Moderation Requirements

1. Moderation into any primary program.  If possible, moderation into Cognitive Science should take place simultaneous with moderation into the primary program (in a single meeting of the moderation board).  One member of the moderation board must be a member of the core cognitive science faculty.

2. Introduction to Cognitive Science (CMSC/PSY 131)

3. Completion of one approved introductory course in computation as specified below (or AP course credit).

4. Completion of one approved course in either cognition/neuroscience or philosophy from the courses below (or AP course credit).

5. A written description of the student's plan of study in the upper college.

Approved courses in computation and cognition

Computation

• Introduction to Computing (CMSC 110-116)

• Object-Oriented Programming (CMSC 141)

• Data Structures (CMSC 201)

• Functional Programming (CMSC 244)

Cognition, Neuroscience, or Philosophy

• Cognitive Psychology (PSY 228)

• Introduction to Neuroscience (PSY 230)

• Human Memory (PSY 248)

• Psycholinguistics

• Philosophy of Mind (PHIL 247)

• Free Will

• Philosophy of Action

Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of course requirements for the primary program into which the student has moderated.

2. Five courses from the list of approved upper-level courses.  No more than two courses in a group will count toward this requirement.  At least one course must have a cognitive focus.*  Four of the courses must be 300-level or above.  Note that this requirement usually entails some lower level prerequisites.  For example, before a student can take 300-level psychology courses, she would first have to complete Statistics and, in some instances, Research Methods.

3. Seminar in Cognitive Science (2 credits), typically taken during the second semester of the junior year. The Seminar will involve students in the reading and presentation of primary literature.  It will also require completion of a detailed research proposal.

4. Completion of a senior project on a topic relevant to cognitive science as determined by the student's senior board.  Senior projects must include at least two members of the core cognitive science faculty.