Cognitive Science Minor

Missouri Western State University offers an interdisciplinary minor in Cognitive Sciences. This minor is intended for students who are interested in an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the brain, mind, and cognition broadly construed.  To be able to do this, students in the minor will engage in viewing this topic from multiple perspectives, with a strong foundation in psychology and additional courses that broaden and build on that foundation from other areas across the university. The minor will provide a foundation of study for those students who intend to go on to professional or graduate school in cognitive sciences and related fields such as human factors/usability, computer sciences, philosophy, psychology, neurosciences, and medicine.

Each student interested in the minor should discuss with his or her major academic advisor which courses best fit that student’s discipline and concentration area. The minor does allow for an independent readings/research course or a special topics course to count to the minor, this must be related to cognitive sciences and approved by the director of the minor.

Minor Requirements
One course from the following:3
Learning and Memory
Cognitive Psychology
Human-Computer Interaction
One course from the following:3
Introduction to Neuroscience
Sensation and Perception
One course from the following:3
Language Awareness
Second Language Acquisition
Language Development for Educators
One course from the following:3
Reasoning and Argumentation
Symbolic Logic
One course from the following:3
Introduction to Computer Programming
Programming for Engineering Technology
One course from the following:3
BIO/ENG/HUM/PSC/PSY 314 Technology and Society
Learning and Memory
Cognitive Psychology
Human-Computer Interaction
Introduction to Neuroscience
Sensation and Perception
Language Awareness
Special Topics Course: A three credit hour special topics course relevant to cognitive sciences and offered by any academic department
Independent Study: A three credit hour independent study course relevant to cognitive sciences and arranged with any full-time faculty member
Total Credit Hours18

University Graduation Requirements

  1. Have a valid and declared major on file (minors cannot be awarded in the same areas as the major, emphasis or concentration).
  2. Earn a minimum of 3 credit hours beyond the major, emphasis, concentration and/or general studies requirements.
  3. Earn a minor GPA of at least 2.0.