The cognitive science academic program includes a combined PhD degree between cognitive science and a core discipline, as well as a combined PhD plan of study tailored for students interested in cognitive neuroscience. In addition, there are two certificates at the graduate level of study. The first of these is a certificate in general issues in cognitive science that can be tailored to the individual student’s area of interest. The cognitive science curriculum for this certificate is designed to provide broad as well as in-depth training in the cognitive sciences. The second graduate certificate is in Human Language Technology (HLT) and is specifically designed to provide interested graduate students with a rich and broad background in computational tools for human language processing. These programs are administered by the Institute of Cognitive Science (ICS) of the University of Colorado Boulder. Graduate students in cognitive science are admitted to graduate programs in participating departments that have cognitive science faculty and must meet the requirements for admission and degree completion in their home department.
Students wishing to attain a degree or certificate in cognitive science must formally apply to the director of Academic Programs of ICS. To be admitted they must be a student affiliate of ICS, which requires being a graduate student in good standing in a member department, and they must be sponsored by an ICS faculty member. Students who enter the Graduate School without a master’s degree may be admitted to the program upon completion of their first year of study; students with a master’s degree may be admitted during their first year.
The degree and certificate programs in cognitive science require students to demonstrate acceptable performance in interdisciplinary course work and courses outside their home department. The courses must be offered by the departments of computer science; education; linguistics; philosophy; psychology; speech/language/hearing sciences; architecture, planning, and design; or another department in which there is an ICS faculty member. Details about requirements for the degree and certificate programs can be obtained through the Director of Academic Programs for ICS, or by contacting the ICS main office.
For further information contact the University of Colorado Boulder, Institute of Cognitive Science, 344 UCB, Boulder CO 80309-0344; 303-492-5063.