Cognitive science is the study of human knowledge, of which one aspect is the study of how knowledge is acquired, stored and represented in the mind, including the mind's underlying biological mechanisms. Another aspect of cognitive science concerns how knowledge is understood, remembered, communicated and used in the performance of activities, including the acquisition and application of skills and information. This latter aspect provides the practical applications of cognitive science, and thereby ensures a demand for graduates in both academic and industrial markets.
Undergraduate students majoring in computer science; information science, integrative physiology; linguistics; philosophy; psychology and neuroscience; education; speech, language, hearing sciences may be interested in extending the breadth of their undergraduate studies to include the cognitive sciences and earn an undergraduate Certificate in Cognitive Science.
Training for graduates in cognitive science prepares students admirably for many of the fields that are targeted as the major growth fields of the 21st century: telecommunications, information processing, medical analysis, data retrieval, education and multimedia services.
The undergraduate program includes courses in the eight core departments with basic courses and two of five possible advanced skill sequences of courses. For more information, visit the Institute of Cognitive Science's Undergraduate Program webpage.