Advising

Prospective Students

If you are a prospective student interested in Cognitive Systems, we can answer questions regarding program stream choice, course selection and requirements, modules courses, co-op and declaring your specialization. Contact the Program Coordinator if you’re unable to find answers to your questions on the website. You can find the contact details at Contact us.

Admissions questions including transfer credits should be directed to the UBC Admissions Office.

Faculty Requirements should be directed to a Science Advisor or Arts Advisor.

Application Instructions can be found here.

Current Students

Current students with concerns about graduation (program requirements), course selection, switching specialization, or module requirements can contact the Program Coordinator in COGS (see Contact us page).

*Please note that advising for the B.Sc Computational Intelligence and Design stream is handled by CPSC Advising.*

We cannot help you with switching between faculty, faculty requirements, and problems with applying for graduation. You will have to find a Science Advisor, or an Arts Advisor. To calculate faculty requirements in Science, please see the checklists here. Arts students should check Degree Navigator (through the SSC) and/or request a Graduation Check to ensure their faculty requirements are on track.

Minors

Because degrees in Cognitive Systems already have an interdisciplinary character, we strongly discourage students from attempting to take them as part of a double major. Students should also think carefully before attempting to combine a COGS degree with a minor in another discipline, with particular attention to the following considerations.

Degrees in Cognitive Systems are awarded by the department of that degree’s specialization: This means that the BSc in Computational Intelligence and Design is a degree awarded by the Department of Computer Science; that the BSc in Cognition and Brain is a degree awarded by the Department of Psychology; that the BA in Mind, Language and Computation is a degree awarded by the Department of Philosophy, etc. Since it is not possible to receive a minor and major from the same department, it is not possible to combine a COGS degree with a minor in the area of your COGS specialization: students in the Computational Intelligence and Design stream cannot take a minor in Computer Science; students in the Cognition and Brain stream cannot take a minor in Psychology, etc.

The attempt to minor in a branch of COGS other than the area of your specialization also creates considerable logistical difficulties, since there are limits on the overlap between courses that can count towards a major and those that count towards a minor. Students who wish to attempt such a minor should do so only having first met with the COGS advisor to discuss the way in which these difficulties will be negotiated in their particular case.

Other Concerns

Please see Contact us for contact information.