Program Requirements

Master of Cognitive Science (5.0 credits)

Guidelines for Completion of the M.Cog.Sc. Degree
The degree is expected to take no more than six terms to complete. Students will enroll in courses while also conducting research.

Master of Cognitive Science
with Specialization in Data Science (5.0 credits)

Ph.D. Cognitive Science (10.0 credits)

•  Students are expected to present their research at the Cognitive Science Student Spring Conference during the first three years of their program.
• Course selection is with the approval of the Thesis Supervisor and the Graduate Supervisor of Cognitive Science.
• Any student planning a dissertation with an applied cognitive emphasis is required to work for at least one term at a facility approved by the student's research supervisor and the Director of the Cognitive Science Program. Such a facility may include any institution, governmental laboratory, corporation, hospital or educational centre conducting research in the area of the student's specialization. Students should complete this work while registered in either option:

Methodology Rotation

The methodology rotation consists of two parts. Students spend one term in each of two laboratories or other research venues using two different methods for studying cognition (behavioural, linguistic-theoretic, computational, conceptual, neuroscientific).

The purpose of the methodology rotation is to give students sufficient background in two different approaches to cognition to allow the student to use work from these approaches in his or her own research.

Assignments will be as specified by each rotation supervisor. Each rotation will be graded separately by the rotation supervisor, Passed with Distinction (PWD)/Satisfactory(S)/Unsatisfactory (U). In the event of a grade of U the student may repeat a rotation only once.

Prospectus, Prospectus Defence, Thesis and Defence

When a student is ready to begin work on a thesis, the Graduate Supervisor approves a thesis committee which includes the thesis supervisor or co-supervisors, plus at least two additional members. The committee should include members from at least two different approaches to cognition. The Director of the Institute of Cognitive Science is an ex officio member of the committee. Preparation of the thesis has two stages. First the student prepares a prospectus, which is examined at a prospectus defence on the subject matter of the thesis. Then the student prepares the thesis, which is defended at a public oral examination.

Prospectus

The prospectus must describe the proposed research and review the relevant literature in the field of the research. The prospectus must be sufficiently detailed to allow the examining committee to judge the likelihood of a successful thesis ensuing from it. Preparation of the prospectus will follow the practices common in the Thesis Supervisor's area of research. The committee may add further requirements.

Prospectus Defence

The prospectus is examined orally by a board consisting of the members of the thesis committee. The committee may add further examiners. The examination is a comprehensive examination of the thesis subject matter, to ensure that the student has a sound understanding of the context of his or her proposed research, and of appropriate methods, ethical considerations, and so on. The examining board will also consider the research that the student is proposing, which must be of sufficiently high quality and described in sufficient detail to allow the committee to judge whether, if completed successfully, it would be likely that the student would be awarded the degree. Should a student's prospectus be unacceptable, or the student fails the prospectus defence, the student may resubmit the prospectus and be reexamined once.

Thesis

The completed thesis is examined orally by an examining board consisting at minimum of the thesis committee, an examiner at arm's length to the project from within Carleton University (the internal examiner) and an examiner from another university who is at arm's length to the student and the committee and who is a recognized expert in the area of the thesis (the external examiner).  All university regulations apply.

Residence Requirement

All Ph.D. candidates must be registered full-time in a minimum of six terms to satisfy the residence requirement.

Language Requirement

A second language is required when relevant to the student's program of research. Whether a second language is required and the level of proficiency expected is determined at the time of admission, based on the student's description of his or her proposed area of thesis research.

Milestones (to be completed by the end of the specified year)

First year: Completion of  CGSC 6801* and CGSC 5100, and elective coursework. Spring Conference presentation. 
Second year: Completion of remaining program coursework and the methodology rotations (CGSC 6002) and  (CGSC 6003). Begin work on Prospectus. Spring Conference presentation.
Third year: Prospectus defence. Continue to work on thesis CGSC 6909 Ph.D. Thesis . Spring Conference Presentation.
4th Year:   Thesis completion (CGSC 6909 Ph.D. Thesis) and defence.

*Please note CGSC 6801 is offered in alternate years. Course to be completed in second year if it is not offered in the first year of program.