1. Undergraduate Studies in Cognitive Science
Fall 2018

2. News We had 7 graduating COGS majors last spring:
3 straight COGS
3 COGS/CSCI duals
1 COGS/GSAS dual
We have 12 incoming COGS students
A record!

3. Latest Numbers 63 COGS majors (a record! 35 male, 28 female) By year:
16 seniors
17 juniors
18 sophomores
12 freshmen
By major:
COGS: 31
COGS/CSCI: 25
COGS/MATH: 4
Other duals: 3 (PSYC, ITWS, BFMB)

4. Curriculum

5. Curriculum for BS in Cognitive Science (2016+)
Basic Math /Science
Calc. I + II
Comp Sci I, Data Structures, FOCS, Intro to Algorithms
11 core courses:
Minds & Machines
Introduction to Cognitive Science
Introduction to Logic
Experimental Methods and Statistics
Cognitive Psychology
Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
Introduction to Linguistics
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Cognitive Modeling
Sensation and Perception
Metaphysics & Consciousness
2 Electives
Cog Sci related courses from PHIL, PSYC, CSCI, and a few others
Undergraduate Thesis

6. Curriculum Changes
This year we will revisit the Cognitive Science curriculum
Any changes will not apply to current students: your curriculum is specified by the Catalog from the year you came in under
However, students are encouraged to suggest improvements to the curriculum!

7. Possible Dual Majors COGS / CSCI COGS / MATH COGS / GSAS COGS / PSYC
COGS / PHIL
COGS / ITWS
COGS / BIOL
COGS / BMED
COGS / CSYS (very tight, but can be done!)
COGS / COMM?

8. Minors All 16 credits (for details, see Catalog)
Cognitive Science minor:
Introduction to Cognitive Science
Plus 3 more courses (Minds and Machines counts)
Psychological Sciences minor
General Psychology
Research Methods (I or II)
Two more, at least one at 4000 level
Logic, Computation, and Mind minor
1 relevant 1000 level course (Minds and Machines, Intro Phil,..)
Introduction to Logic
Two more relevant courses, at least one at 4000 level
Linguistics minor
Cognitive Linguistics related courses (COGS prefix)
At most one foreign language course

9. Other Concentrations and Programs
GSAS has Cognitive Science concentration
Contact: Dr. Ralph Noble
ITWS has Cognitive Science track (as well as Psychology track)
Contact: Dr. Bram van Heuveln
MGMT: 5 year Masters in Management in Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship program (Cognitive Science track)
Contact: Dr. Jeff Durgee
COGS: 5 year Co-Terminal (M.S. and B.S.)
Contact: Dr. Wayne Gray

10. Online Courses Udacity (pretty technical, self-paced)
Introduction to AI, Artificial Intelligence for Robotics, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, etc.
Coursera (wide variety)
Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, Computational Neuroscience, Natural Language Processing, Robotics, Machine Learning, etc.
EdX (~70 courses, various fields)
I can give 1-2 credits Independent Study for successful completion of these courses (Add Deadline: Friday, 9/14)

11. Study Abroad
RPI has a Study Abroad exchange agreement with the University of Sussex (U.K.) as well as the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), both of which have excellent cognitive science programs.
Study Abroad Informational Sessions:
Thursday, September 6 at 12:15
Wednesday, September 12 at 12:15
All sessions in the Student Union, room 3202
Application deadline for Spring 2019: October 1

12. Advising

13. Advising There are several people that can help you:
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Helps with general direction of your studies
Keeps you on track; Suggests courses based on your interests
Mandatory Student-Advisor Meeting (SAM)
Staff Advisor: Betty Osganian, Sage 4301
Helps with ‘day-to-day’ issues
Helps get you into courses; get forms signed; can tell you what courses you still need to graduate
Undergraduate Program Director: Bram van Heuveln
All of the above

14. Talks

15. Minds and Machines Thursday Night Lectures
All lectures 7-8:20pm in Sage 3303
Open to the Public! Full schedule of lectures

16. Cognitive Science Talks
Wednesdays 12:00-1:30, Sage Pizza!
Most given by RPI Faculty and graduate students
Invited External Speakers for the Semester:
September 5, Dr. Shlomo Engelson Argamon, Professor of Computer Science and the Director of the Master of Data Science Program, Illinois Institute of Technology
September 12, Dr. Zach Hambrick, Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University
For a complete schedule of speakers go to Speaker Series on the Cognitive Science department home page

17. Research

18. Undergraduate Research
Cog Sci students are strongly encouraged to do hands-on research
Undergraduate Research Program (URP)
Fill out URP form:
You have to write a 200 word proposal!
for credit (deadline: same as course Add deadline)
Also fill out Form 4UR
for $ (deadline: 3rd Friday of semester)
Research can be used for Senior Thesis

19. Research Labs / Groups
CogWorks Lab (slides)
Led by Dr. Wayne Gray
Language Endowed Intelligent Agents (LEIA) Lab (slides)
Led by Dr. Marjorie McShane and Dr. Sergei Nirenburg
Social Interaction (SI) Lab (slides)
Led by Dr. Mei Si
Perception And Action (PAndA) Lab (slides)
Led by Dr. Brett Fajen
Rensselaer Artificial Intelligence and Reasoning (RAIR) Lab (slides)
Led by Dr. Selmer Bringsjord
Cognitive Architecture (CogArch) Lab
Led by Dr. Ron Sun
Adaptive Computational Cognition (AdaCog) Lab (slides)
Led by Dr. Chris Sims
Department page to Cognitive Research Labs
Department page to Cognitive Science Research Areas

20. Paperwork Declare or add Cognitive Science Major URP
Fill out Change of Major form
Advisor: Bram van Heuveln
Curriculum Coordinator: Betty Osganian (Sage 4301)
URP
Fill out URP form
For credit:
Fill out Form 4UR as well
Credits to be determined by project advisor
Deadline: course add deadline: Friday, 9/14
For $:
Find faculty member with $!
Office of Undergraduate Education can provide matching funds up to $400
Deadline: …. Friday, 9/14