BA/BS in Cognitive Science

Cognitive Science explores how minds represent knowledge, acquire and use language, learn, and make decisions. Researchers in psychology, linguistics, philosophy, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and education approach these questions in different ways. The major and minor give students a structured way to bring these perspectives together, and the field also reaches into behavioral economics and cognitive anthropology. Students who are interested can start with CGSC 100 or CGSC 130, an introduction to the field. Student department advisers, who are upper-class majors, support newcomers and connect them with faculty. Cognitive Science and Linguistics now form one department with a shared chair and associate chair, though each keeps its own majors and minors. The department posts talks and events on its website, so interested students can attend public talks throughout the term.