The Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences offers two programs, one in cognitive science and the other in linguistics. Cognitive science is the multidisciplinary study of the mind. It seeks to understand such abilities as perception, recognition, categorization, reasoning and problem-solving, motor control, speech, language, and communication. Linguistics focuses on the nature of human language, its theoretical, descriptive, behavioral, and biological basis. Our graduate program is designed to prepare students for careers as researchers, scholars, and teachers in academic or applied settings. Students gain a broad competence in the scientific issues and experimental, theoretical, and/or computational methods relevant across fields and are expected to develop expertise in one or more research specializations. Programs of study are highly individualized. Decisions about research and coursework are made in close collaboration with a research advisor and graduate committee chosen by each student. Students may change areas and advisors as their interests develop.

Additional resources: Each graduate student is typically provided with a workstation and access to a robust campus network. The department also has a number of unique facilities, including one of the world's largest ambulatory virtual reality systems, the VENLab, a wide-area motion tracking system, a high-performance parallel supercomputer, systems for scientific visualization and data analysis, and access to a four- walled virtual reality CAVE. Other notable core facilities include a research-dedicate 3.0T Siemens Symphony MRI system at Brown University, a 64-channel Event Related Potential (ERP) system from ANT Software, and two head-mounted, high-resolution eye-trackers for language processing and perception research.

Departmental facilities also include speech and phonetics labs for audio recording, acoustic analysis, speech synthesis, and subject testing; a gait laboratory with a motion analysis system and large-screen computer graphics display; a significant collection of high-performance 3D graphics workstations; infant testing facilities; and an array of equipment and testing rooms for experimental research.

Completion requirements: A.M. Linguistics: Eight courses, including at least one course in phonetics, one in phonology, one in syntax, one in semantics, and at least two courses in acquisition, computational linguistics, neurolinguistics, and/or psycholinguistics; reading knowledge of one foreign language (usually French, German, or Russian); and thesis or successful completion of a major paper for the Ph.D.

Sc.M. Cognitive Science: Graduate proseminar, one methodology course, three substantive topic area courses, and thesis.

Ph.D. Cognitive Science or Linguistics: Ten substantive courses; first-year research project; oral examination based on project; four semesters of teaching; dissertation proposal and oral dissertation proposal meeting; doctoral dissertation and oral presentation. In addition, Ph.D. candiates in linguistics must satisfy the same course distribution requirements listed above for the AM candidates, they must also demonstrate a reading knowledge of one foreign language (usually French, German, or Russian), complete a major paper, and audit the graduate proseminar. Ph.D. candidates in cognitive science must complete the graduate proseminar and the three core topic area courses in cognitive science, one each in perception, cognition, and language. They must also demonstrate expertise in one of six areas of specialization and competence in two others, demonstrate methodological expertise in at least two areas important to conducting research in cognitive science, and complete a preliminary examination.

ADMISSION INFORMATION

Admission requirements: Writing sample recommended.

GRE General: Required

GRE Subject: Not required

Application deadline: January 1

FACULTY