2026-2027 Course Catalog

Source: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/las/brain-cognitive-science-bslas/ Parent: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences 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:
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Clinical/Community Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Diversity Science
• Intradisciplinary Psychology
• Organizational Psychology
• Personality Psychology
• Social Psychology

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Brain & 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.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.

Minimum hours required major and supporting course work: normally equates to 42 hours. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.

University Requirements

Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Composition I | | 4-6 | | Advanced Composition | | 3 | | Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | | 6 | | Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | | 6 | | Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | | 6 | | Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | | 6-10 | | fulfilled by PSYC 235 and any other approved as Quantitative Reasoning | | | | Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English, or completion of the third semester in two different languages other than English is required) | | 0-20 |

Major Requirements

Course List

 | 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 | | PSYC 235 | Intro to Statistics (or equivalent) | | | Multi-disciplinary Breadth Courses | Select two of the following: | 6-7 | | ANTH 101 | Introduction to Anthropology | | | or ANTH 102 | Human Origins and Culture | | | or ANTH 104 | Talking Culture | | | or ANTH 143 | Biology of Human Behavior | | | INFO 102 | Little Bits to Big Ideas | | | or CS 125 | Introduction to Computer Science | | | LING 100 | Intro to Language Science | | | MCB 170 | Society and the Brain | | | PHIL 100 | Intro to Philosophy-ACP | | | or PHIL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | | | PHIL 102 | Logic and Reasoning | | | or PHIL 103 | Logic and Reasoning QR II | | | PSYC 100 | Intro Psych | | | Intermediate Required Courses | Select one of the following: | 3 | | PSYC 220 | Images of Mind | | | PSYC 204 | Intro to Brain and Cognition | | | PSYC 210 | Behavioral Neuroscience | | | Intermediate Elective Courses | Select one of the following: | 3 | | ANTH 240 | Biological Anthropology | | | ANTH 243 | Sociality of the Great Apes | | | ANTH 270 | Language in Culture | | | CS 173 | Discrete Structures | | | or MATH 213 | Basic Discrete Mathematics | | | CS 225 | Data Structures | | | PSYC 216 | Child Psych | | | PSYC 224 | Cognitive Psych | | | PSYC 230 | Perception & Sensory Processes | | | PSYC 248 | Learning and Memory | | | LING 225 | Language, Mind, and Brain | | | LING 270 | Language, Technology & Society | | | PHIL 202 | Symbolic Logic | | | PHIL 250 | Conceptions of Human Nature | | | PHIL 270 | Philosophy of Science | | | BCOG 458 | Advances in Brain and Cognitive Science | 3 | | Required Lab | Select one of the following: | 4 | | PSYC 311 | Behavioral Neuroscience Lab | | | PSYC 331 | Cognitive Psych Lab | | | PSYC 334 | Perception Lab | | | PSYC 363 | Developmental Child Psych Lab | | | PSYC 445 | Cognitive Neuroscience Lab | | | PSYC 489 | Neural Network Modeling Lab | | | Advanced Electives | Select four of the following: | 12 | | ANTH 372 | Topics in Lang & Culture | | | BCOG 492 | Capstone Undergraduate Research (Cognitive Science Capstone) | | | CS 361 | Probability & Statistics for Computer Science | | | CS 440 | Artificial Intelligence | | | IB 329 | Animal Behavior | | | IB 432 | Genes and Behavior | | | IE 340 | Human Factors | | | LING 301 | Elements of Syntax | | | LING 302 | Elements of Phonology | | | LING 304 | Elements of Morphology | | | LING 307 | Elmnts Semantics & Pragmatics | | | LING 425 | Intro to Psycholinguistics | | | MCB 419 | Brain, Behavior & Info Process | | | MCB 462 | Integrative Neuroscience | | | PHIL 351 | Thinking and Reasoning | | | PHIL 407 | Logic and Linguistic Analysis | | | PHIL 425 | Philosophy of Mind | | | PHIL 430 | Theory of Knowledge | | | PHIL 443 | Phenomenology | | | PHIL 453 | Formal Logic and Philosophy | | | PHIL 454 | Advanced Symbolic Logic | | | PHIL 471 | Contemporary Phil of Science | | | PHIL 477 | Philosophy of Psychology | | | PSYC 302 | Applied Neuroscience | | | PSYC 361 | The Psychology of Aging | | | PSYC 402 | Intro Clin Neuropsych | | | PSYC 403 | Memory and Amnesia | | | PSYC 404 | Cognitive Neuroscience | | | PSYC 408 | Human Behavior Genetics | | | PSYC 413 | Advanced Neuropsychopharmacology | | | PSYC 414 | Brain, Learning, and Memory | | | PSYC 421 | Principles of Psychophysiology | | | PSYC 423 | Language Acquisition | | | PSYC 433 | Evolutionary Neuroscience | | | PSYC 450 | Cognitive Psychophysiology | | | PSYC 451 | Neurobio of Aging | | | PSYC 453 | Cog Neuroscience of Vision | | | SHS 301 | General Speech Science | | | SHS 427 | Language and the Brain | | | Total Hours | | 42-43 |

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences 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 and General Education Requirements page.

Total Hours: 120

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Brain & Cognitive Science

1. Students will be able to explain how intelligent systems function by integrating foundational concepts from psychology, neuroscience, and computation, including how perception, learning, memory, and language emerge from biological and artificial processes.
2. Students will apply interdisciplinary methods—drawing from fields such as computer science, linguistics, philosophy, and anthropology—to analyze and model brain–behavior relationships and evaluate theories of biological and artificial intelligence.
3. Students will demonstrate competency in statistics, programming, and laboratory techniques to design, conduct, and interpret empirical or computational studies, culminating in a capstone seminar that synthesizes their learning across the major.

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Brain & Cognitive Science

Department of Psychology

department faculty: Psychology Faculty\ advising: Psychology advising

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

overview of college admissions & requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences\