommends that student and adviser negotiate a topic and activity, then put the agreement in writing, sign, and give to the graduate coordinator.
  3. Second-Year Research Project (Cognitive Science 210A-B-C and 211A-B-C). In the summer between the first and second year, students work with their adviser and a faculty committee to develop a prospectus for a research project. The yearlong project culminates with written and oral presentations to the faculty at the end of spring quarter. During the second year, concurrent enrollment in Cognitive Science 210A-B-C and Cognitive Science 211A-B-C is required as part of the Second Year Project.
  4. Language Requirement. The main goal of the language requirement is to give all students firsthand experience with some of the differences in structure and usage of languages and the several issues involved in the learning of second languages. This requirement can be satisfied by demonstrating satisfactory proficiency, by prior study in a language (e.g., two years of high school study), or by satisfactory completion of one quarter of study in a language course approved by the department.
  5. Advancement to Candidacy/Qualifying Paper and Oral Exam. There are three components to advancement to candidacy:
    1. Competency. This requirement is met by satisfactorily completing items 1-4 above.
    2. Depth. This requirement is met by satisfactorily completing a talk to the entire department on their thesis topic by the end of the third year. A first draft of the thesis proposal must be submitted to the student’s adviser by the end of the third year. Students enroll in COGS 205 during winter and spring quarter of the third year.
    3. Dissertation Topic/Advancement Exam. The student prepares a proposal of the dissertation topic that must be approved by the student’s doctoral committee. A final written proposal is submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to an oral defense of the proposal. The doctoral committee consists of at least five faculty members: three from the department and two from outside the department; one of the outside members must be tenured.
  6. Teaching (Cognitive Science 500). All graduate students must serve as a teaching assistant at least one quarter of each academic year in residence. The undergraduate program offers a special challenge to instructor and student alike, and experience with the teaching of that program can provide a valuable part of the education of a cognitive scientist. Teaching assistantships performed in other departments must be approved by formal petition to the graduate committee to count toward the requirement. The department works closely with the Center for Teaching Development to design effective training and development programs for its teaching assistants. At the end of each quarter, instructors prepare written evaluations of all teaching assistants.
  7. Cognitive Science 200 Seminar. Students must enroll in this seminar for at least three quarters while in residence; frequent participation is encouraged.
  8. Participation in Departmental Events and Committees. Students participate in departmental special events and committees and serve as student representatives for faculty meetings and the campuswide Graduate Student Association. Students present their research in the undergraduate SCANS series.
  9. Completion of the Ph.D. Dissertation and Defense. Candidates prepare a written dissertation demonstrating a substantive contribution to our understanding of cognition. An oral defense follows.

Master’s Degree

The Department of Cognitive Science does not offer admissions to a master’s program. However, candidates for the Ph.D. who do not hold a master’s degree from another institution may be granted the M.S. degree after fulfilling the first three requirements listed above. This is usually at the end of the second year. Duplication of advanced academic degrees, e.g., one at the same level, is not permitted at UCSD. Likewise, a professional degree at the master’s or doctoral level, e.g., M.Ed., M.P.I.A., M.D., or Pharm.D., is not regarded as a duplicate of an academic degree.

Evaluation of Performance and Progress

A formal evaluation of performance and progress for all students takes place at the end of spring quarter every year, with special attention given to the first and second years of study and at the time of qualification. The first-year evaluation is based in large part on the performance in foundations and issues courses. The second-year evaluation is based on the student’s total performance, with heavy weight given to the student’s second-year research project. The third-year evaluation focuses on the competency and depth requirements, and the following years on the progress made toward completion of the dissertation.

Special Events

The department intends to enhance student-faculty interaction and current awareness of active research issues by special “events”:

  • Lectures by invited speakers or faculty members.
  • A full day of faculty/student overview and information at the start of each year, with emphasis on ongoing research activity.
  • Presentations of second-year research projects and third-year thesis topics to the entire faculty at the end of each year.
  • Final defense of the dissertation accompanied by a public lecture and celebration.

Time Limits to Ph.D.

Students must be advanced to candidacy by the end of spring quarter of their fourth year. Total university support cannot exceed seven years. Total registered time at UCSD cannot exceed eight years.

Financial Aid

Financial support is available to qualified students in the form of fellowships, loans, and assistantships. Students are encouraged to seek fellowships and research awards from outside the university. Please refer to the Graduate Studies section for more information.

The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program

Faculty

The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program is distinct from the departmental Ph.D. Program (see previous section) both in admissions and graduation requirements. There are four aspects to graduate study in the interdisciplinary program: (a) a primary specialization in one of the established disciplines of cognitive science; (b) a secondary specialization in a second field of study; (c) familiarity with general issues in the field and the various approaches taken to these issues by scholars in different disciplines; and (d) an original dissertation project of an interdisciplinary character. The degree itself reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the program, being awarded jointly to the student for studies in cognitive science and the home department. Thus, students in linguistics or psychology will have degrees that read “Ph.D. In Linguistics and Cognitive Science” or “Ph.D. In Psychology and Cognitive Science.”

Admission to the Program

Students enter UCSD through admission to one of the affiliated departments, which then serves as their home department, and which specifies their primary specialization. The affiliated departments are anthropology, communication, computer science and engineering, linguistics, neurosciences, philosophy, psychology, and sociology. Students may apply for admission to the interdisciplinary program anytime after entering UCSD, typically in the second or third year. Students must have an adviser from their home department who is a member of the interdisciplinary program faculty. If a student does not have such an adviser, a member of the Instructional Advisory Committee will be appointed as interim adviser. The Instructional Advisory Committee is made up of one interdisciplinary program faculty person from each of the home departments. The committee member that will serve as interim adviser for a student will come from the same home department as the student.

Note: Admission to the interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program is contingent upon applying to and being accepted in a home department.

Primary Specialization

Primary specialization is accomplished through the home department. Students are expected to maintain good standing within their home departments and to complete all requirements of their home departments through qualification for candidacy for the Ph.D. Degree

Secondary Specialization

The power of an interdisciplinary graduate training program lies in large measure in its ability to provide the student the tools of inquiry of more than one discipline. Students in the cognitive science interdisciplinary program are expected to gain significant expertise in areas of study outside of those covered by their home departments. Such expertise can be defined in several ways. The second area might coincide with that of an established discipline, and study within that discipline would be appropriate. Alternatively, the area could be based upon a substantive issue of cognitive science that spans several of the existing disciplines, and study within several departments would be involved. In either case, students work with their adviser and the Instructional Advisory Committee to develop an individual study plan designed to give them this secondary specialization. A list of courses in cognitive studies at UCSD is available. This requirement takes the equivalent of a full year of study, possibly spread out over several years. Often it is valuable to perform an individual research project sponsored by a faculty member in a department other than the student’s home department.

The following list demonstrates some ways to fulfill the secondary specialization requirement. It should be emphasized that these programs are only examples. Students will devise individual plans by working with their advisers and the advisory committee. Ideally, students who elect to do research in their areas of secondary interest will be able to accomplish a substantive piece of work, either one of publishable quality or one that will be of significant assistance in their dissertation projects.

Cognitive Psychology. Get a basic introduction to cognitive psychology through the Cognitive Psychology Seminar (Psychology 218A-B) and acquire or demonstrate knowledge of statistical tools and experimental design (this can be done either by taking the graduate sequence in statistics, Psychology 201A-B, or through the standard “testing out” option offered to all psychology graduate students). Finally, and, perhaps of most importance, the student should do a yearlong project of empirical research in psychology with the guidance of a member of the Department of Psychology.

Cognitive Social Sciences. A course sequence from sociology and anthropology, including one or two courses in field methods and a research project under the direction of a cognitive social sciences faculty member. The course sequence and project should be worked out with the advisory committee to reflect the interests and background of the student. Examples of courses include Distributed Cognition (Cognitive Science 234), Text and Discourse Analysis (Sociology 204), and the Anthropology of Language and Discourse (Anthropology 263). In addition, courses on field methods are offered by both anthropology and sociology.

Computer Science and Artificial Language. This specialization requires a thorough background in computer science. For those who enter the program without much formal training in this area, the secondary specialization in computer science includes some upper-division undergraduate courses (CSE 100, 102, 105) and a minimum of two graduate courses (CSE 250AB). (Note that these courses require basic knowledge of programming and discrete mathematics areas that may require some additional undergraduate courses for those who lack these skills.) Students with stronger backgrounds in computer science may go straight to graduate courses. For all students interested in this specialization, the course sequences and any projects should be worked out on an individual basis with the student’s adviser.

Discourse Structure and Processing. This specialization is highly interdisciplinary, spanning linguistics, computer science, psychology, sociology, philosophy, and anthropology. Research within this specialization depends upon which discipline is given emphasis. Therefore, the specialization will have to be developed according to the interests of the student. All students will have to demonstrate awareness and knowledge of relevant studies and the approaches of the various disciplines.

Linguistics. Students who elect a secondary specialization in linguistics should specialize either in the general area of syntax/semantics or in the general area of phonetics/phonology. Those who specialize in syntax/semantics should plan to take three courses in this area and one course in phonetics/phonology. Conversely, those who specialize in phonetics/phonology should plan to take three courses in this area and one course in syntax/semantics. The specific courses recommended will depend on the individual student’s interests and should be arranged in conjunction with the Department of Linguistics faculty liaison to the Cognitive Science Interdisciplinary Program.

In addition, students will prepare a research paper (preferably originating in one of the above courses) that demonstrates control of the methodology and knowledge of important issues in their area of specialization.

Neurosciences. A student specializing in neurosciences would take a program of courses emphasizing brain-behavior relationships, including Behavioral Neuroscience (Neurosciences 264) and the Physiological Basis of Human Information (Neurosciences 243). In addition, depending upon the student’s individual interests, one or more of the neurosciences core courses would be taken in the areas of Mammalian Neuroanatomy (Neurosciences 256), Neuro-psychopharmacology (Neurosciences 277), and/or Neurochemistry (Neurosciences 234). In most cases, the student would also take a research rotation in the laboratory of a member of the neurosciences faculty.

Philosophy. Students who elect a secondary specialization in philosophy will focus on philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, philosophy of neuroscience, or philosophy of language, depending on their area of primary specialization. Courses suitable for this program include Philosophy of Language (Philosophy 234), Philosophy of Mind (Philosophy 236), Philosophy of the Cognitive Sciences (Philosophy 250A), and Seminar on Special Topics (Philosophy 285), which will frequently focus on issues relevant to cognitive science. The course sequence should be worked out with the student’s adviser.

Acquisition of Perspective on the Field

The cognitive science faculty offers a special seminar, Cognitive Science 200, that emphasizes the interdisciplinary approach to the field and that covers a variety of different problems, each from the perspective of several disciplines. All students are required to enroll in this seminar a total of six quarters while in residence; most students regularly attend the seminar even after fulfilling the requirement. Students may substitute a Cognitive Science Foundations course for a Cognitive Science 200. A maximum of two quarters may be substituted.

Prequalifying Examinations

Students must complete any prequalifying and field requirements of their home department.

Qualifying Examinations

The Dissertation Advisory Committee. As soon as possible, students form a dissertation committee consisting of:

At least three members from the student’s home department, including the student’s adviser; and at least three members of the Cognitive Science Program, at least two of whom are not members of the student’s home department.

University regulations require that at least one of the faculty members of the committee from outside the home department must be tenured.

The committee must be approved by the interdisciplinary program, the home department, and by the dean of Graduate Studies. The dissertation committee is expected to play an active role in supervising the student and to meet with the student at regular intervals to review progress and plans.

In the qualifying examination, the student must demonstrate familiarity with the approaches and findings from several disciplines relevant to the proposed dissertation research and must satisfy the committee of the quality, soundness, originality, and interdisciplinary character of the proposed research.

Interdisciplinary Dissertation

It is expected that the dissertation will draw on both the primary and secondary areas of expertise, combining methodologies and viewpoints from two or more perspectives, and that the dissertation will make a substantive contribution to the field of cognitive science.

Overview

The program can be summarized in this way: In the first years, basic training within the student’s primary specialization, provided by the home departments;

In the middle years, acquisition of secondary specialization and participation in the Cognitive Science Seminar;

In the final years, dissertation research on a topic in cognitive science, supervised by faculty from the program.

Time Limits. Time limits for precandidacy, financial support, and registration are those established for the home department. Normative time is six years.

Cognitive Science