Major
Overview
Cognitive science is the cross-disciplinary study of how the mind works, with a focus on perception, reasoning, memory, attention, language, decision-making, motor control, and problem solving. It draws on tools and ideas from psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, economics, computer science, and philosophy. The major has three main components to provide breadth in the affiliated disciplines and depth in an area of specialization.
The first component is a study of fundamental concepts from each of the core disciplines. You are required to take seven courses: Introduction to Cognitive Science (COGS UN1001); one of the approved courses in each of four areas (psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and linguistics); and two of the approved courses in a fifth area (mathematical and computational methods).
The second component is a series of four electives to develop expertise in an area. Possible areas of specialization include: spatial learning, musicality, consciousness, emotion, dynamic semantics, natural language processing, talker recognition, computer vision, audiovisual integration, decision science, and neuroeconomics. The choice of specialization is flexible; there is not a predefined list. This is an opportunity for you to be creative. If you have ideas about a new specialization that you would like to pursue, you can do so with the approval of the cognitive science program director.
The third component is a year-long senior project that consists of four classes. You must register for a 3-point independent study with your senior project advisor in both the fall and spring semesters. You must also register for the Senior Project Seminar (COGS UN3901 in the fall and COGS UN3902 in the spring, 1 point each).
In total, a major in cognitive science consists of seven required courses, four electives in a chosen area, and a year-long senior project. The minimum number of courses is 15 and the minimum number of points is 41.
Policies and Procedures
- Breadth: Required courses
- There is an approved course list for all five areas (psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, linguistics, and mathematical and computational methods). The list is below.
- The two mathematical and computational methods courses must be selected in consultation with the program director to make sure they aren’t redundant. The courses can be chosen from any of the three subcategories (logic and decision theory, statistics, and computer science) and can be from the same or different subcategories.
- If you would like to count a Barnard or Columbia course which is not on the list towards one of these requirements, please submit the Cognitive Science Course Credit Request Form for each course which you would like to count, then email the syllabus for the course as a PDF attachment to Maia Bernstein (mbernste@barnard.edu). Please note that your submission is not complete until we have received the syllabus.
- Depth: Electives
- You should choose a specialization when you declare your major. Although there is no approved list of specializations, it must be approved by the program director, and there must be at least one faculty member affiliated with the program who has expertise in that area.
- Your choice of electives must also be approved by the program director. The program director will consult with a faculty member who has expertise in your area to ensure that your choice of electives will be sufficient to prepare you for your senior project. Keep in mind that many advanced courses have prerequisites, and you might want to include those prerequisites among your four electives.
- Please submit the Specialization and Electives Approval Form when you’re ready to propose an area of specialization and four electives.
- If your interests later shift to another area of specialization, you should resubmit the Specialization and Electives Approval Form to propose your new area and choice of electives. In some cases, that might mean that some of the electives you’ve already completed will no longer relate to your senior project; that’s fine as long as your electives as a whole still provide adequate preparation. In other cases, you might need to take additional electives.
- There is a list of possible electives below. This list is just to give you ideas; any Barnard or Columbia (or approved transfer) course may be counted as an elective for your specialization if the program director in consultation with a faculty expert agrees that it builds towards expertise in your area.
- Depth: Senior project
- You are encouraged to participate in research projects, laboratories, and investigative teams at the earliest opportunity. You will have a chance to experience creative work in cognitive science directly, and develop the connections for identifying a research supervisor in the senior year.
- You are responsible for finding your own senior project advisor, though the program director can make suggestions.
- To receive credit for your senior project, you must register for an independent study in both the fall and the spring of your senior year, for 3 points each semester. Most students will be able to register for an independent study with their senior project advisor through the advisor’s department. If it is not possible to register for an independent study through your advisor’s department (e.g., your advisor’s appointment is in the medical school), you can register for the Cognitive Science independent study, COGS UN3900 Supervised Individual Research, with the permission of the program director. Please note that all Barnard students must petition the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing before registering for an independent study; the petition form is on Slate.
- You must also register for the senior project seminar. Before you can register, you must identify an advisor and provide a brief description of your project using the Senior Project Form.
- Transfer credit
- All transfer and study abroad courses must first be approved by your college (BC, CC, or GS) to count towards your degree requirements before they can be considered for your Cognitive Science major requirements.
- If you would like to count a transfer or study abroad course as one of the Cognitive Science required or elective courses, please submit the Cognitive Science Transfer and Study Abroad Credit Approval Form for each course which you would like to count, then email the syllabus for the course as a PDF attachment to Maia Bernstein (mbernste@barnard.edu). Please note that your submission is not complete until we have received the syllabus. If you would like to use the course as an elective, you must also seek the approval of the program director through the Specialization and Electives Approval Form.
Required courses:
- COGS UN1001 Introduction to Cognitive Science.
- One course in each of four areas: psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and linguistics.
- Two courses in a fifth area: mathematical and computational methods. These two courses must be selected in consultation with the program director to make sure they aren’t redundant.
Please see below for the lists of approved courses in each area.
Course Number |
Course Name |
PSYC BC2110 |
Perception |
PSYC BC2115 |
Cognitive Psychology |
PSYC UN2210 |
Cognition: Basic Processes |
PSYC UN2220 |
Cognition: Memory and Stress |
PSYC UN2430 |
Cognitive Neuroscience |
Please note that PSYC UN2430 Cognitive Neuroscience may be used to fulfill either the Neuroscience requirement or the Psychology requirement, but not both.
Course Number |
Course Name |
NSBV BC1001 |
Introduction to Neuroscience |
PSYC UN2430 |
Cognitive Neuroscience |
PSYC UN2450 |
Behavioral Neuroscience |
PSYC UN2453 |
Social Neuroscience |
PSYC UN2481 |
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience |
NSBV BC3381 |
Visual Neuroscience |
Please note that PSYC UN2430 Cognitive Neuroscience may be used to fulfill either the Neuroscience requirement or the Psychology requirement, but not both.
Course Number |
Course Name |
PHIL UN2655 |
Cognitive Science and Philosophy |
PHIL UN3252 |
Philosophy of Language and Mind |
PHIL UN3655 |
Topics in Cognitive Science and Philosophy |
PHIL UN3912 |
Seminar: Perception |
Course Number |
Course Name |
LING UN3101 |
Introduction to Linguistics |
Logic and Decision Theory
Course Number |
Course Name |
ECON GU4850 |
Cognitive Mechanisms and Economic Behavior |
PHIL UN1401 |
Introduction to Logic |
PHIL UN3411 |
Symbolic Logic |
PHIL GU4561 |
Probability and Decision Theory |
PSYC UN2235 |
Thinking and Decision Making |
Statistics
Course Number |
Course Name |
ECON BC2411 |
Statistics for Economics |
PSYC BC1101 |
Statistics |
PSYC UN1610 |
Statistics for Behavioral Scientists |
STAT UN1001 |
Introduction to Statistical Reasoning |
STAT UN1101 |
Introduction to Statistics |
STAT UN1201 |
Calculus-Based Introduction to Statistics |
Computer Science:
Course Number |
Course Name |
COMS BC1016 |
Introduction to Computational Thinking |
COMS W1001 |
Introduction to Information Science |
COMS W1002 |
Computing in Context |
COMS W1004 |
Introduction to Computer Science (JAVA) |
COMS W1007 |
Honors Introduction to Computer Science |
COMS W3134 |
Data Structures in JAVA |
COMS W3136 |
Data Structures in C/C++ |
COMS W3137 |
Data Structures and Algorithms |
STEM BC2223 |
Computer Programming for Behavioral Sciences |
Electives:
Please note that the list of possible electives below is just to give you ideas. Whether or not you can count a particular course as an elective depends upon your area of specialization. Any course that builds expertise in your area of specialization may be counted as an elective with the program director’s approval, regardless of whether it is listed below; a course that does not build expertise in your area may not be counted as an elective even if it is listed below.
Course Number |
Course Name |
ANTH UN1009 |
Introduction to Language and Culture |
COGS GU4050 |
Natural and Artificial Neural Networks |
COGS GU4051 |
Natural and Artificial Neural Networks Lab |
COGS GU4800 |
Resource-Constrained Decision Making |
COMS W4170 |
User Interface Design |
COMS W4701 |
Artificial Intelligence |
COMS W4705 |
Natural Language Processing |
COMS W4731 |
Computer Vision |
COMS W4771 |
Machine Learning |
COMS W4772 |
Advanced Machine Learning |
ECON GU4020 |
Economics of Uncertainty and Information |
ECON GU4840 |
Behavioral Economics |
ECON GU4860 |
Behavioral Finance |
LING GU4202 |
Cognitive Linguistics |
LING GU4206 |
Advanced Grammar and Grammars |
LING GU4376 |
Phonetics and Phonology |
LING GU4903 |
Syntax |
MUSI GU4325 |
Introduction to Cognitive Musicology |
NSBV BC3381 |
Visual Neuroscience |
PHIL UN2685 |
Introduction to Philosophy of Language |
PHIL UN3685 |
Philosophy of Language |
PHIL UN3840 |
The Nature and Significance of Animal Minds |
PHIL GU4495 |
Perception |
PHIL GU4660 |
Philosophy of Mind |
PSYC BC2107 |
Psychology of Learning |
PSYC BC2129 |
Introduction to Developmental Psychology |
PSYC BC2163 |
Human Learning and Memory |
PSYC BC3164 |
Perception and Language |
PSYC BC3369 |
Language Development |
PSYC BC3372 |
Comparative Cognition |
PSYC BC3381 |
Theory of Mind and Intentionality |
PSYC BC3384 |
Social Cognition |
PSYC BC3390 |
Canine Cognition |
PSYC BC3394 |
Metacognition |
PSYC BC3399 |
Humans and Machines |
PSYC UN2250 |
Evolution and Cognition |
PSYC UN2280 |
Developmental Psychology |
PSYC UN3270 |
Computational Approaches to Human Vision |
PSYC UN3290 |
The Self: A Cognitive Exploration |
PSYC UN3445 |
The Brain and Memory |
PSYC UN3450 |
Evolution of Intelligence and Consciousness |
PSYC GU4202 |
Theories of Change in Human Development |
PSYC GU4222 |
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging |
PSYC GU4223 |
Memory & Executive Function through the Lifespan |
PSYC GU4225 |
Consciousness and Attention |
PSYC GU4229 |
Attention & Perception |
PSYC GU4239 |
Cognitive Neuroscience of Narrative & Film |
PSYC GU4242 |
Evolution of Language |
PSYC GU4244 |
Language & Mind |
PSYC GU4270 |
Cognitive Processes |
PSYC GU4280 |
Core Knowledge |
PSYC GU4281 |
The Psychology of Curiosity |
PSYC GU4287 |
Decision Architecture |
PSYC GU4289 |
Games People Play: Psychology of Strategic Decisions |
PSYC GU4430 |
Learning and the Brain |
PSYC GU4435 |
Non-Mnemonic Functions of Memory Systems |
SOAR AV4000 |
SOUND:Music, Math, and Mind |