Cognitive Science
Randolph College’s cognitive science major draws on concepts and methodology from psychology, philosophy, computer science, and linguistics, emphasizing how to think and engage in reasoning and constructive problem-solving.
Why Study Cognitive Science at Randolph?
Cognitive Science is the interdisciplinary study of the nature of human knowledge and how it is acquired and used.
Students will learn how information is represented and processed, examining memory, language, and thought from both a psychological and philosophical perspective, while also taking courses in computer science and statistical analysis.
Computer science is a significant component of the major. Recent cognitive science studies have used machine learning techniques for a variety of applications, from linking consumer behavior in spending with personality traits to using algorithms to predict risky decision-making behavior to developing models to predict early signs of depression and anxiety in speech patterns.
Students with cognitive science degrees have a wealth of career fields available to them, including user experience design, data analysis, artificial intelligence research, education, marketing, software development, research psychology, and even game design.
Degrees offered
Cognitive Science BA
Cognitive Science minor
Participating Programs
Curriculum and Courses
Consult the Academic Catalog for more information about major and minor requirements.
Cognitive Science Major
Students must complete 56 credit hours to earn the Bachelor of Arts degree in Cognitive Science.
See the courses list below for course descriptions
Required: (28 credit hours)
- PSYC 1105 Introduction to Psychology
- PSYC 2211 Cognitive Psychology
- PSYC 3338 Cognitive Neuroscience
- DSCI 2233 Machine Learning
- CSCI 1151-1151L Computer Programming I & Lab
- CSCI 1156-1156L Computer Programming II & Lab
- COGS 3335 Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence
One of the following: (4 credit hours)
- COGS 2221 Introduction to Linguistics
- CPHL 3352 Philosophy of Language
One of the following: (4 credit hours)
- PSYC 2227 Applied Statistical Analysis
- MATH 2227 Elementary Applied Statistics
Two of the following: (8 credit hours)
- PSYC 2209 Sensation and Perception
- PSYC 2210 Consciousness
- PSYC 2211 Emotion
- PSYC 2260 Language Acquisition and Development
- PSYC 3325 Psychology of Music
- PSYC 3353 Cognitive Development
Two of the following: (8 credit hours)
At least one at the 2000 level
- CPHL 1105 Contemplative Studies
- CPHL 1152 Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
- CPHL 2230 Logic
- CPHL 2237 Philosophy of Mind
Senior Program: (4 credit hours)
- COGS 4495 Research Capstone in Cognitive Science
Total for BA in Cognitive Science: 56 credit hours
Students may double major in Psychology and Cognitive Science or Comparative Philosophy and Cognitive Science but can only count a total of three courses towards both majors.
Cognitive Science Minor
Students must complete 28 credit hours to qualify for the Cognitive Science minor.
Required: (12 credit hours)
- PSYC 1105 Introduction to Psychology
- PSYC 2211 Cognitive Psychology
- PSYC 3338 Cognitive Neuroscience
One of the following: (4 credit hours)
- COGS 2221 Introduction to Linguistics
- CPHL 3352 Philosophy of Language
One of the following: (4 credit hours)
- DSCI 2233 Machine Learning
- CSCI 2225 Matlab and Labview
- CSCI 1151-1151L Computer Programming I & Lab
One of the following: (4 credit hours)
- PSYC 2209 Sensation and Perception
- PSYC 2210 Consciousness
- PSYC 2260 Language Acquisition and Development
- PSYC 3325 Psychology of Music
- PSYC 3353 Cognitive Development
- COGS 3335 Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence
One of the following: (4 credit hours)
- CPHL 1105 Contemplative Studies
- CPHL 1152 Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
- CPHL 2230 Logic
- CPHL 2237 Philosophy of Mind
Total for Minor in Cognitive Science: 28 credit hours
Students may double minor in Psychology and/or Cognitive Science or Comparative Philosophy and Cognitive Science but can only count 2 courses towards both minors.
A student can major in Psychology and complete a Cognitive Science minor and/or major in Comparative Philosophy and complete a Cognitive Science minor, but can only count 2 courses towards both the major and minor.
Courses
These are courses you may take as you pursue a major or minor in cognitive science.
COGS 2221 - Introduction To Linguistics
This course is an introduction to language as an object of study. It will examine core areas of linguistic analysis including phonetics/phonology (sound systems), morphology (word formation), syntax (sentence structure), and semantics (meaning). Students will analyze language data across diverse languages, exploring language variation, change, and acquisition. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of instructor.
COGS 3335 - Cognitive Science And Artificial Intelligence
This course explores the intersection of cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence, examining how human mental processes inform technological innovation. Students investigate pattern recognition, learning, problem-solving, and decision-making principles applied to modern AI systems. Topics include visual perception in computer vision, language processing in LLMs, cognitive architectures in applications, and human-like reasoning in autonomous vehicles. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of instructor.
COGS 4495 - Research Capstone In Cognitive Science
An intensive research seminar where students will identify a significant problem at the intersection of two of the following areas: philosophy, linguistics, computer science, and psychology, then develop a project proposal and then produce either a scholarly paper including a literature review or create an innovative product (e.g., computational model, experimental paradigm, or analytical tool). The course emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, research methodology, and professional communication skills. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: senior standing.
CPHL 1105 - Contemplative Studies
This course engages in the theoretical, experiential, and skill-based study of contemplative practices. Combining academic study of contemplative traditions with critical first-person practice of contemplative techniques, every meeting will involve guided meditation and discussion of readings from various cultural traditions (such as Buddhism, Daoism, ancient Greek traditions, etc) and disciplinary perspectives (psychology, philosophy, art, religion, etc.) Credits hours: 4.
CPHL 1152 - Ethics Of Artificial Intelligence
This course is a survey of ethical issues related to artificial intelligence (AI), such as (1) conflicts between human aims and the aims of autonomous AI systems; (2) moral status of autonomous AI systems; (3) role of AI in human life; (4) uses of AI social in warfare; (5) algorithmic bias; and (6) data privacy. Credit hours: 4.
CPHL 2230 - Logic
An introduction to formal logic covering propositional logic and predicate logic. Attention is given to the nature of proof in formal theories and to the evaluation of arguments in natural language. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or CPHL 1175.
CPHL 2237 - Philosophy Of Mind
An advanced study of the views of contemporary philosophers on the mind and its place in nature. Topics include the mind-body problem, consciousness, and the problem of other minds. Students will also reflect on the relationship between scientific and philosophical investigation of the mind. The nature of representation, free will, concepts, emotions, perception, and the self may also be discussed. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: six hours of philosophy and/or psychology (excluding PSYC 2127).
CPHL 3352 - Philosophy Of Language
This course is an introduction to some of the main topics in the philosophy of language: namely, (1) relationship between linguistics and philosophy of language; (2) linguistic meaning; (3) truth; (4) reference; (5) cognitive and communicative function of various kinds of expressions; (6) relationship between linguistic meaning (semantics) and actual use of language (pragmatics). Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.
CSCI 1151 - Computer Programming I
An introduction to computers and computer programming. Emphasis will be placed on problem-solving with examples and exercises from social, natural, and mathematical sciences. Techniques of flowcharting and structured programming, development of algorithms, and types of computer hardware will also be discussed. Intended for students with no previous programming experience. Credit hours: 3. A student may not receive credit for this course after taking CSCI 1156 or its equivalent.
CSCI 1151L - Computer Programming I Laboratory
Hands-on application of the topics studied in CSCI 1151. Credit hours: 1. Prerequisite or Corequisite: CSCI 1151 or the equivalent.
CSCI 1156 - Computer Programming Ii
A continuation of Computer Science 1151. Emphasis on top-down programming using methods. Topics include user-defined classes and advanced data types, arrays, recursion, algorithms for sorting and searching, exception handling, advanced GUIs and graphics, and embedding Java applets into HTML documents. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: CSCI 1151 or the equivalent.
CSCI 1156L - Computer Programming Ii Laboratory
Hands-on application of the topics studied in CSCI 1156. Credit hours: 1. Prerequisite or Corequisite: CSCI 1156 or the equivalent.
DSCI 2233 - Machine Learning
A broad introduction to machine learning and statistical pattern recognition. Unsupervised and supervised learning algorithms including dimensionality reduction (PCA and variants), clustering (simple clustering, agglomerative and non-agglomerative), probabilistic models, neural networks, and support vector machines. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: ECON 2227 or EVST 2205 or MATH 2227 or MATH 3343 or POL 2231 or PSYC 2227 or SOC 3395.
MATH 2227 - Elementary Applied Statistics
An introduction to statistics, including probability, binomial distributions, normal distributions, sampling theory, testing hypotheses, chi-square tests, and linear regression. Credit hours: 4. Not open to students who have satisfactorily completed MATH 3343. A student may receive credit for two of these courses: ECON 2227, MATH 2227, POL 2231, PSYC 2227, or SOC 3395. (QR)
PSYC 1105 - Introduction To Psychology
This course will survey basic principles of psychology. Topics include history of psychology, research methods, neuroscience and behavior, development through the lifespan, thinking and language, psychological disorders, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning, memory, emotions, and social psychology. Additional topics may include motivation, personality, intelligence, health/stress, and therapy. Credit hours: 4. (SS)
PSYC 2209 - Sensation And Perception
How do we come to learn about the world around us? How do we construct a conception of physical reality based on sensory experience? This course will cover the basic theories and methods of studying sensation and perception. The major emphasis is on vision and audition, although other modalities may be covered. Representative topics include receptor function and physiology, color, motion, depth, psychophysics of detection, perceptual constancies, adaptation, pattern recognition, and the interaction of knowledge and perception. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: PSYC 1105.
PSYC 2210 - Consciousness
This course will introduce students to the concept of human consciousness as a critical aspect of human psychology. Students will learn the major theories regarding consciousness and its role in driving the human experience. Students will examine consciousness from neurological, social, evolutionary, philosophical, and clinical perspectives. Students will explore research on different methods of altering conscious experience. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: PSYC 1105.
PSYC 2211 - Cognitive Psychology
This course is an introduction to human cognition and will cover how humans learn to deal with information from the environment. Students will concentrate on the classic topics including memory, attention, categorization, problem solving, language, reasoning, and decision making. Included is a discussion of the established theories and findings of cognitive psychology, how they relate to brain structure and functions, how these findings can be applied to real world problems, and how different methods of cognitive research can be used to understand mental processes. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: PSYC 1105.
PSYC 2211 - Cognitive Psychology
This course is an introduction to human cognition and will cover how humans learn to deal with information from the environment. Students will concentrate on the classic topics including memory, attention, categorization, problem solving, language, reasoning, and decision making. Included is a discussion of the established theories and findings of cognitive psychology, how they relate to brain structure and functions, how these findings can be applied to real world problems, and how different methods of cognitive research can be used to understand mental processes. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: PSYC 1105.
PSYC 2227 - Applied Statistical Analysis
An introduction to statistical analysis in psychological science. Topics include sampling, probability, descriptive statistics, null hypothesis testing, including t-tests, ANOVAs, regression, and correlations, and non-parametric tests. Additionally, students will learn about effect size and estimating power in statistical tests, as well as have an introduction to using statistical software (SPSS), and interpreting statistical results from articles in the research literature. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: PSYC 1105 or permission of instructor. A student may receive credit for two of these courses: ECON 2227, MATH 2227, POL 2231, PSYC 2227, or SOC 3395. (QR)
PSYC 2260 - Language Acquisition And Development
This course will introduce students to the study of human language. Topics will include processes and theories of language development, as well as cognitive and neurological building blocks of language. Although emphasis will be placed on typical patterns of language development, we will also explore how language develops in other contexts (e.g. developmental disability, deafness, and bilingual households). Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: PSYC 1105.
PSYC 3325 - Psychology Of Music
In this course, students will explore the ways that music engages the mind, brain, and body. The course will function as a seminar, with students reading research articles from the fields of music cognition, cognitive science, neuroscience, and developmental psychology. Students will understand and evaluate behavioral science methods used in research and integrate content with their own musical experiences. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisites: PSYC 2227 or permission of instructor.
PSYC 3338 - Cognitive Neuroscience
This course explores the link between processes of mind and brain. The class will investigate how scientists utilize current technologies to understand the neuronal activity and anatomy of the brain that supports perception, memory storage, and recall, among other topics. Students will read and evaluate scientific sources and compare those findings to one popular culture depiction of a mind—zombies. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: PSYC 2228 or permission of instructor.
PSYC 3353 - Cognitive Development
Cognitive Development will introduce students to the study of how cognitive processes like conceptual understanding, memory, language, reasoning, and problem solving emerge in young children. Topics will include major research findings, theories, and processes of cognitive development. Credit hours: 4. Prerequisite: 2000-level PSYC course or sophomore standing.
Top Ranked Professors
Randolph College’s faculty are consistently recognized as among the best in the nation. The Princeton Review ranked the College in the Top 25 for most accessible professors in the most recent edition of its flagship college guide, The Best 389 Colleges.
Randolph has been ranked in the top 25 for most accessible professors for more than a decade.
Faculty Coordinator
Elizabeth Blair Gross
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Chair of Psychology, Social and Behavioral Sciences Division Head
Read More... Elizabeth Blair GrossOpportunities for Experience
Summer Research Program
Spend the summer working closely with a professor on a focused aspect of a Cognitive Science topic of your choosing.
Randolph’s intensive eight-week Summer Research Program enables students to work with professors on a research of their own design; live in a residence hall on campus, participate in on-campus summer events, attend special seminars with guest speakers; and share the progress and results of their research.
Symposium of Artists and Scholars
Modeled after a traditional academic conference, the SAS brings together students of all disciplines to share the results and highlights of the best work being produced at the College – oral presentations, readings of creative works, performances, exhibitions of student artwork, and poster presentations.
Internships
Learn by doing – in the field and on the job. The Career Development Center will help place you in positions with leading companies and organizations in your field of study.
Resources and Equipment
Only at Randolph
Randolph students can take advantage of unique programs which give them a more enriching education than can be found anywhere else.
Two courses per half-mester means you get to focus in and dig deep into your coursework while still having time for the rest of the college experience. Two classes. Seven weeks. Repeat.
The Randolph Innovative Student Experience (RISE) program provides every student a $2,000 grant to fund research, creative work, experiential learning or other scholarly pursuits.
Randolph students work with faculty mentors to explore a broad range of disciplines as they chart their academic path.
Randolph graduates learn to think critically, solve problems and work well with others. They are prepared to succeed in all aspects of life.
