Program Requirements

The core requirements are:

  1. Participation in the Cognitive Science Seminar (INT 200A, 200B, and 200C) for at least three quarters. (You are encouraged to participate in this seminar throughout their graduate careers).
  2. Completion of at least three cognitive science courses with one each in three different departments. (Generally, these are courses with cognitive science content that are taught by participating faculty. A list of courses is provided each quarter). Further courses can be proposed at any time and will be subject to approval by the Cognitive Science Steering Committee. We also anticipate that Cognitive Science courses taken at other universities will be acceptable electives, subject to approval by the Cognitive Science Steering Committee.
  3. Completion of either a) a research project, completed before the dissertation, resulting in a written paper suitable for publication, or b) an extra-mural grant proposal for a study in cognitive science suitable for submission to an identified public or private granting agency. Either product must be prepared under the supervision of a participating faculty member.
  4. Presentation of a research paper in a suitable academic forum, such as a Cognitive Science Program Colloquium, departmental colloquium, invited colloquium at another institution, or a professional meeting.
  5. A Ph.D. dissertation centrally focused on a question emerging from cognitive science with at least two committee members representing faculty participating in the Cognitive Science Interdisciplinary Emphasis. If one of the committee members is from outside the student's home department, the student will be required to have 4 faculty members on his/her dissertation committee (including 3 from the home department).

Note that in addition to the Emphasis requirements, students must satisfy all requirements in their home departments. Work completed in satisfaction of departmental Ph.D. requirements may also be used to satisfy Emphasis requirements.

Certification

On completion, the student will submit his/her records of courses, seminars, and completed products to the Cognitive Science Steering Committee, which will certify to the Graduate Division that the requirements for the Emphasis have been met, and send a letter to that effect to the student. The Graduate Division will verify completion of the Emphasis and convey this information to the Registrar for inclusion of the Emphasis on the final transcript. Students will graduate from their home department with an Emphasis in Cognitive Science. For example, a student in the Linguistics department who completes the requirements will receive a Ph.D. in "Linguistics, with an Emphasis in Cognitive Science".

PDF file Graduate Student Petition To file for the emphasis, please complete this petition with Graduate Division. Mary Hegarty will sign on behalf of the emphasis.