Department of Psychology  
  Undergraduate Program: The Majors  

Concentrations: Cognitive and Brain Sciences (CBS)

Cognitive and Brain Science is an inherently interdisciplinary area, drawing on psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy of mind, computer science, and biology. A Cognitive and Brain Science degree provides an excellent preparation for careers in the sciences, computer fields, health professions, law, and education.

Major Requirements:

  1. Required courses
  2. One from each of the following three groups:
    1. Psychology 11 - Developmental Psychology
      Psychology 25 - Physiological Psychology
      Psychology 26 - Animal Learning and Cognition
      Psychology 27 - Perception
      Psychology 28 - Cognitive Psychology
      Psychology 29 - Human Neuropsychology
      Psychology 103 - Brain & Behavior
      Child Development 51 - Intellectual Development of Young Children
    2. Computer Science 131 - Artificial Intelligence
      Computer Science 171 - Human Computer Interaction
    3. Philosophy 3 - Language and Mind
      Philosophy 33 - Logic
      Psychology 65 - Phonological Theory
      Psychology 150 - Semantics
      Psychology 151 - Syntactic Theory
  3. A total of four courses taken from at least two of the following groups:
    1. Psychology 112 - Biological Basis of Psychopathology
      Psychology 123 - Psychopharmacology
      Psychology 124 - Cognitive Neuroscience of Perception
      Psychology 126 - Origins of Cognition
      Psychology 127 - Behavioral Endocrinology
      Psychology 129 - Cognitive Neuroscience
      Psychology 131 - Cognitive Neuropsychology
      Psychology 139 - Social Cognition
      Psychology 140 - Mathematical Psychology
      Psychology 142 - Seminar in Affective Neuroscience
      Psychology 144 - Memory and Retention
      Psychology 146 - Comparative Cognition and Behavior
      Psychology 148 - Cognitive Neuroscience of Learning and Memory
      Psychology 154 - Psychosis
       
    2. Psychology 149 - Psychology of Language
      Child Development 155 - The Young Child's Development of Language
      Child Development 156 - Applied Physiological Development
      Child Development 195 - Developmental Disorders in Language and Reading
      Child Development 243 - Reading, Dyslexia, and the Brain
       
    3. Computer Science 80 - Programming Languages
      Computer Science 135 - Machine Learning and Data Mining
      Computer Science 150 - Computational Learning Theory
      Computer Science 131 - Artificial Intelligence (only if not counted under IIb.)
      Computer Science 171 - Human Computer Interaction (only if not counted under IIb.)
      Computer Science 170 / Philosophy 170 - Computation Theory
       
    4. Philosophy 117 - Philosophy of Mind
      Philosophy 126 - Theories of Human Nature
      Philosophy/Psychology/Anthropology 132 - Cognition of Society and Culture
      Philosophy 133 - Philosophy of Language
      Philosophy 134 - Philosophy of Social Science
  4. Enrollment in Psychology 195
    Enrollment in Psychology 195 as a senior, which entails either completing an honors thesis in psychology, child development, computer science or philosophy, or completing a year-long research experience with a faculty member in one of these departments or with a faculty member in the neuroscience department at the medical school.

Students are encouraged, after consultation with their advisor, to augment the Cognitive & Brain Science major by taking electives in Psychology, Anthropology (150), Biology (13, 14, 116, 134), and Math (11, 12, 13, 150). Students majoring in Cognitive & Brain Science usually receive a Bachelor of Science degree.

Minor in CBSS (new!):
A minor in Cognitive & Brain Science is also available. It requires 7 courses, at least 5 of which must be taken in a department different from the student's major. These courses for the minor are as follows:

  1. Psychology 9
  2. Computer Science 14 and/or Philosophy 15
  3. Enrollment in Psychology 195 as a senior. Students minoring in Cognitive and Brain
  4. Sciences will be expected either to present a research paper or to participate as a Research Assistant in the presentation of research by a faculty member, a graduate student, or a senior.
  5. Additional courses selected from at least 2 of the following groups:
    1. Psychology 11, 25 or 103, 26, 27, 28, 29, 65, 124, 126, 129, 131, 139, 140, 142,144, 146, 154; Child Development 51
    2. Philosophy 3, 33, 38, 103, 111, 112, 113, 114, 117, 126, 133, 134, 186; Psychology 149; Child Development 155, 195; ED/ML/GER 114
    3. Computer Science 80, 131, 135, 150, 170, 171

Other courses may be accepted towards the minor with advisor approval.

You can also contact members of the CBSS steering committee for more information:
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