Module Courses

The module courses listed below have been determined relevant to COGS students by the Cognitive Systems Program Chair.
Please take the following notes into account while selecting module courses:

  • Check the number of module credits your specialization requires on the Degree Requirements page. Note that you are required to complete a certain number of module credits within your primary department as well as outside your primary department.
  • Modules are 3rd and 4th year courses. Most courses have prerequisites. Please review prerequisites as-listed in the UBC Academic Calendar, as well as seat restrictions on Workday, and plan accordingly.
  • Most upper-level CPSC courses are partially restricted to students in the Computer Science Department (with some general seats available). Keep this limitation in mind if you are not in the Computational Intelligence and Design specialization of COGS.
  • Modules are NOT electives. The only time a module course is given elective credit is when you have already finished all your module course requirements, and took additional courses listed on the module course list.
  • Bear in mind the credit exclusion list when registering for courses. Courses listed have sufficient overlap, such that credit may be obtained for only one selection. Note that this does not imply that courses listed together are equivalent or interchangeable. Please consult your home Faculty Advising Office if you are unsure whether you should take one course or another in the same list.
  • Always have a back-up plan.
    • Some courses are very popular, and often full as a result. Always check seat restrictions and the statuses of waitlists.
    • Not every course is available every term (or year). Always make sure to check if it is offered.

Module List

If you have taken a module course but it does not appear to be counted towards your module requirement in your Academic Progress Report, please contact the Program Coordinator.

Note: the Course Schedule page is currently offline for maintenance. Links to this page have been temporarily disabled. Courses offered in the 2024/2025 academic year may be found on Workday.

Faculty Course Code Course Name Notes
Arts ANTH 417B Language, Culture, and Cognition Not offered
Arts ASIA 371 Foundations of Chinese Thought Equivalents: PHIL 371
Arts ASIA 378 Philosophical Wisdom of Early India Equivalents: PHIL 378
Arts ASIA 470 Comparative Conceptions of the Self Equivalents: PHIL 470
Arts ASTU 402  Living Language: Science and Society Equivalents: APSC 402, FRST 402, LFS 402, LLED 402, PHAR 402
Medicine AUDI 402 Neuroanatomy for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
Medicine AUDI 403 Introduction to Neurolinguistics 1.5 credits only
Science BIOL 361 Physiology of Sensory, Nervous and Muscular Systems Not offered; phased out in 2020W
Science BIOL 371 Principles of Neurobiology I BIOL 371 is on the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414 along with BIOL 361, BIOL 455, PSYC 370, and PSYC 371.
Science BIOL 372  Principles of Neurobiology II BIOL 372 is on the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414 along with BIOL 455, PSYC 367, PSYC 370, and PSYC 371.
Science BIOL 455 Comparative Neurobiology For some streams, BIOL 455 can count towards module credit so long as PSYC 304, 360, 370, or 371 have not been taken.
Science BIOL 458 Developmental Neurobiology For some streams, BIOL 458 can count towards module credit so long as PSYC 304, 360, 370, or 371 have not been taken.
Science BIOL 459 Neurobiology of Sensory and Motor Systems  
Science CPSC 304 Introduction to Relational Databases
Science CPSC 310 Introduction to Software Engineering
Science CPSC 311 Definition of Programming Languages
Science CPSC 312 Functional and Logic Programming Does not count for module credit for students in the B.Sc. Computational Intelligence and Design stream (since it is a required course).
Science CPSC 313 Computer Hardware and Operating Systems  
Science CPSC 314 Computer Graphics  
Science CPSC 317 Internet Computing  
Science CPSC 319 Software Engineering Project  
Science CPSC 320 Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis Does not count for module credit for students in the B.Sc. Computational Intelligence and Design stream (since it is a required course).
Science CPSC 322 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Does not count for module credit for students in the B.Sc. Computational Intelligence and Design stream (since it is a required course).
Science CPSC 330 Applied Machine Learning
Science CPSC 340 Machine Learning and Data Mining  
Science CPSC 344 Introduction to Human Computer Interaction Methods  
Science CPSC 368 Databases in Data Science
Science CPSC 404 Advanced Relational Databases  
Science CPSC 416 Distributed Systems  
Science CPSC 420 Advanced Algorithms Design and Analysis  
Science CPSC 421 Introduction to Theory of Computing  
Science CPSC 422 Intelligent Systems  
Science CPSC 425 Computer Vision  
Science CPSC 430 Computers and Society  
Science CPSC 444 Advanced Methods for Human Computer Interaction  
Science CPSC 445 Algorithms in Bioinformatics  
Arts INFO 419 Information Visualization  
Science ISCI 351 Why the Big Brain? The Evolution of Human Cognition  
Arts LING 300 Studies in Grammar  
Arts LING 311 Studies in Phonology  
Arts LING 313 Introduction to Linguistic Phonetics and Speech Science  
Arts LING 314 Instrumental Phonetics  
Arts LING 319 Historical Linguistics  
Arts LING 327 Introduction to Semantics  
Arts LING 342  Computational Models of Language  
Arts LING 345 Pragmatics  
Arts LING 405 Morphology  
Arts LING 410 Advanced Phonology  
Arts LING 421 Advanced Syntax  
Arts LING 425 Advanced Semantics  
Arts LING 431 Field Methods I  
Arts LING 432 Field Methods II  
Arts LING 447 Topics in Linguistics  
Arts LING 451 Acquisition of Phonology  
Arts LING 452 Acquisition of Syntax  
Science MATH 302 Introduction to Probability Equivalents: STAT 302
Science MATH 303 Introduction to Stochastic Processes Please consult the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List: www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414.
Science MATH 340 Introduction to Linear Programming
Science MATH 344 Mathematical Game Theory
Science MATH 443 Graph Theory
Applied Science MECH 421 Mechatronics System Instrumentation
Arts MUSC 320 Computer Music
Arts MUSC 415 Imagining Musical Performances
Science NSCI 303 
Arts PHIL 320 (or 320A) Logic: Metatheory and Computability
Arts PHIL 321 (or 321A) Induction, Decision and Game Theory
Arts PHIL 322 (or 322A) Modal Logic
Arts PHIL 323 (or 323A) Non-Classical Logics
Arts PHIL 326 (or 326A) Philosophy of Language Will count towards module credit only if the student’s upper-level philosophy requirement is satisfied with the other philosophy courses (PHIL351, PHIL441, PHIL451, PHIL455).
Arts PHIL 333 (or 333A) Bio-Medical Ethics
Arts PHIL 340 (or 340A) Introduction to Metaphysics
Arts PHIL 351 Philosophical Perspectives on Cognitive Systems Research Will count towards module credit only if the student’s upper-level philosophy requirement is satisfied with the other philosophy courses (PHIL326, PHIL441, PHIL451, PHIL455).
Arts PHIL 369 (or 369A) Philosophy of Science
Arts PHIL 371 Foundations of Chinese Thought Equivalents: ASIA 371
Arts PHIL 378 Philosophical Wisdom of Early India Equivalents: ASIA 378
Arts PHIL 441 (or 441A or 441B) Philosophy of Perception Will count towards module credit only if the student’s upper-level philosophy requirement is satisfied with the other philosophy courses (PHIL326, PHIL351, PHIL451, PHIL455).
Arts PHIL 450 (or 450A) Topics in Metaphysics
Arts PHIL 451 (or 451A) Philosophy of Mind Will count towards module credit only if the student’s upper-level philosophy requirement is satisfied with the other philosophy courses (PHIL326, PHIL351, PHIL441, PHIL455).
Arts PHIL 455 (or 455A) Topics in the Philosophy of Cognitive Science Will count towards module credit only if the student’s upper-level philosophy requirement is satisfied with the other philosophy courses (PHIL326, PHIL351, PHIL441, PHIL451).
Arts PHIL 470 Comparative Conceptions of the Self Equivalents: ASIA 470
Arts PSYC 301
Arts PSYC 304 Brain and Behaviour PSYC 304 is on the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414 along with PSYC 360 and 370.
Arts PSYC 309 (or 309A) Cognitive Processes For students in the B.A. Mind, Language, and Computation stream, this will count towards module credit only if the student’s PSYC304 or 309 requirement is satisfied with PSYC304.
Arts PSYC 321 or 421 Environmental Psychology Credit will be granted for only one of PSYC 421 or PSYC 321.
Arts PSYC 333 Memory: Historical, Clinical and Cognitive Perspectives
Arts PSYC 336 The Psychology of Language I
Arts PSYC 359 Advanced Research Methods in Behavioural Sciences
Science PSYC 360 Biopsychology As of 2018W This course is no longer offered.
Science PSYC 361 Neuroscience of Motivation  
Science PSYC 366 Methods in Research  
Science PSYC 367 Sensory Systems PSYC 367 is on the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414 along with BIOL 372.
Science PSYC 368 Perceptual Processing  
Science PSYC 370 Behavioural Neuroscience I PSYC 370 is on the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414 along with BIOL 371, 372, and PSYC 304.
Science PSYC 371 Behavioural Neuroscience II PSYC 371 is on the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414 along with BIOL 371 and 372.
Arts PSYC 409 Cognitive Neuropsychology
Science PSYC 460 Behavioural Neuroendocrinology  
Science PSYC 461 Neuroplasticity and Behaviour  
Science PSYC 462 Drugs and Behavioural Neuroscience  
Science STAT 302 Introduction to Probability Equivalents: MATH 302
Science STAT 306 Finding Relationships in Data
Science STAT 344 Sample Surveys
Science STAT 406 Methods for Statistical Learning
Arts THTR 399E (MDIA 470A 201)  Special Topics
The course code has changed to MDIA 470A 201 for 2023W.

What if I took a course that is suitable for module credit but it is not part of the Module List?

Courses not on the module list (e.g. a 500-level course) may still be granted module credit by-request with permission of the Program Chair. Please send requests for consideration via the Module Credit Request for Consideration form.

  1. Log in with your CWL credentials
  2. Enter all required information
  3. Provide a detailed rationale for the inclusion of said course
  4. Attach the syllabus of said course (if the syllabus is short, feel free to attach additional documentation such as screenshots of reading lists. The more material, the better.)
    • Note: the syllabus should be for the specific course section you are taking/have taken. If that is not available, the syllabus should be from a past offering that was offered by the same instructor teaching the course section you are taking/planning to take.

Please note: sending a request does not guarantee approval. It is advised that students not plan their degree around the assumption that module credit will be granted for courses not on the list.