Academic Calendar 2024-2025

Cognitive Science – Specialization (Computing) – Bachelor of Computing (Honours)

COGS-P-BCH (Cognitive Science)
COGS-I-BCH (Cognitive Science with Professional Internship)

Subject: Administered by the School of Computing in cooperation with the Departments of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Philosophy, and Psychology.
Plan: Consists of 93.00 units as described below.
Program: The Plan, with sufficient electives to total 120.00 units, will lead to a Bachelor of Computing (Honours) Degree.

Note: Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2023-2024 Calendar for the previous requirements.

1. Core
A. Complete the following:
CISC 102Discrete Structures I3.00
CISC 121Introduction to Computing Science I3.00
CISC 124Introduction to Computing Science II3.00
B. Complete 3.00 units from the following:3.00
Linear Algebra
Introduction to Linear Algebra
C. Complete the following:
COGS 100Introduction to Cognitive Science3.00
D. Complete the following:
COGS 201Cognition and Computation3.00
E. Complete the following:
CISC 203Discrete Structures II3.00
CISC 204Logic for Computing Science3.00
CISC 221Computer Architecture3.00
CISC 235Data Structures3.00
F. Complete 3.00 units from the following:3.00
Introduction to Statistics
Statistics and Probability I
STAT_Options
G. Complete the following:
CISC 360Programming Paradigms3.00
H. Complete 9.00 units from the following:9.00
CISC_Artificial_Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence
Neural and Genetic Cognitive Models
I. Complete the following:
CISC 497Social, Ethical and Legal Issues in Computing3.00
2. Option
A. Complete 30.00 units from two of the following option lists:30.00
i. Linguistics
ii. Philosophy
iii. Psychology
B. Complete 9.00 units from the following course list: 9.00
COGS_Computing
C. Complete 6.00 units from the following course lists:6.00
COGS_Computing
COGS_Linguistics
COGS_Philosophy
COGS_Psychology
NSCI_Options
Electives
Elective Courses27.00
Total Units120.00

Option Lists

i. Linguistics

a. Complete 6.00 units from the following:6.00
Introduction to Linguistics
or
Introduction to Linguistics: Words, Sentences, and Meaning
and Introduction to Linguistics: Sounds, Signs, and Perception
b. Complete 3.00 units from the following:3.00
Phonetics
Phonology
Morphology
c. Complete the following:
LING 340Syntax3.00
d. Complete the following:
LING 415Semantics3.00
Total Units15.00

ii. Philosophy

a. Complete 6.00 units from the following:6.00
PHIL at the 100-level or above
b. Complete 6.00 units from the following:6.00
Epistemology and Metaphysics
or
Metaphysics
and Epistemology
c. Complete 3.00 units from the following:3.00
Philosophy of Mathematics
Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic
Minds and Machines
Philosophy of Psychology
Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy of Language
Philosophy of the Natural Sciences
Total Units15.00

iii. Psychology

a. Complete the following:
PSYC 100Principles of Psychology6.00
b. Complete the following:
PSYC 221Cognitive Psychology3.00
c. Complete 3.00 units from the following:3.00
Research Methods in Psychology
Brain and Behaviour I
d. Complete 3.00 units from the following course list:3.00
COGS_Psychology at the 300-level or above
Total Units15.00

3. Notes

A. Students with no programming experience should review the Introductory Courses paragraph included on the School of Computing overview page in the Calendar. 

B. As COGS is a multi-disciplinary subject, several first-year courses are required. With the exception of CISC 102 and CISC 121, 100-level courses may be deferred to later years depending upon the planned progression of subsequent courses. With approval of an advisor, COGS 100 may be taken in Year 2 of the Plan.

C. Many upper-year courses in CISC, LING, PHIL, and PSYC have prerequisites outside the courses required for COGS, and students should take this into account in planning for their optional and elective units. Not all upper-year courses are offered every year.

D. The Plan allows 27.00 units for elective courses. Many disciplines are narrowly focused, and electives are essential to allow students to broaden their education. In the case of COGS, the Plan is already very broad, and students are encouraged to use their electives to further pursue the area(s) of Cognitive Science in which they are most interested.

E. With the approval of the Undergraduate Chair, students who take CISC 500 working on a project directly related to Cognitive Science may count 3.00 units towards COGS_Computing.

F. Students completing the internship (COGS-I-BCH) will be required to complete 117.0 units towards their Bachelor of Computing degree and 9.0 units in COMP internship courses for a total of 126.0 units.

G. A maximum of 6.00 units from courses offered by other Faculties and Schools may be counted toward the program and/or Plan requirements. This includes courses in BMED, COMM, GLPH, HSCI, LAW, NURS, and courses offered by Smith Engineering.

Cognitive Science Course Lists

The following lists contain courses offered through other Departments. In accordance with Academic Regulation 2.6 (Access to Classes), students do not have enrolment priority in all of these courses. Access to these courses may only be made available during the Open Enrolment period, and then only if space permits.

CISC_Artificial_Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Options
CISC 351Advanced Data Analytics3.00
CISC 371Nonlinear Data Analysis3.00
CISC 372Advanced Data Analytics3.00
CISC 451Topics in Data Analytics3.00
CISC 452Neural and Genetic Computing3.00
CISC 453Topics in Artificial Intelligence3.00
CISC 455Evolutionary Optimization and Learning3.00
CISC 467Fuzzy Logic3.00
CISC 473Deep Learning3.00
CISC 474Reinforcement Learning3.00

COGS_Computing

Cognitive Science Computing Options
CISC 220System-Level Programming3.00
CISC 223Software Specifications3.00
CISC 226Game Design3.00
CISC 271Linear Data Analysis3.00
CISC 325Human-Computer Interaction3.00
CISC 332Database Management Systems3.00
CISC 340Digital Systems3.00
CISC 365Algorithms I3.00
CISC 454Computer Graphics3.00
CISC 457Image Processing and Computer Vision3.00
CISC 465Semantics of Programming Languages3.00
CISC 486Game Development3.00
CISC 496Game Development Project3.00
CISC 500Undergraduate Thesis6.00

COGS_Linguistics

Cognitive Science Linguistics Options
LING 100Introduction to Linguistics6.00
LING 101Introduction to Linguistics: Words, Sentences, and Meaning3.00
LING 102Introduction to Linguistics: Sounds, Signs, and Perception3.00
LING 310Phonetics3.00
LING 320Phonology3.00
LING 330Morphology3.00
LING 340Syntax3.00
LING 415Semantics3.00

COGS_Philosophy

Cognitive Science Philosophy Options
PHIL 111What is Philosophy?6.00
PHIL 115Fundamental Questions6.00
PHIL 250Epistemology and Metaphysics6.00
PHIL 251Metaphysics3.00
PHIL 252Epistemology3.00
PHIL 261Philosophy of Mathematics3.00
PHIL 270Minds and Machines3.00
PHIL 311Philosophy of Psychology3.00
PHIL 351Philosophy of Mind3.00
PHIL 359Philosophy of Language3.00
PHIL 381Philosophy of the Natural Sciences3.00
PHIL 451Current Issues in Epistemology3.00
PHIL 452Current Issues in Metaphysics I3.00
PHIL 464Topics in Philosophy of Mind3.00

COGS_Psychology

Cognitive Science Psychology Options
PSYC 100Principles of Psychology6.00
PSYC 203Research Methods in Psychology3.00
PSYC 251Developmental Psychology3.00
PSYC 271Brain and Behaviour I3.00
PSYC 305Introduction to Comparative Cognition3.00
PSYC 320Selected Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience3.00
PSYC 321Psycholinguistics3.00
PSYC 323Laboratory in Attention3.00
PSYC 350Selected Topics in Developmental Psychology3.00
PSYC 352Cognitive and Language Development3.00
PSYC 353Atypical Development3.00
PSYC 355Comparative Cognition: Cognitive Origins Laboratory3.00
PSYC 365Selected Topics in Behavioural Neuroscience3.00
PSYC 370Brain and Behaviour II3.00
PSYC 420Advanced Topics in Cognitive Psychology3.00
PSYC 422Advanced Topics in Attention3.00
PSYC 423Driving, Deepfakes, and Disinformation: Applications of Visual Cognition3.00
PSYC 442Culture and Cognition3.00
PSYC 452Developmental Psycholinguistics3.00

NSCI_Options

Neuroscience Options
NSCI 323Foundational Neuroscience3.00
NSCI 324Systems Neuroscience3.00
NSCI 401Introduction to Theoretical Neuroscience3.00

STAT_Options

Statistic Course Options
BIOL 243Introduction to Statistics3.00
CHEE 209Analysis of Process Data 13.50
COMM 162Managerial Statistics3.00
ECON 250Introduction to Statistics3.00
GPHY 247Introduction to Statistics3.00
KNPE 251Introduction to Statistics3.00
NURS 323Introduction to Statistics3.00
POLS 285Introduction to Statistics3.00
PSYC 202Statistics in Psychology3.00
SOCY 211Introduction to Statistics3.00
STAM 200Introduction to Statistics3.00
STAT 263Introduction to Statistics3.00
1

Note that the unit weighting system in Smith Engineering differs from that in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Therefore, upon acceptance of any course from Smith Engineering, the unit weighting towards Arts and Science degree requirements shall be at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Academic). Usually, a one-term course shall count as 3.00 units and a two-term course as 6.00 units.