Brain & Cognitive Science, BSLAS
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Brain & Cognitive Science
The Brain and Cognitive Science major introduces the student to a simple question: How do intelligent systems work? Our world provides two examples of complex intelligent systems—human beings (and possibly some other animals) and intelligent computer systems. Brain and Cognitive Science majors investigate the brain and behavior of intelligent biological systems (e.g. people) from the perspective that the brain is a kind of computer. Consequently, students must learn about how brains and computers work, and how these can explain what we know about mental functions including perception, learning, memory, and language. Brain and Cognitive Science majors make use of discoveries from a number of different disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, philosophy, and anthropology, and has applications to the development of technology in education, health, language sciences, and design.
The Brain and Cognitive Science major provides fundamental training in psychology, neuroscience, and computation, and it allows a great deal of flexibility with regard to more advanced courses. The major requires training in statistics, a laboratory course, and the capstone course. Students should contact our Undergraduate Advising Office for help in creating a plan of study and research that best meets their goals and interests.
Academic Advising
The Psychology Undergraduate Advising Office is open to help students choose patterns of courses relevant to their interests, as well as to help students explore graduate school, professional school, and career options. Advising is done by an award-winning staff of academic professionals along with mentoring by faculty for students with research interests. Peer registration assistants are also available to help with the registration process.
Undergraduate Degree Programs in Psychology
BSLAS in Brain & Cognitive Science
BSLAS in Psychology with the following concentrations:
For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences Major in Brain and Cognitive Science
A Major Plan of Study Form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Academic Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours).
Departmental distinction: To be eligible for graduation with Distinction in Psychology, a student must complete a two-semester research sequence in PSYC 494, submit a Senior Thesis that must be approved by the department, and maintain an overall 3.0 GPA at the time of submission. A student can also enroll in PSYC 492 to facilitate the preparation of a Bachelor's thesis.
To be eligible for High or Highest Distinction, a student must first be admitted to the Honors Program (requirements: junior standing, 3.5 GPA in Psychology overall, and completion of the statistics an laboratory requirements). The student then has to complete the three semester Honors sequence (PSYC 398, PSYC 498, PSYC 499), submit a Senior Thesis that must be approved by the department, and maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0 to be awarded High Distinction or a GPA of 3.5 for Highest Distinction.
General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements including the campus general education language requirement.
Minimum required major and supporting course work: Normally equates to 42 hours of coursework, including at least 12 hours of advanced coursework.
Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level in the major must be taken on this campus.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BCOG 100 | Introduction to the Brain and Cognitive Science | 3 |
| BCOG 200 | Introduction to Programming for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences | 4 |
| Statistics Course | 4 | |
| Intro to Statistics (or equivalent) | ||
| Multi-disciplinary Breadth Courses | Select two of the following: | 6-7 |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
or ANTH 102 | Human Origins and Culture | |
or ANTH 104 | Talking Culture | |
or ANTH 143 | Biology of Human Behavior | |
| Little Bits to Big Ideas | ||
or CS 125 | Introduction to Computer Science | |
| Intro to Language Science | ||
| Society and the Brain | ||
| Intro to Philosophy-ACP | ||
or PHIL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | |
| Logic and Reasoning | ||
or PHIL 103 | Logic and Reasoning QR II | |
| Intro Psych | ||
or PSYC 103 | Intro Experimental Psych | |
| Intermediate Required Courses | Select one of the following: | 3 |
| Images of Mind | ||
| Intro to Brain and Cognition | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Intermediate Elective Courses | Select one of the following: | 3 |
| Biological Anthropology | ||
| Sociality of the Great Apes | ||
| Language in Culture | ||
| Discrete Structures | ||
or MATH 213 | Basic Discrete Mathematics | |
| Data Structures | ||
| Child Psych | ||
| Cognitive Psych | ||
| Perception & Sensory Processes | ||
| Learning and Memory | ||
| Language, Mind, and Brain | ||
| Language, Technology & Society | ||
| Symbolic Logic | ||
| Conceptions of Human Nature | ||
| Philosophy of Science | ||
| BCOG 458 | Advances in Brain and Cognitive Science | 3 |
| Required Lab | Select one of the following: | 4 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience Lab | ||
| Cognitive Psych Lab | ||
| Perception Lab | ||
| Developmental Child Psych Lab | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience Lab | ||
| Neural Network Modeling Lab | ||
| Advanced Electives | Select four of the following: | 12 |
| Topics in Lang & Culture | ||
| Capstone Undergraduate Research (Cognitive Science Capstone) | ||
| Probability & Statistics for Computer Science | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Genes and Behavior | ||
| Human Factors | ||
| Elements of Syntax | ||
| Elements of Phonology | ||
| Elements of Morphology | ||
| Elmnts Semantics & Pragmatics | ||
| Intro to Psycholinguistics | ||
| Brain, Behavior & Info Process | ||
| Integrative Neuroscience | ||
| Logic and Linguistic Analysis | ||
| Philosophy of Mind | ||
| Theory of Knowledge | ||
| Phenomenology | ||
| Formal Logic and Philosophy | ||
| Advanced Symbolic Logic | ||
| Contemporary Phil of Science | ||
| Philosophy of Psychology | ||
| Applied Neuroscience | ||
| Thinking and Reasoning | ||
| The Psychology of Aging | ||
| Intro Clin Neuropsych | ||
| Memory and Amnesia | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Human Behavior Genetics | ||
| Advanced Neuropsychopharmacology | ||
| Brain, Learning, and Memory | ||
| Principles of Psychophysiology | ||
| Language Acquisition | ||
| Evolutionary Neuroscience | ||
| Cognitive Psychophysiology | ||
| Neurobio of Aging | ||
| Cog Neuroscience of Vision | ||
| General Speech Science | ||
| Language and the Brain | ||
| Total Hours | 42-43 | |
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Brain & Cognitive Science
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree General and Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Free elective course | 1 | BCOG 200 | 4 |
| BCOG 100 | 3 | PSYC 235 | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Language Other Than English (4th level) | 4 |
| Language Other Than English (3rd level) | 4 | Comp I or General Education course | 3 |
| Comp. I or General Education course | 4 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Multi-disciplinary Breadth course | 3 | Multi-disciplinary Breadth course | 3 |
| PSYC Intermediate Required course | 3 | Intermediate Elective course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| PSYC Required Lab | 4 | Advanced Elective course | 3 |
| Advanced Elective course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| BCOG 458 | 3 | Advanced Elective course | 3 |
| Advanced Elective course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Brain & Cognitive Science
department website: http://www.psychology.illinois.edu/undergrad/
department faculty: Psychology Faculty
advising: Psychology advising
overview of college admissions & requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences
college website: https://las.illinois.edu/