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Students interested in the Cognitive Science major are encouraged to take COGS 101 during the first year and COGS 201 (Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science) during sophomore year. All interested students should meet with a Cognitive Science faculty member early on to discuss opportunities for research, study abroad, and more. If you wish to be invited to our events (such as seminars, social events, and open advising sessions), please contact the department chair.

Placement Information

No placement exams are specifically required for the Cognitive Science major.

Sample 4-Year Plan

Curricular Notes

Our major is flexible and has multiple introductory courses with no prerequisites, including:

• COGS 101: Introduction to Cognitive Science
• COGS 104: Introduction to Neuroscience
• COGS 220: Animal Cognition
• COGS 230: Mind, Brain, and Behavior
• PHIL 150: Formal Logic

All of these courses count towards the major.

Cognitive Science Transfer Student Advice

Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: No Limit

Designated Transfer Adviser

Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Cognitive Science:

• No previous coursework in Cognitive Science is required, but students transferring in as juniors should have completed the majority of their Core requirements prior to coming to Occidental. 

General advice for transfer students wanting to major in Cognitive Science:

• Transfer students should retain syllabi for courses taken at other institutions in order to facilitate evaluation of course equivalency and major requirement fulfillment.

• Students are encouraged to be proactive in planning the courses they will take during their time at Occidental.

• There are no courses other than COGS 490 that must be taken at Occidental, but many of the required courses are not offered at other institutions. 

• A rising junior transfer student who has not taken any courses in transfer that count toward the major will only have four free courses slots during their time at Occidental and need to plan carefully to make sure that they complete all major and core requirements in four semesters. Rising sophomores or students starting mid way through their sophomore year can complete the major and all Core requirements at Occidental, but if they would like to study abroad they should have taken several courses that will meet major or Core requirements.

What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?

Transferring and starting Occidental in the fall:

• Students entering as juniors (those with four semesters remaining) will be allowed to take both COGS 101: Introduction to Cognitive Science and COGS 201: Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science concurrently. In order to do so, they will need to request a registration override from the department chair or transfer adviser. 

• Sophomores or students starting mid way through their sophomore year (with six or five semesters remaining) should take COGS 101: Introduction to Cognitive Science, unless they have taken an approved equivalent course elsewhere. In that case, they should take COGS 201: Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science.

Transferring and starting Occidental in the Spring:

• Students entering as juniors (those with four semesters remaining) should take COGS 101: Introduction to Cognitive Science, but will need to wait until the fall semester to take COGS 201: Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science. 

• Sophomores or students starting mid way through their sophomore year (with six or five semesters remaining) should take COGS 101: Introduction to Cognitive Science, unless they have taken an approved equivalent course elsewhere. In that case, they would wait until the fall to take COGS 201: Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science.