Minors and Clusters

Brain and Cognitive Sciences Minor

The department’s brain and cognitive sciences (BCS) minor requires six courses:

  • BCSC 110: Neural Foundations of Behavior
  • BCSC 111: Foundations of Cognitive Science
  • Two of the following:
    • BCSC 151: Perception and Action
    • BCSC 152: Language and Psycholinguistics
    • BCSC 153: Cognition
  • Two electives, at least one must be numbered 200 or higher. Independent study courses (39x) CANNOT be included.

A maximum of two courses may overlap between a student’s major and minor. An overlap is a course that is being used to satisfy both major and minor requirements.

Minor in Visual Science

Five courses are required

  1. One of the following:
  2. CVSC/BCSC 151: Perception & Action
  3. OPT 248/448: Vision and the Eye
  4. One of the following upper-level courses:
  5. CVSC/BCSC 391: Independent Study (one semester only)

Research Minor in Visual Science

Five courses are required

  1. One of the following:
  2. CVSC/BCSC 151: Perception & Action
  3. OPT 248/448: Vision and the Eye
  4. Two semesters of CVSC/BCSC 395: Independent Research in Visual Science. These may be either with the same faculty member in CVS or with two different faculty.

There is no minor in neuroscience. However, neuroscience courses may be used as electives toward either a BCS minor or a biology minor.

Related minors in music cognition and music and linguistics are available through the Music and Sound Initiative.

Clusters

The department offers nine clusters, all in the natural science and engineering academic division. Related clusters can be found in the Music and Sound Initiative.

The Senses (N1BCS003)

This cluster introduces students to the human senses, particularly vision and hearing, covering both the basic sensory processes and higher-level perceptual ones.

Mind, Brain, and Development (N1BCS004)

Students in this cluster learn about the brain and cognitive processes, with a special emphasis on their development. Due to overlap restrictions, this cluster is not available to psychology majors.

Perception and Development (N1BCS005)

This cluster introduces students to perception, cognition, their development, and their underlying brain mechanisms.

Language and Cognitive Development (N1BCS006)

Students in this cluster learn about the development of language and cognition and their underlying biological mechanisms.

Biology and Behavior (N1BCS007)

This cluster introduces animal behavior and its underlying biological and evolutionary mechanisms.

Neurobiology (N1BCS008)

Students in this cluster learn about the biology of the brain and the neural mechanisms underlying behavior.

Neuropsychology (N1BCS009)

This cluster introduces the biological mechanisms that underlie behavior with special emphasis on abnormal behavior.

Mind and Brain (N1BCS001)

Students in this cluster learn about perception, cognition, learning, memory, and development, considering both the nature of these processes and the brain mechanisms that underlie them. Due to overlap restrictions, this cluster is not available to psychology majors.

Language and Cognition (N1BCS002)

This cluster introduces the mental processes involved in human language and cognition.