Cognitive Science
Courses
For course descriptions not found in the 2008-2009 General Catalog, please contact the department for more information.
Lower-Division
1. Introduction to Cognitive Science (4) A team-taught course highlighting development of the field and the broad range of topics covered in the major. Example topics include addiction, analogy, animal cognition, artificial life, brain damage, cognitive development, distributed cognition, human-computer interaction, language, neuroimaging, neural networks, reasoning, robots, and real-world applications.
3. An Introduction to Computing (4) A practical introduction to computers and how you can use their power. Designed for undergraduates in the social sciences. Topics include: basic operations of personal computers (MAC, PC), UNIX, word processing, e-mail, spreadsheets, and creating web pages using the World Wide Web. No previous background in computing required.
8. Hands-on Computing (4) Introductory-level course that will give students insight into the fundamental concepts of algorithmic thinking and design. The course will provide the students with first-person, hands-on experience programming a Web crawler and simple physical robots.
10. Cognitive Consequences of Technology (4) The role of cognition and computation in the development of state-of-the art technologies such as human computational interaction in aviation, air traffic control, medical diagnosis, robotics and telerobotics, and the design and engineering of cognitive artifacts.
11. Introduction to Cognitive Science: Minds and Brains (4) How damaged and normal brains influence the way humans solve problems, remember or forget, pay attention to things; how they affect our emotions; and the way we use language in daily life.
14. Design and Analysis of Experiments (4) Design, statistical analysis, and interpretation of experiments in the main areas of cognitive science: brain, behavior, and computation. Introduction to mathematical foundations of probability and statistical decision theory. Decision theory is applied to the problem of designing and analyzing experiments. Students will participate in a group project in which they must design scientific experiments, collect data and analyze results. May fulfill general education requirements; ask a college advisor. Prerequisite: Mathematics 10A or equivalent.
17. Neurobiology of Cognition (4) Introduction to the organization and functions of the nervous system. Topics include molecular, cellular, developmental, systems, and behavioral neurobiology. Specifically, structure and function of neurons, peripheral and central nervous systems, sensory, motor, and control systems, learning and memory mechanisms. (Students may not receive credit for both Biology 12 and Cognitive Science 17. This course fulfills general-education requirements for Marshall and Roosevelt Colleges as well as Warren by petition.)
18. Introduction to Programming for Cognitive Science (4) Fundamentals of computer programming are introduced. Topics include: fundamentals of computer architecture, variables, functions, and control structures; writing, testing, and debugging programs; programming style and basic software design. Examples and exercises focus on cognitive science applications. Prerequisite: Mathematics 10A or 20A.
25. Introduction to Web Programming (4) Introduction to Web programming languages and their real-world applications. Concepts and languages covered include document structure (XHTML). A basic background in computing is required, but no prior programming experience.
87. Freshman Seminar (1) The Freshman Seminar Program is designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments and undergraduate colleges, and topics vary from quarter to quarter. Enrollment is limited to fifteen to twenty students, with preference given to entering freshmen.
91. SCANS Presents (1) The department faculty and the Students for Cognitive and Neurosciences (SCANS) offer this seminar exploring issues in cognitive science. It includes informal faculty research presentations, investigations of topics not covered in the curriculum, and discussions on graduate school and careers. (May be repeated when topics vary.)
99. Independent Study (2 or 4) Independent literature or laboratory research by arrangement with and under direction of a Department of Cognitive Science faculty member. Prerequisites: lower-division standing, completion of thirty units of UCSD undergraduate study, a minimum UCSD GPA of 3.0, and a completed and approved “Special Studies” form.
Upper-Division
101A. Sensation and Perception (4) An introduction to the experimental study of cognition with a focus on sensation and perception. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 1.
101B. Learning, Memory, and Attention (4) A survey of the experimental study of learning, memory, and attention. Topics include conditioning, automaticity, divided attention, memory systems, and the nature of mental representation. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 1. Recommended: Cognitive Science 101A.
101C. Language (4) An introduction to structure of natural language, and to the cognitive processes that underline its acquisition, comprehension, and production. This course covers findings from linguistics, computer science, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience to provide an integrated perspective on human language abilities. Recommended: Cognitive Science 101A.
102A. Distributed Cognition (4) Distributed cognition extends beyond the boundaries of the person to include the environment, artifacts, social interactions, and culture. Major themes are the study of socially distributed cognition and the role of artifacts in human cognition. Prerequisite: upper-division standing. Recommended: Cognitive Science 1 or Cognitive Science 10.
102B. Cognitive Ethnography (4) This course examines memory, reasoning, language understanding, learning, and planning directly in everyday, real-world settings. The coursework will include discussions of both the findings and the methodology of naturalistic studies of cognition. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 102A.
102C. Cognitive Engineering (4) Applications of cognitive science for the design of human-centered systems are explored. An extensive project analyzing an existing system or product or designing a new prototype application is required. Recommended: Cognitive Science 18, 102A and 102B.
107A. Neuroanatomy and Physiology (4) This first course in the sequence focuses on principles of brain organization, from neurons to circuits to functional networks. It explores developmental plasticity, neuronal connectivity, cellular communication, complex signaling, and how these various dimensions form functional brain systems. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 1.
107B. Systems Neuroscience (4) (Conjoined with Cognitive Science 201) This course is a rigorous introduction to the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical basis of human and animal cognition, covering cellular neurophysiology and circuit modeling, development, visual, somatosensory, auditory, motor, and limbic systems; neuroimaging and language. Students in Cognitive Science 107B will have a textbook and will be given short-answer tests; students in Cognitive Science 201 will have a reader and written take-home assignments, in addition to a short final paper. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 107A.
107C. Cognitive Neuroscience (4) This course studies brain systems implicated in attention, language, object recognition, and memory. Neurobiological evidence for functional subsystems within these processes and the way specialized systems develop are considered using findings from animal studies, human development, and behavioral and brain imaging. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 107B and its prerequisites.
108D. Programming Methods for Cognitive Science (4) (Course previously offered as COGS 108A fall 2001) The design, implementation, and analysis of algorithms and data structures. Applications include: symbolic artificial intelligence, neural networks, genetic algorithms, computer graphics, and human computer interaction. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 1 and Cognitive Science 18 or CSE 9A or CSE 10, or permission of instructor.
108E. Neural Network Models of Cognition I (4) (Course previously offered as COGS 108B winter 2002) This course is an elementary introduction to neural networks and their use in cognitive science. Students will learn how to construct and train neural networks to solve problems at both the psychological and neurological levels of cognition. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 108D.
108F. Advanced Programming Methods for Cognitive Science (4) (Course previously offered as COGS 108C spring 2002) This course focuses on providing students with additional programming experience in the design of cognitive science applications and modeling. Each time it is offered a specific application or modeling area will be covered. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 108E and Math 20F.
109. Modeling and Data Analysis (4) Exposure to the basic computational methods useful throughout cognitive science. Computing basic statistics, modeling learning individuals, evolving populations, communicating agents, and corpus-based lingusitics will be considered. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 18 or equivalent programming course or consent of instructor.
113. Cognitive Development (4) (Cross-listed with Psychology 136) This course examines the foundations and growth of mind, discussing the development of perception, imagery, concept formation, memory, and thinking. Emphasis is placed on the representation of knowledge in infancy and early childhood. (Credit may not be received for both Psychology 136 and Cognitive Science 113.) Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 101B or Psychology 105 or Psychology 101.
115. Neurological Development and Cognitive Change (4) This course provides an overview of neurological development and explores the relations between physiological change and the experience of the child from the prenatal period through adolescence. Prerequisite: BILD 10 (or equivalent), and Cognitive Science 17 or HDP 10.
118A. Natural Computation I (4) This course is an introduction to computational modeling of biological intelligence, focusing on neural networks and related approaches to supervised learning. Topics include estimation, filtering, optimization, multilayer perceptrons, support vector machines, boosting, Bayes nets. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 109, Mathematics 20E, Mathematics 20F, and Mathematics 180A or consent of instructor.
118B. Natural Computation II (4) This course is an introduction to computational modeling of biological intelligence, focusing on neural networks and related approaches to unsupervised learning. Topics include density estimation, clustering, self-organizing maps, principal component analysis, information theoretic models, and evolutionary approaches. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 109, Cognitive Science 118A, Mathematics 20E, Mathematics 20F, and Mathematics 180A or consent of instructor.
120. Human Computer Interaction (4) This course is an introduction to the field of human computer interaction (HCI). It provides an overview of HCI from the perspective of cognitive science. Recommended: Cognitive Science 10 and an introductory programming course.
121. Human Computer Interaction Programming (4) This course is an introduction to human computer interaction (HCI) programming. It focuses on architectures, implementation techniques, and cognitive issues involved in designing interactive interfaces. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 120 or consent of instructor.
143. Animal Cognition (4) Review of historical perspectives: introspectionist, behaviorist, and cognitivist models. Examination of how perceptual and motor constraints and ecological demands yield species-specific differences in cognitive repertoire. Contemporary issues in the comparative study of the evolution of human cognition. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
151. Analogy and Conceptual Systems (4) Human thought and meaning are deeply tied to the capacity for mapping conceptual domains onto each other, inducing common schemas and performing mental simulation. This course examines major aspects of this cognitive activity including metaphor, conceptual blending and embodied cognition. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
152. Cognitive Foundations of Mathematics (4) How the human mind/brain creates mathematics: embodiment, innovation, and creativity. The emergence and power of abstract concepts, such as infinity, infinitesimals, imaginary numbers, or zero. Cognitive approaches that connect mathematics to human thought in general. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
154. Communication Disorders in Children and Adults (4) Neural bases of language use in normal adults, and neural bases of language and communication development in normal children. Evidence on the language and communication deficits in adults (especially aphasia and dementia) and children (specific language impairment, focal brain injury, retardation, and autism). Prerequisites: upper-division standing.
156. Language Development (4) A comprehensive survey of theory, method and research findings on language development in children ranging from the earliest stages of speech perception and communication at birth to refinements in narrative discourse and conversational fluency through middle childhood and adolescence. Prerequisites: upper-division standing and background in developmental psychology and/or linguistics is recommended.
160. Upper-Division Seminar on Special Topics (4) Special topics in cognitive science are discussed. (May be repeated when topics vary.) Prerequisite: department approval.
170. Natural and Artificial Symbolic Representational Systems (4) This course develops a detailed analogy between the evolution and architecture of language comprehension in human primates and symbol processing at the level of individual cells, contrasting this with the analogy between cognition and computation. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 17 or Biology 12; Recommended: Cognitive Science 18 or Computer Science and Engineering 62AB.
172. Brain Disorders and Cognition (4) A review of the patterns of impaired and intact cognitive abilities present in brain-damaged patients in terms of damage to one or more components of a model of normal cognitive functioning. (Cognitive science majors may not receive elective credit for both Psychology 139 and Cognitive Science 172.) Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 107A.
174. Drugs: Brain, Mind and Culture (4) This course explores how drugs interact with the brain/mind and culture. It covers evolutionary and historical perspectives, brain chemistry, pharmacology, expectancies and placebo effects, and models of addiction. It also provides a biopsychosocial survey of commonly used and abused substances. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
175. The Neuropsychological Basis of Alternate States of Consciousness (4) This course will review the literature that correlates brain rhythms in the human EEG with aspects of cognition, behavioral states, neuropsycho-pharmacology, and psychopathology in order to understand the psychological and neurophysiological underpinnings of these experiences. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 101A or Cognitive Science 107A.
179. Electrophysiology of Cognition (4) This course surveys the theory and practice of using recordings of electrical and magnetic activity of the brain to study cognition and behavior. It explores what brain waves reveal about normal and abnormal perception, processing, decision making, memory, preparation, and comprehension. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 107A or Psychology 106; Cognitive Science 101A or Psychology 105.
184. Modeling the Evolution of Cognition (4) Mathematical and computational modeling of the evolution and mechanisms of simple cognitive functions. Theoretical background, including topics in population genetics, behavioral ecology, evolutionary game theory, dynamical systems theory, genetic algorithms and neural networks will be applied to questions concerning the evolution of behavioral strategies, the relation between evolution and learning, and the evolution of cooperation, communication and other aspects of social behavior. Prerequisites: programming ability, calculus, and consent of instructor.
187A. Cognitive Aspects of Multimedia Design (4) This course will examine the cognitive basis of successful multimedia designs. We will be interested in what makes an interactive system effective: what makes images easy to understand, animations clear and helpful, and why some sequences of images, text, and sounds make more sense than others. Students will learn Web design, how to evaluate CD ROMs and assess their usability, and gain firsthand experience with the problems of visualization. No programming skills are presupposed but we do assume a strong familiarity with computer software. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 3 or Cognitive Science 25; open to cognitive science majors with upper-division standing only.
187B. Cognitive Aspects of Multimedia Design II (4) This course follows up on the basics of multimedia design taught in Cognitive Science 187A. Students will probe more deeply into selective topics, such as animation, navigation, graphical display of information, and narrative coherence. A large fraction of time will be spent on group projects. Prerequisites: COGS 187A; open to cognitive science majors with upper-division standing only.
188. Representation, Search, and the Web (4) Computational methods for finding and exploiting structure across vast data corpora, from personal e-mail collections to the entire WWW. Implementation and evaluation of algorithms used as part of modern search engines, and how these are connected to models of shared cognition. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 109 or Computer Science and Engineering 12. Recommended: Cognitive Science 102A or Cognitive Science 118B.
190A. Pre-Honors Project in Cognitive Science (4) This independent study course is for advanced students who wish to prepare for and apply to the Cognitive Science Honors Program. After completing this course, students may be admitted to the Honors Program contingent upon significant progress made during the course. (See “Cognitive Science Honors Program” section for more information.) Students should contact faculty whose research interests them to discuss possible projects. Prerequisite: upper-division standing; instructor and department approval.
190B. Honors Studies in Cognitive Science (4) This course will allow cognitive science honors students to explore advanced issues in the field of cognitive science. It will also provide honors students the opportunity to develop an honors thesis on the topic of their choice and begin preliminary work under faculty supervision. Students will receive an “IP” grade in 190B and the grade assigned for 190C, when completed, will replace the “IP” in 190B. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 190A with grade of A- or better and formal admittance to the Cognitive Science Honors Program. (See “Cognitive Science Honors Program” section for more information.)
190C. Honors Thesis in Cognitive Science (4) This course will provide honors candidates an opportunity to complete the research on and preparation of an honors thesis under close faculty supervision. Oral presentation of student’s thesis is required to receive honors; additionally, student must receive grade of A- or better in 190B and 190C to receive honors. Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 190B with grade of A- or better and formal admittance to the Cognitive Science Honors Program. (See “Cognitive Science Honors Program” section for more information.)
190D. Preparation for Thesis Presentation (1) This course is affiliated with the honors program (190A-B-C) and is required of honors students during spring quarter. Its aim is to prepare students to present research results to an audience. Emphasis will be on the oral presentation (organization, wording, graphics), but there will also be some discussion about written research reports. Seminar style format with occasional short lectures wherein students will practice oral presentations and provide constructive criticism to each other. Prerequisite: must be concurrently enrolled in 190B or 190C.
191. Laboratory Research (1-4) Students engage in discussions of reading of recent research in an area designated and directed by the instructor and also participate in design and execution of original research. Assignments include both oral and written presentations and demonstrating the ability to pursue research objectives. Prerequisites: consent of the instructor and department approval. (May be repeated for credit, but not to exceed 8 units).
195. Instructional Apprenticeship in Cognitive Science (4) Students, under the direction of the instructor, lead laboratory or discussion sections, attend lectures, and meet regularly with the instructor to help prepare course materials. Applications must be submitted to and approved by the department. Prerequisites: upper-division standing; 3.0 GPA; instructor and department approval. P/NP only.
197. Cognitive Science Internship (2 or 4) The student will undertake a program of practical research in a supervised work environment. Topics to be researched may vary, but in each case the course will provide skills for carrying out these studies. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
198. Directed Group Study (4) This independent study course is for small groups of advanced students who wish to complete a one- quarter reading or research project under the mentorship of a faculty member. Students should contact faculty whose research interests them to discuss possible projects. Prerequisites: upper-division standing; 2.5 GPA; consent of instructor and department approval.
199. Special Project (2 or 4) This independent study course is for individual, advanced students who wish to complete a one- quarter reading or research project under the mentorship of a faculty member. Students should contact faculty whose research interests them to discuss possible projects. Prerequisites: upper-division standing; 2.5 GPA; consent of instructor and department approval.
Graduate
200. Cognitive Science Seminar (4) This seminar emphasizes the conceptual basis of cognitive science, including representation, processing mechanisms, language, and the role of interaction among individuals, culture, and the environment. Current developments in each field are considered as they relate to issues in cognitive science. (May be repeated for credit.)
201. Systems Neuroscience (4) (Conjoined with Cognitive Science 107B) This course is a rigorous introduction to the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical basis of human and animal cognition, covering cellular neurophysiology and circuit modeling; development; visual, somatosensory, auditory, motor, and limbic systems; neuroimaging and language. Students in Cognitive Science 107B will have a textbook and will be given short-answer tests; students in Cognitive Science 201 will have a reader and written take-home assignments, in addition to a short final paper.
202. Cognitive Science Foundations: Computational Modeling of Cognition (4) This course surveys the development of symbolic and connectionist models of cognition. Selected readings from the late 1940s to the present are covered. Topics include: Turing machines, information theory, computational complexity, search, learning, symbolic artificial intelligence, and neural networks.
203. Cognitive Science Foundations: Theories and Methods in the Study of Cognitive Phenomena (4) Surveys a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of human cognition. Topics include language structure, language processing, concepts and categories, knowledge representation, analogy and metaphor, reasoning, planning and action, problem solving, learning and expertise, and emotion.
205. Introduction to Thesis Research (4) This course is taken to focus the students’ development of a thesis topic and research proposal. Students prepare an outline of thesis proposal and make an oral public presentation of the proposed topic prior to the end of the third year. S/U only.
210A-B-C. Introduction to Research (4-4-4) This sequence is an intensive research project. Students under faculty mentorship perform a thorough analysis of the problem and the literature, carry out original studies, and prepare oral and written presentations. Students should aim for a report of publishable quality. Letter grade required.
211A-B-C. Research Methods in Cognitive Science (2-2-2) Issues in design, implementation, and evaluation of research in cognitive science are discussed. Students will present and comment on their own research projects in progress. Discussions also include presentations of research to various audiences, abstracts, reviews, grant process, and scientific ethics. Letter grade required.
213. Issues in Cognitive Development (4) This course examines current issues in human development of interest to cognitive scientists. An emphasis is placed on the foundations of mind and how information is represented at various stages of learning and development. (May be repeated once, when topics vary.)
215. Neurological and Cognitive Development (4) This course is presented in two sections. The first part of the course focuses on early neurological development. The second part addresses questions concerned with the relations between cognitive brain development, and linguistic and affective development.
220. Information Visualization (4) This seminar surveys current research in information visualization with the goal of preparing students to do original research. The focus is on the cognitive aspects of information design, dynamic representations, and computational techniques. Topics vary each time course is offered.
234. Distributed Cognition (4) This course focuses on aspects of individual and socially distributed cognition. Empirical examples are drawn from natural and experimental settings which presuppose, tacitly or explicitly, socially distributed knowledge among participants. The class examines the way locally managed, pragmatic conditions influence how decisions are framed.
238. Topics in Cognitive Linguistics (1–4) (Same as Linguistics 238) Basic concepts, empirical findings, and recent developments in cognitive and functional linguistics. Language viewed dynamically in relation to conceptualization, discourse, meaning construction, and cognitive processing. (As topics vary, may be repeated for credit.)
241. Ethics and Survival Skills in Academia (3) (Same as Neurosciences 241) This course will cover ethical issues which arise in academia, including: dishonesty, plagiarism, attribution, sexual misconduct, etc. We will also discuss ‘survival’ issues, including job hunting, grant preparation, journal reviews, writing letters of recommendation, mentoring, etc. S/U only.
243. Statistical Inference and Data Analysis (2 or 4) This course provides a rigorous treatment of hypothesis testing, statistical inference, model fitting, and exploratory data analysis techniques used in the cognitive and neural sciences. Students will acquire an understanding of mathematical foundations and hands-on experience in applying these methods using Matlab.
253. Semantics and Cognition (4) This course explores current issues in the study of meaning and its interaction with other areas of cognitive science. The focus is on cognitive semantics, pragmatics, and meaning construction in general.
254. Pragmatics and Common Sense Reasoning (4) A study of the pragmatic principles involved in language comprehension and the logic of everyday life. Cognitive, linguistic, cultural, and sociological aspects will be covered.
260. Seminar on Special Topics (1-4) Specific topics in cognitive science are discussed. (May be repeated when topics vary.)
272. Topics in Theoretical Neurobiology (4) The main focus of this course is the relationship between nervous system function and cognition. It covers broad theoretical issues and specific topics. Material comes from lectures, papers, and the text. Topic varies each time the course is offered. (May be repeated for credit.)
273. Biological Basis of Attention (4) A survey of the research and theories of attention with special emphasis on the current anatomical, physiological, and biochemical basis of attention.
275. Visual Modeling (4) Visual system neurophysiology and neuroanatomy, and neurally realistic and artificial intelligence modeling approaches are covered. Topics are: dendrites, orientation and edges, motion, stereo, shading and color, eye movements, and pattern recognition. Students prepare computer modeling projects or research papers.
276. Foundations of Neuroimaging (4) Foundations of neuroimaging: (1) MRI/fMRI: RF excitation, relaxation, echos, image formation, BOLD and flow, DTi, EPI, time and series analysis, (2) cortical surface reconstruction, morphing, mapping, and data display, (3) physiological basis of MEG and EEG, forward and inverse solutions.
279. Electrophysiology of Cognition (4) (Conjoined with Cogitive Science 179; cross-listed with NEU 279) This course surveys the theory and practice of using recordings of electrical and magnetic activity of the brain to study cognition and behavior. It explores what brain waves reveal about normal and abnormal perception, processing, decision making, memory, preparation, and comprehension. Graduate students will be required to do additional readings for the material each week (different for each grad) and to present orally (as well as in a written page) a critical analysis of the readings. Prerequisites: Cognitive Science 107A or Psychology 106; Cognitive Science 101A or Psychology 105.
290. Cognitive Science Laboratory Rotation (2) Laboratory rotations provide students with experience in the various experimental methods used in cognitive science. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. S/U only.
291. Laboratory Research (1-4) Students engage in discussions of reading of recent research in an area designated and directed by the instructor and also participate in the design and execution of original research. Students are expected to demonstrate oral and written competence in presenting original research. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor and departmental approval. (May be repeated for credit.)
298. Directed Independent Study (1-12) Students study and research selected topics under the direction of a member of the faculty.
299. Thesis Research (1-12) Students are provided directed research on their dissertation topic by faculty advisors.
500. Teaching Apprenticeship (1-4) This practicum for graduate students provides experience in teaching undergraduate cognitive science courses. S/U only.
