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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
   • Psychology 09 - Introduction to Cognitive and Brain Sciences
   • Psychology 31 - Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences
   • Psychology 32 - Experimental Psychology
   • Psychology 64 (cross listed as Philosophy 15) - Introduction to Linguistics
   • Computer Science 11 - Introduction to Computer Science (or AP credit)
   • Computer Science 15 - Data Structures*
     
     *Note that Comp Sci 14 will not be offered in the future. Those who have taken Computer Science 14 can still count it towards the above requirement, but going forward all new students should take Computer Science 15. The CBS steering committee also strongly recommends that CBS majors, especially those seeking a greater emphasis in the computation side of Cognitive Science, also take  Computer Science 22 or Math 22 as many (but not all) upper level Computer Science courses require both 15 and 22 as prerequisites.
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
      Computer Science 150BBR – Behavior-Based Robotics
      Computer Science 150MOD - Computational Models in Cognitive Science
       
   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 103 - Brain and Behavior
      Psychology 112 - Biological Basis of Psychopathology
      Psychology 118 - Topics in Infancy
      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 145 - Mental Representation
      Psychology 146 - Comparative Cognition and Behavior
      Psychology 148 - Cognitive Neuroscience of Learning and Memory
      Psychology 154 - Psychosis
      Psychology 196-02 - SEMINAR IN PSYCHOLOGY: AUTISM & NEURODEV DISORDERS 
   2. Psychology 149 - Psychology of Language
      Psychology 150 – Semantics (if not taken to fulfill II.C.)
      Psychology 151 - Syntactic Theory (if not taken to fulfill II.C.)
      Psychology 152 - The Psychology of Bilingualism
      Psychology 153 - Biological Foundations 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
      Psychology 196-01 - Music, Language and the Brain Child Development 243 - Reading, Dyslexia, and the Brain
       
   3. Computer Science 135 - Machine Learning and Data Mining
      Computer Science 150BBR - Behavior-Based Robotics (only if not counted under IIb.)
      Computer Science 150MOD - Computational Models in Cognitive Science(only if not counted under IIb.)
      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 (see Senior Research Requirement).

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 or Linguistics:
A minor in Cognitive & Brain Science and a minor in Linguistics are both also available in the Philosophy Department (see the Philosophy website for more info).

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

• Dr. Robert Cook (Psychology)
• Dr. Dan Dennett (Philosophy)
• Dr. Ray Jackendoff (Philosophy)
• Dr. Matthias Scheutz (Computer Science)