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Graduate Certificate

The graduate certificate is aimed to provide post-baccaulariate and Ph.D. students with a graduate-level introduction to Cognitive Science as a theory of the (human and animal) mind. Our objectives are to ensure that each student (a) be able to articulate, at least in broad terms, some of the assumptions that have been thought to unify the various subfields within the domain of Cognitive Science, and (b) be able to apply those assumptions in dealing with issues in at least one of the five core disciplines contributing to cognitive science (Biology, Computer Science, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Psychology). If the student is a graduate student (as opposed to post-bac.), it is to be expected that the chosen discipline is that of the students Ph.D.-granting department.

CGS 500 ("Introduction to Cognitive Science") will be run with the aim in mind of getting students to satisfy (a); and a (minimal) distribution requirement, together with departmental pressures on graduate students generally, will serve to get students to satisfy (b).

To receive a graduate certificate in Cognitive Science, the student must successfully complete 15 credit-hours, distributed as follows:

I. 3 Credits of

CGS 500 Introduction to Cognitive Science

II. 12 credits from among the following

BIO 535 Comparative Neurobiology and Behavior (cross-listed as PGY 535)
BIO 550 Advanced Comparative Physiology
BIO 556 Communication Biology
BIO 613 Behavioral Ecology and Comparative Neurobiology
BIO 614 Techniques in Behavioral Ecology and Comparative Neurobiology
BIO 618 Molecular Neurobiology
BIO 621 Advanced Topics in Biology *
BIO 638 Developmental Neurobiology (cross-listed as PSY/ANA/PGY 638)
BIO 650 Animal Neurophysiology Laboratory
CS 521 Computation Sciences *
CS 536 Situated Computing
CS 575 Models of Computation (may not be combined with PHI 520)
CS 621 Parallel and Distributed Computing
CS 636 Computer Vision
CS 663 Artificial Intelligence
CS 674 Heuristic Algorithms
CS 675 Computability and Complexity (may not be combined with PHI 520)
LIN 512 Modern English Grammar
LIN 513 Teaching English as a Second Language
LIN 515 Phonological Analysis
LIN 516 Grammatical Analysis
LIN 517 Special Topics in Linguistics
LIN 617 Studies in Linguistics
PHI 520 Symbolic Logic II (may not be combined with CS 575 or 675)
PHI 560 Philosophy of Science
PHI 565 Philosophy of Language
PHI 575 Philosophy of Mind
PSY 552 Animal Behavior
PSY 562 Advanced Topics in Cognitive Psychology
PSY 564 Advanced Topics in Learning
PSY 565 Advanced Topics in Neuroscience
PSY 566 Advanced topics in Social Psychology *
PSY 623 Proseminar in Sensation and Perception
PSY 628 Proseminar in Cognitive Processes
PSY 638 Developmental Neurobiology
PSY 779 Topical Seminar in Social Psychology *

bolded courses have not been taught in the last five years
asterisk ('*'): only by the approval of the Director of Cognitive Science

Of the 12 credit-hours taken in connection with II, at least six must come from the offerings of a single department; and at least three must be from a course outside of the student's Ph.D.-granting department. (If the student is a post-bac., then the latter requirement is replaced by the requirement to take courses from at least two different departments.) Again, the "Introduction to Cognitive Science" course does not count as satisfying any of the distribution requirements mentioned in this paragraph.

An asterisk by a course indicates that the course will count for Cognitive Science credit only on the approval of the Director of Cognitive Science. The main criterion for approval will be the extent to which the course, as taught during the semester for which the student seeks Cognitive Science credit, contains a sufficient amount of materials relevant to Cognitive Science. The Director will make this determination by consultation with relevant faculty from the department teaching the course (including the instructor of the course).