Cognitive Science Program
Cognitive Science Program

Student Opportunites

Student Organizations

UVA Organizations For Cognitive Science

Society for Cognitive Science

UVA Society for Cognitive Science (SCS) is an academic and social organization for all students interested and engaged in the interdisciplinary field of Cognitive Science. Our mission is to assist fellow COGS students to explore and navigate the five subfields of psychology, linguistics, philosophy, neuroscience, and computer science from multiple, diverse perspectives. The Society provides opportunities for networking with current majors and alumni, for mentoring and being mentored by other people in the major, for providing information and suggestions of favorite COGS classes, and to promote personal growth within the COGS context.

Nu Rho Psi: Neuroscience Honor Society

Nu Rho Psi is the National Honor Society in Neuroscience, founded in 2006 by the faculty of Neuroscience. In our chapter at the University of Virginia, we connect our members with pre-professional resources for a future career in neuroscience and promote engagement in neuroscience in the Charlottesville community.

Applications to our organization are accepted at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. The following are requirements listed by the national branch of Nu Rho Psi for membership in local chapters:

  • Major, minor, other emphasis in Neuroscience (The Cognitive Science BA Concentration is accepted)

  • Completion of at least 3 semesters of the College course

  • Completion of at least 9 semester hours of Neuroscience-related courses

  • Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in Neuroscience courses

More details about the UVA chapter of Nu Rho PSI click here

National Organizations Related to Cognitive Science

Cognitive Science Society

The Cognitive Science Society brings together researchers from around the world who hold a common goal: understanding the nature of the human mind. The mission of the Society is to promote Cognitive Science as a discipline, and to foster scientific interchange among researchers in various areas of study, including Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics, Anthropology, Psychology, Neuroscience, Philosophy, and Education. The Society is a non-profit professional organization and its activities include sponsoring an annual conference and publishing the journals Cognitive Science and TopiCS.

Student/Post-Doc Membership:
Applies to students enrolled in any full-time, degree-granting programs at an institution of higher learning, as well as post-doctoral fellows. Student & Post Doc membership: $50

CSC acknowledges that not everyone can contribute the full amount of the annual membership.  We do appreciate if you are able to contribute the minimum suggested amount below.  If you are unable to make a financial contribution, you can renew or join for free. 

Student & Post Doc membership: $10

https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/

Education Abroad

If you are interested in studying abroad, you should begin by reviewing the Education Abroad website “getting started” page to learn about the process. The multitude of options UVA offers to its students that is found here.

In general, courses taken abroad will count as Cognitive Science elective credit and will not fulfill area requirements unless the program is designated as “direct credit.” This designation means that classes will transfer into UVA like they do if they were taken on grounds. COGS majors are limited to two education abroad courses which usually translate into 6-8 hours of transfer credit. Use our five area approved courses on the COGS website (neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, philosophy, and computer science) as subject guidelines for choosing study abroad courses. Course titles from programs abroad recently approved are listed here.

All study abroad courses are ultimately approved by our Director of Undergraduate studies.

The process for seeking approval for COGS credit is:

  1. Indicate what type of program you are planning to apply to and indicate what type of credit the program offers. If they are direct credit—you should list not only the ed abroad number—but also the UVA one. Be sure and check that the UVA course is approved for COGS. We recommend that students select 3-4 course options for approval since the courses offered may change.
  2. Submit the course numbers, titles, descriptions, and syllabi links to cogsci@virginia.edu that you would like to have reviewed.
  3. After courses are reviewed and you have been notified of the approvals, email your completed College of Arts and Sciences Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Form to cogsci@virginia.edu. Once approved, you will be emailed, and the signed form attached so it can be submitted for final approval.