Requirements for the PhD in Cognitive Science

Each student completes a plan of study recommended by their advisor. The normal plan includes:

Foundations Courses (COGS 201, 202, 203). Students complete three foundation courses, one in each area of brain, behavior, and computation, by the end of the second year. The department may waive some or all courses for students who already have the required knowledge.

Issues Courses. A minimum of six issues courses are required, at least one in each of the areas of brain, behavior, and computation. At least four of the issues courses should be taken within the department. Department recommends completion by the end of the second year. Issues courses taken outside the department require the approval of the advisor in conjunction with the graduate committee. Five of the six issues courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Methods Courses. Three methods courses are required, one of which must be an approved statistics course. Students should obtain approval for all 3 courses from their advisor. An approved list of courses is on file with the department to assist students in selecting courses. Students may petition courses not on the approval list. Such petitions must be approved by the student's advisor and graduate committee. All three courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Laboratory Rotations (COGS 290). A total of three quarters of laboratory rotations in at least two different faculty laboratories are required. Each rotation is for one to two full quarters as required by the faculty laboratory. All rotations should be completed by the end of fall quarter of the second year. If you wish to fulfill this requirement in a lab outside of the department, you must fill out a Lab Rotation Petition and submit it to the graduate coordinator.

• Three one-quarter rotations in three different laboratories, or
• One one-quarter rotation and one two-quarter rotation in two different laboratories, or
• Two two-quarter rotations in two different laboratories for a total of four quarters enrolled in COG 290.

Second-Year Research Project (COGS 210A-B-C and 211 A-B-C). Year long research project. See details in section below.

Third-Year Research Project (COGS 205). See details in section below.

Cognitive Science Seminar (COGS 200). Students must enroll in this seminar for at least three quarters while in residence, though frequent participation is encouraged.

In the summer between the first and second year, students work with their advisor and a faculty committee to develop a prospectus for a research project. The year-long research project culminates with written and oral presentations to the faculty at the end of spring quarter. Concurrent enrollment in Cognitive Science 210A-B-C and Cognitive Science 211A-B-C is required as part of the second year project. Requirements for the Second Year Project can be found here.

This requirement is met by satisfactorily completing a talk to the entire department on their thesis topic by the end of the third year. A first draft of the thesis proposal must be submitted to the student's advisor by the end of the third year. Students enroll in Cogs 205 during winter and spring quarter of the third year. Requirements for the Third Year Project can be found here. 

There are four components to advancement to candidacy:

1. Competency. This requirement is met by satisfactorily completing all foundation, methods, and issues coursework, laboratoy rotations and the second year project. Students must also have an advisor, and an approved plan of study.
2. Depth. This requirement is met by satisfactorily completing a talk to the entire department on their thesis topic by the end of the third year. A first draft of the thesis proposal must be submitted to the student's advisor by the end of the third year. Students enroll in COGS 205 during winter and spring quarter of the third year. (3rd year guidelines)
3. Dissertation Topic/Advancement Exam. The student prepares a proposal of the dissertation topic that must be approved by the student's doctoral committee. A written proposal is submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to an oral defense of the proposal. The doctoral committee consists of at least five faculty members: three from the department and two from outside the department; one of the outside members must be tenured. Student must advance to candidacy by the end of the fourth year.
4. All students must have a primary advisor. A co-advisor may be from another department, but the primary advisor must reside in the Cognitive Science Department.

Candidates prepare a written dissertation demonstrating a substantive contribution to our understanding of cognition. An oral defense follows. View the guidelines for the dissertation.

All students must have a primary advisor in the department. A co-advisor may be adjunct faculty or outside of the department but each student must have a primary advisor who is a full time faculty member.

(COGS 500). All graduate students must serve as a teaching assistant for at least one quarter of each academic year in residence. The undergraduate program offers a special challenge to instructor and student alike, and experience with the teaching of that program can provide a valuable part of the education of a cognitive scientist. Teaching assistantships performed in other departments must be approved by formal petition to the graduate committee to count toward the requirement. The department works closely with the Center for Teaching Development to design effective training and development programs for its teaching assistants. At the end of each quarter, instructors prepare written evaluations of all teaching assistants.

The goal of the language requirement is to give all students firsthand experience with some of the differences in structure and usage of languages and the several issues involved in the learning of second languages. This requirement can be satisfied by demonstrating satisfactory proficiency, by prior study in a language (e.g., two years of high school study), or by satisfactory completion of one quarter of study in a language course approved by the department.

Participation in Departmental Events and Committees. Students participate in departmental special events and committees and serve as student representatives for faculty meetings, and the campus-wide Graduate Student Association. Students present their research in the undergraduate SCANS series.

The expectation is that graduate students in the program will maintain a 3.4 GPA and falling below this expectation may lead to the student being put on departmental probation. No course in which the student is assigned a grade below B- will be allowed to fulfill department requirements.

Letter grade required:

• Foundations (Cog Sci 201, 202, 203)
• Methods
• Second Year Project (Cog Sci 210ABC, Cog Sci 211ABC. Note: the first two quarters of the second year project will be graded IP, in progress)

Letter grade or S/U courses:

• Issues courses (five of the six issues courses must be taken for a letter grade)
• Cog Sci 200 (Whether Cog Sci 200 is available for a letter grade in any particular quarter may depend on the faculty member who is leading it)
• Cog Sci 291
• Cog Sci 298 (Pre-candidacy research)
• Cog Sci 299 (Thesis Research)

S/U required:

• Cog Sci 205
• Cog Sci 241
• Cog Sci 290
• Cog Sci 500

1st Year

• 2-3 quarters of lab rotations
• 3 foundation courses
• 2-3 Methods Courses
• 0-2 Issues Courses
• 1 TA'ship
• Up to speed on neuroscience, programming, math, and any other area needed for core competency

2nd Year

• Complete all coursework except COGS200
• Satisfactory completion of 2nd year project

3rd Year

• Course Work Completed
  • Foundations
  • Issues
  • Methods
  • Rotations
• Draft Dissertation Proposal
• Journal Submissions
• Conference Presentations
• Establish at least 3 members of thesis committee

4th Year

• Advance to candidacy
• Collect data for dissertation
• Journal Submissions
• Conference Presentations
• Apply for Dissertation Grant

5th Year

• COGS 200 requirement fulfilled
• Dissertation completed
• Dissertation defended
• Conference Presentations
• Journal Submissions
• Apply for post-docs, industry jobs, and/or faculty positions

Unacceptable Progress

1st Year

• 0-1 quarters of lab rotations or > 4
• 0-1 foundation courses
• 0-1 Methods Courses
• 0 TA'ships
• Math, programming & language proficiency not addressed < 9 courses towards MS (not including TA)

2nd Year

• Missing > 1 from lab rotations, foundations, methods
• 2nd year project does not show research potential consistent with continuation in the PhD program
• Missing > 3 issues

3rd Year

• Any course requirements unfilled (except COGS 200)
• Not having an advisor or one internal plus one external member who serve as co-advisors on dissertation research
• Not having a plan for the dissertation

4th Year

• Lose contact with advisor/committee