Undergraduate Minor in Cognitive Science
Please do not use "Degree Navigator" to determine if you have completed the Minor in Cognitive Science. If you have any questions about the minor, please contact Sue Cosentino at 848-445-1625 or by email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary area of scholarship concerned with understanding the nature and development of such intelligent capacities as perception, language, reasoning, planning, problem-solving, and related skills, whether these capacities are instantiated in biological or artificial systems. The goal of the Cognitive Science minor is to provide a structured way for undergraduates to study and carry out research in cognitive science with guidance from faculty members affiliated with the Program in Cognitive Science. Any undergraduate may pursue a minor in cognitive science, regardless of his or her major. The interdisciplinary Cognitive Science minor is likely to be of particular interest to undergraduates majoring in fields that are directly related to cognitive science (e.g., computer science, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, anthropology, biological sciences, mathematics, statistics, biomathematics, communication, and engineering).
The interdisciplinary minor in Cognitive Science consists of a minimum of 18 credits, distributed as follows:
- At least one of the following two courses:
01:185:201/01:185:202 (offered each fall): Cognitive Science: A Multi-disciplinary Introduction (3 credit course, 1 credit recitation)
01:185:411 (offered each spring): Advance Topics in Cognitive Science I (4 credits - includes recitation)
- A minimum of 3 credits in formal or analytic methods used in cognitive science.
The following courses automatically count towards the formal/analytic requirement:
- 01:198:105: Great Insights in Computer Science (3)
- 01:198:107: Computing for Math and the Sciences (3)
- 01:198:111: Introduction to Computer Science (4)
- 01:198:112: Data structures (4)
- 01:198:205: Introduction to Discrete Structures I (4)
- 01:198:206: Introduction to Discrete Structures II (4)
- 01:615:305: Syntax (3)
- 01:615:315: Phonology (3)
- 01:615:325: Semantics (3)
- 01:615:411: Morphology (3)
- 01:640:300: Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning (3)
- 01:640:338: Discrete and Probabilistic Models in Biology (3)
- 01:640:355: Game Theory (3)
- 01:640:361: Set Theory (3)
- 01:640:428: Graph Theory (3)
- 01:640:454: Combinatorics (3)
- 01:640:461: Mathematical Logic (3)
- 01:640:477: Mathematical Theory of Probability (3)
- 01:640:478: Probability 2 (3)
- 01:640:481: Mathematical Theory of Statistics (3)
- 01:730:201: Introduction to Logic (3)
- 01:730:315: Applied Symbolic Logic (3)
- 01:730:407: Intermediate Logic I (3)
- 01:730:408: Intermediate Logic II (3)
- 01:830:302: Sensation and Perception Lab (1)
- 01:830:304: Memory Lab (1)
- 01:830:306: Cognition Lab (1)
- 01:830:312: Condition and Learning Lab (1)
- 01:830:314: Physiological Psychology Lab (1)
- 01:830:352: Psychology of Language Lab (1)
- 01:960:379: Basic Probability Theory (3)
- 01:960:381: Theory of Probability (3)
- 01:960:382: Theory of Statistics (3)
- A minimum of an additional 12 elective credits. Any courses listed as approved "formal/analytic" courses may be counted as electives. If you take both 185:201/202 and 185:411, 185:411will be counted as an elective.
The following additional courses automatically count towards the elective requirement:
- 01:119:195: Brain, Mind and Behavior (3)
- 01:146:245: Fundamentals of Neurobiology (for CBN majors) (3)
- 01:146:295: Essentials in Cell Bio and Neuro (for non-CBN majors) (3)
- 01:146:445: Advanced Neurobiology I (4)
- 01:146:447: Advanced Neurobiology II (3)
- 01:185:412: Advanced Topics II - Cognitive Science (3)
- 01:185:495: Research in Cognitive Science I (3) * caveat
- 01:185:496: Research in Cognitive Science II (3) * caveat
- 01:198:314: Principles of Programming Languages (4)
- 01:198:344: Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms (4)
- 01:198:415: Compilers (4)
- 01:198:424: Modeling and Simulation of Continuous Systems (4)
- 01:198:428: Introduction to Computer Graphics (4)
- 01:198:440: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (4)
- 01:198:452: Formal Languages and Automata (3)
- 01:447:484: Behavioral and Neural Genetics (3)
- 01:615:201: Introduction to Linguistic Theory (3)
- 01:615:330: Historical Linguistics (3)
- 01:615:340: Romance Linguistics (3)
- 01:615:350: Pragmatics (3)
- 01:615:360: Theories of Language (3)
- 01:615:371: Psych of Language (3)
- 01:615:373: Language Acquisition (3)
- 01:615:421: Language Typology (3)
- 01:615:431: Investigations into an Unfamiliar Language (3)
- 01:615:441: Linguistics and Cognitive Science (3)
- 01:615:451: Phonetics (3)
- 01:615:471: Selected Topics in Linguistics (3)
- 01:615:491: Linguistics Practicum (3)
- 01:730:210: Philosophy of Language (3)
- 01:730:253: Human Nature and Diversity (4)
- 01:730:328: Philosophy of Psychology (3)
- 01:730:329: Minds, Machines and Persons (3)
- 01:730:360: Philosophical Aspects of Cognitive Science (3)
- 01:730:418: Philosophy of Mind (3)
- 01:730:419: Philosophy of Perception (3)
- 01:730:420: Philosophy of Language (3)
- 01:730:422: Philosophy of Logic (3)
- 01:730:424: The Logic of Decision (3)
- 01:730:428: Topics in the Philosophy of Psychology (3)
- 01:830:201: Principles of Cognitive Science (3)
- 01:830:301: Sensation and Perception (3)
- 01:830:303: Memory(3)
- 01:830:305: Cognition (3)
- 01:830:307: Perception in Cognitive Science (3)
- 01:830:310: Neuropsychology (3)
- 01:830:311: Conditioning and Learning (3)
- 01:830:313: Physiological Psychology (3)
- 01:830:351: Psychology of Language I (3)
- 01:830:353: Language Acquisition (3)
- 01:830:361: Developmental Psychobiology (3)
- 01:830:363: Behavioral Pharmacology (3)
- 01:830:401: Advanced Topics Human Cognition (3)
- 01:830:402: Advanced Topics Human Cognition (WI) (3)
- 01:830:412: Neuropsychopharmacology (3)
- 01:830:463: Behavioral Pharmacology (3)
- 01:830:480: Topics in Visual Perception (3)
- 14:125:405: Introduction to Neural Processes (3)
- 14:125:410: Sensory Processes, Mechanisms, Computer Models (3)
This course list will be updated periodically as appropriate.
* Students who are interested in taking Cognitive Science 495 or Cognitive Science 496 are responsible for finding professors interested in supervising their research, and should approach faculty whose research interests are closest to theirs. Students interested in these courses should be aware that many professors expect a two semester commitment. In addition, students should realize that faculty who participate in the Cognitive Science Center, and hence, are likely to sponsor independent research courses, come from different departments (mainly philosophy, linguistics, computer science, and psychology), and these departments have different perspectives on research courses. For example, in psychology and, to a lesser extent, computer science, students frequently take research courses, but these research courses are usually research internships, with the student working on an ongoing project in the faculty sponsor's lab. In philosophy & linguistics, few students do supervised research projects, but when they do, their research may be somewhat more independent.
Additional requirements:
- Grades of C or better must be earned in all courses counted toward the minor.
- No more than 4 credits at the 100-level may be counted towards the minor.
- At least half of the credits towards the minor must be at the 300-level or above.
- No more than half of the credits used toward the minor may be taken from any one department.
- The same course cannot be used to fulfill both the formal/analytic and elective requirements.
- No more than one course taken within a student's major field of study may be used to fulfill a Cognitive Science requirement.
The courses below are offered in the subject area of Cognitive Science. Other courses satisfying the requirements of the minor are offered in areas such as Computer Science, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology and others. These courses are outlined in the above section, and can be looked up at the Rutgers online schedule of classes. [if this link is broken, go to the Rutgers main page http://www.rutgers.edu, select "current students" and then "schedule of classes".]
Courses
01:185:201/202 Cognitive Science: A Multidisciplinary Introduction (3 credit course, 1 credit recitation)
Introduction to computational, linguistic, philosophical, and psychological approaches taken within cognitive science, through a survey of topics such as reasoning, language, and vision.
Pre- or corequisite: A course in computer science, linguistics, philosophy, or psychology; or permission of instructor.
01:185:253 Human Diversity (3)
Critical analysis of facts, theories, and philosophical issues regarding human diversity in a variety of domains. May include: sex and gender; race; religion; diet; morality and norms; conceptions of the self; perceptions and cognition. Credit not given for both this course and 01:730:253.
01:185:411 Advanced Topics in Cognitive Science I (4)
Seminar on computational, linguistic, philosophical, and psychological approaches taken within cognitive sciences through a survey of topics such as reasoning, language, vision, and cognitive development.
01:185:412 Advanced Topics in Cognitive Science II (3)
Seminar on computational, linguistic, philosophical, and psychological approaches taken within cognitive sciences through a survey of topics such as reasoning, language, vision, and cognitive development.
01:185:495 Research in Cognitive Science I (3)
Supervised research/independent study. May include library or laboratory research. Written agreement with supervisor and final written report required.
Pre- or corequisites: 01:185:201/202 OR 01:185:411, an approved formal/analytic course, and permission of instructor and undergraduate program director. Open only to juniors and seniors.
01:185:496 Research in Cognitive Science II (3)
Supervised research/independent study. May include library or laboratory research. Written agreement with supervisor and final written report required.
Pre- or corequisites: 01:185:201/202 OR 01:185:411 AND 495, an approved formal/analytic course, and permission of instructor and undergraduate program director. Open only to juniors and seniors.
Special Permission Required, contact Sue Cosentino at 848-445-1625 or email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Students who wish to declare a minor in Cognitive Science should do so either at the same time or after they have declared a major field of study. Either before or immediately after declaring the Cognitive Science minor, students must take Cognitive Science 201/202 (01:185:201/01:185:202) or Advance Topics in Cognitive Science I (01:185:411) and a formal/analytic methods course. Students should be aware that many of the courses listed have prerequisites and not all of the courses are offered each semester. Students should contact the departments that offer courses to learn about prerequisites and course schedules. The Cognitive Science Program Committee, under the direction of the Undergraduate Program Director, will advise students about selection of courses, mentors and research/independent study projects. Students may petition the Undergraduate Program Director to have additional courses count as formal/analytic or elective courses. Email to the undergraduate director may be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.