Cognitive Science Minor

Cognitive Science is the scientific study of minds and brains–be they human or animal, real or artificial. Cognitive Science researchers study how people, non-human animals, and computers perceive, learn, remember, and act. Examples of the sorts of questions cognitive scientists work toward answering include: Do animals and computers “think” like humans do? What is the fundamental nature of consciousness? How does it arise from material substances? Does the mind extend beyond the brain? To what extent can mathematical and computer systems model cognitive and neural phenomena? How can we design systems, artifacts, and tools to expand how people think?

Cognitive Science is inherently interdisciplinary, bringing together methods and discoveries from philosophy, psychology, computer science, neuroscience, linguistics, and anthropology. A minor in cognitive science will prepare students for a wide variety of careers at the interfaces of technology, minds, brains, and behavior.