Cognitive Sciences Minor

The minor consists of a minimum of 6 full courses (or the equivalent).

Note: Students must earn minimum grades of C- or P for all courses that apply toward the minor.

Cognitive science is a multidisciplinary field investigating cognition or thought. Cognitive scientists examine the structures and processes that underlie a creature’s ability to think and reason. They also explore closely related cognitive phenomena, including perception, recognition, memory, communication, and consciousness. They do so through an integration of perspectives and methodologies from a variety of disciplines including anthropology, biology, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, music theory, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology.

Oberlin College’s cognitive sciences minor provides students with a broad perspective on the study of cognition, ranging from the study of a single neuron, to brain systems and processes, to complex behavior. Because cognitive science is a multidisciplinary field of study, students must take relevant courses from several fields of inquiry.

Visit the minor’s web page for more information.

Summary of Requirements

Note(s) on Requirements

The four required elective courses must be taken from different departments.
If a student wishes to count a course that is not listed below toward the minor, they can petition the curricular committee for approval to apply the completed or in-progress course toward their minor.
In planning their schedules, students should be aware that some of the courses listed below have prerequisites.

Declaring the Minor

Students wishing to complete the cognitive sciences minor should consult with a member of the curricular committee and complete the interdivisional or Arts and Sciences minor declaration/change form. The form requires the signature of the committee chair.

Chair
Sara C. Verosky, Associate Professor of Psychology

See the full list of Cognitive Science Curricular Committee members.

Detailed Minor Requirements