Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A new academic program at Mississippi State will provide cross-disciplinary opportunities for students to understand more about the human mind and thought.
Recently approved undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in cognitive science build on established university strengths, particularly in neurocognitive research and engineering, said Carrick C. Williams, an assistant professor of psychology and program coordinator.
The university is the state's only institution of higher learning offering a doctoral degree in cognitive science. Most broadly, cognitive science focuses on information systems--the brain, in the case of humans, and computers, in the case of artificial intelligence, Williams explained.
"We will approach the study of the mind from a variety of disciplines," he said, adding that the coursework will include psychology, computer science, philosophy, anthropology, and education, among other academic areas.
"This is a broad field that may include computer modeling, behavioral experimentation, robotics, human factors, and neuroimaging," Williams said.
Undergraduate and graduate students who seek a certificate in cognitive science will take a total of six courses for 18 credit hours.
"A psychologist might ask the question 'why does the mind do what it does,' while a computer scientist might ask 'how does the mind do what it does,'" Williams said. "Working together, we'll be able to develop a more complete understanding."
He said Mississippi State already has established a reputation for scientific advances in a number of related areas. As examples, he cited the:
--Institute for Neurocognitive Science and Technology, which conducts research about human performance in complex environments such as airplane cockpits; and
--Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, where a research group is exploring the physical and cognitive aspects of human-automobile interaction.
"We believe that Mississippi State is well-positioned to become a leader in this field," Williams said.
For more, visit http://www.psychology.msstate.edu/undergrad/certificateunder/ or http://www.psychology.msstate.edu/graduate/prospective/cognitive.php.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.