Cornell University Registrar

Program Description

Cognitive science focuses on the nature and representation of knowledge. Among the many topics examined are logic and the justification of belief; the nature of mind and action; knowledge representation; knowledge acquisition; the knowledge, use, and acquisition of language; perception; concepts and conceptual change; artificial intelligence and parallel distributed processing; and the neurobiology of cognition.

The cognitive science minor is open to students who have elected a major field in which the minor can be appropriately included. Field members offer guidance to students in setting up and carrying out an integrated program of interdisciplinary study in conjunction with their major field. Major fields include (but are not limited to) computer science, human development, information science, linguistics, management, mathematics, neurobiology and behavior, philosophy, and psychology.

Colloquia

Graduate students who are interested in cognition and in the cognitive sciences are encouraged to attend cognitive science colloquia throughout the school year. The field sponsors a series of lectures by internationally recognized scholars. Students are invited to meet with the speakers for informal discussion during their visits.

Film Series

Each fall the program hosts Sprocket, the Cognitive Science Film Series. The evening, complete with pizza and conversation, is free and open to the Cornell community.

Funding

Travel funding for conferences and workshops is available to minor students. Research funding is available to all cognitive science graduate students.

Grad Convo/Info Blitz

The Annual Grad Convo/Info Blitz lunch is held each May, in order for students to share their research with peers and faculty.

For more information, consult the program manager, Julie Simmons-Lynch, jes257@cornell.edu, 278a Uris Hall, (607) 255-6431 or the director of graduate studies, Morten Christiansen, mhc27@cornell.edu.

Instructions for Application and Formal Entry to the Cognitive Science Field Minor

1. Choose a member of the graduate field of the Cognitive Science faculty who you would like to work with in structuring and conducting this minor field.
2. Obtain permission from this faculty member and from your special committee for the addition of this minor to your studies. (Since Cognitive Science is a minor field, this faculty member may not be the chair of your major.)
3. You'll need to make this change, and/or any committee updates, on your Student Center page.¹

¹

This is a minor field. Application for admission is made only to the major fields. After matriculation, a student may select minor subjects from the major or minor fields.

Graduate Minor Requirements

All cognitive science graduate minor students must take a minimum of two 6000-level courses, plus the proseminar*: some 4000-level courses will be allowed with the approval of your minor committee member. One course should be taught outside your discipline (in another Cog Sci-affiliated department); one may be within your discipline/home department. Only one of these courses may be taught by your advisor.

*The proseminar, COGST 6101 Cognitive Science Proseminar, taught by members of the interdisciplinary field of cognitive science surveys the study of how the mind/brain works, drawing primarily from six disciplines: philosophy, psychology, developmental science, neuroscience, linguistics, and computer science. This 1-credit course meets every other week during the spring semester and is an additional requirement for all grad minors.