Cognitive Science Minor

College of Arts and Sciences

Program Website

Program Description

An interdisciplinary undergraduate minor in Cognitive Science is available to Cornell University undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students from other colleges who seek such a minor are welcome to do so and need only approval from their college's registrar.

The undergraduate minor in Cognitive Science is designed to enable students to engage in a structured program directly related to the scientific study of cognition and the mind. The minor provides a framework for the design of structured, supervised programs of study in this growing interdisciplinary field. Such programs of study serve as complements to course work in a single discipline as represented by an individual department. It is considered crucial that students gain a strong background in their major, independent of their work in the minor. Colleges vary in their procedures for formal recognition of this minor (contact the Cognitive Science office for details). The Cognitive Science Program faculty have designed five structured "tracks" that offer students different ways of satisfying the minor. In addition, students are always able to construct their own programs of study subject to approval by their minor advisor. The courses listed under each track are program suggestions. The student should consult with their Cognitive Science advisor to develop a more customized curriculum. In some cases, students may want to combine or cross tracks.

Additional Information

Students who complete the minor requirements will have their minor in Cognitive Science officially represented on their transcript. In addition, students who have made substantial progress toward completing the requirements for the minor will be eligible for enrollment in graduate courses in Cognitive Science during their senior year.

Colloquia

The field sponsors a series of lectures and colloquia by internationally recognized scholars. Students are encouraged to meet with the speakers for informal discussion during their visits.

Film Series

Each fall the program hosts Sprocket, the Cognitive Science Film Series in conjunction with COGST 1101 Introduction to Cognitive Science. 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.

The Cognitive Science Undergraduate Computer Laboratory

(201 Uris Hall). The lab is available to all Cognitive Science minors. This facility provides a central location for developing and conducting experimental research in Cognitive Science. (Contact the Cog Sci office to gain access to the lab.)

Minor Application Procedures

Inquiries concerning the undergraduate minor should be made to the Cognitive Science program manager, Julie Simmons-Lynch, jes257@cornell.edu, (607) 255-6431, who will provide application materials.

To formally initiate the minor in Cognitive Science, a student must meet with the program manager to select courses that form a coherent cluster for eventual approval by an advisor.

In addition to assisting in the student's selection of courses, the program manager and/or an advisor serve as a general source of information about the field of Cognitive Science, independent research, and relevant resources around the university.

The current director of undergraduate studies is Sarah Murray, linguistics, sarah.murray@cornell.edu.