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 for your school.

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 (as well as on the website and the course catalogue).
  • 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 the program administrator for your school. 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 for your school, 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 for your school. 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 of your school 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 for your school. 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 the program administrator at your school. 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. 

Electives:

Please note that the list of possible electives below 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.