Cognitive Science PhD Program

Courses

Course Info on SIS

Course Descriptions

The list below includes descriptions of all undergraduate and graduate courses offered by the Cognitive Science PhD program, though some courses may be taught more often than others. Descriptions for special topics seminars are updated each semester.

Visit the graduate page for course requirements for specific programs. For up-to-date information on course offerings, schedules, room locations and registration, please visit the Student Information System (SIS).

Cognitive Science Courses

COGS 0193 Special Topics. No description at this time.

COGS 0210 Coding for Psychology. (Cross-listed w/PSY 210) TLearn practical, transferable coding skills for collection and analysis of data in psychology studies. Introductory computer science concepts, including writing basic data-collection programs in Python, and automated data analysis scripts in R. Previous coding/programming experience not required. Prerequisite: PSY 31 or EC 13 or BIO 132 or MATH 162 or CEE 6 or CEE 156 or CSHD 140.

COGS 0248 The Predictive Mind. (Cross-listed w/PSY 248) This graduate-level seminar course aims to investigate the provocative but compelling theory that the mind/brain is essentially a hypothesis-testing machine that attempt to minimize the error of its predictions about the input it receives from the world. We will critically examine evidence for and against this theory from the perspective of both cognitive and neural functioning. We will cover multiple domains of cognition, ranging from animal learning theory, basic perceptual processes (visual and auditory), attention, executive function, higher-order visual cognition, language processing and cognitive development. The course is geared towards graduate students who have some background knowledge in cognitive psychology and cognitive science. Although a strong math background is not required, students will be expected to engage with the principles of Bayesian Theory at a qualitative conceptual level.

Consent needed for non-Psychology/Cognitive Science students to register.

COGS 0293 Special Topics. No description at this time.

Out-of-Department Electives

Child Study and Human Development

  • CSHD 151 Intellectual Development
  • CSHD 155/LING 155 Development of Language
  • CSHD 177 Bilingual Studies U.S.
  • CSHD 195/LING 195 Developmental Disorders in Language and Reading
  • CSHD 249 Applied Regression Analysis

Computer Science

  • CS 131 Artificial Intelligence
  • CS 133 Human-Robot Interaction
  • CS 135 Introduction to Machine Learning
  • CS 136 Statistical Pattern Recognition
  • CS 138 Reinforcement Learning
  • CS 141 Probabilistic Robotics
  • CS 150 Natural Language Processing
  • CS 150-10 Trust in Human-Robot Interaction
  • CS 152 BDL Bayesian Deep Learning
  • CS 152-06 Explainable Artificial Intelligence
  • CS 170/MATH 191 Computation Theory
  • CS 236 Computational Learning Theory
  • MATH 151/BIO 151 Mathematical Neuroscience
  • MATH 153 Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos

Education

  • ED 111/119 Development of Knowledge and Reasoning in the Science Curriculum
  • ED 112 Mathematics Learning Environments
  • ED 114/LING 114/GER 114/ML 114 Linguistic Approaches to Second Language Acquisition
  • ED 130 Human Development and Learning
  • ED 142 Education of the Exceptional Child
  • ED 214 Resource-based Models of Learning in STEM Disciplines
  • ED 225 Theory and Research in Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Education
  • ED 243 Assessment of Cognitive Abilities
  • ED 253 Biological Bases of Behavior and Learning in Educational Settings
  • ED 254 Developmental Psychopathology in Educational Settings

Philosophy

  • PHIL 111/PSY 150/LING 133 Semantics
  • PHIL 112/PSY 151/LING 112 Syntactic Theory
  • PHIL 116/STS 116 Philosophy of Science
  • PHIL 117 Philosophy of Mind
  • PHIL 118/STS 118 Philosophy of Biology
  • PHIL 133/LING 133 Philosophy of Language
  • Various topics courses related to cognitive science (including logic and philosophy of science)

Psychology

  • PSY 124/224 Cognition of Games People Play
  • PSY 126 Origins of Cognition
  • PSY 129 Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSY 131 Cognitive Neuropsychology
  • PSY 132/PHIL 113 Cognition of Society and Culture
  • PSY 142 Seminar in Affective Neuroscience
  • PSY 144 Memory and Retention
  • PSY 145 Mental Representation
  • PSY 146 Comparative Cognition and Behavior
  • PSY 147 Multitasking
  • PSY 148 Cognitive Neuroscience of Learning and Memory
  • PSY 149/LING 149 Psychology of Language
  • PSY 151/PHIL 112/LING 112 Syntactic Theory
  • PSY 150/PHIL 111/LING 113 Semantics
  • PSY 152 The Psychology of Bilingualism
  • PSY 153/LING 153/PHIL 110 Biological Foundations of Language
  • PSY 155/LING 154 Phonological Theory
  • PSY196 Special Topics (see PSY website for updates)
  • PSY 196-02 Seminar in Language Cognition
  • PSY 196 Memory, Mental Sim & the Brain
  • PSY 196 Music Language & the Brain
  • PSY 196 Advanced Sem in Cognition
  • PSY 196-01 Stress and Memory
  • PSY 196-01 Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience
  • PSY 196-02 Multisensory Perception
  • PSY 196-03 Reasoning and Decision Making
  • PSY 196-04 Advanced Seminar in Emotion
  • PSY 212 Human Communication
  • PSY 229 Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSY 233 Core Course in Social Psychology
  • PSY 234 Core Course in Developmental Psychology
  • PSY 240 Probabilistic Models of Perception and Cognition 
  • PSY 242 Seminar in Affective Neuroscience
  • PSY 243 Structure and Process in Cognitive Theory
  • PSY 244 Cognition/Learning
  • PSY 245 Mental Representation
  • PSY 247 Nature of Scientific Discoveries
  • PSY 250 Seminar on Decision Making and Judgment
  • PSY 253 Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Processing
  • PSY 254 Psychosis

It is expected that over time additional courses (from the above and other departments) will be approved by the cognitive science Steering committee and added to the list.