Students majoring in cognitive and linguistic sciences must take a minimum of nine units for the major, including four core units, one from each of the categories below, and a minimum of four electives in a concentration. It is recommended, but not required that the ninth course be in a different concentration. In addition to the courses eligible for the major, which are listed below, NEUR 100 can count as a ninth course in the major. Students may consult the MIT catalog for additional offerings in the major, but students are encouraged to take courses for the major at Wellesley College.
Core Requirements
Students must fulfill the following four core requirements:
- One course in linguistics: Consult individual concentrations for requirement
- One course in Formal Systems: Consult individual concentrations for requirement
- PHIL 215
- CLSC 300
Concentrations
In designing a concentration, students need to demonstrate the intellectual coherence of their choices. Therefore, concentrations must be designed in close collaboration with the director. In cases where the student’s chosen concentration is in a discipline other than that of the director, a second advisor in the student’s field of concentration must also be arranged. Students must take at least one 300-level course in their concentration. Courses numbered 350/360/370 do not count towards this 300-level requirement.
Linguistics
Students concentrating in linguistics must elect at least four courses beyond the formal systems requirement and these must be from the following list. Three of these courses must be linguistics (LING) courses, including one 300-level course: LING 238, 240, 244, 248, 312, 315, or 319, CS 235, EDUC 310; FREN 211 or 308; PHIL 207, 216, or 333; PSYC 216 or 316. KOR 206 or 256.
Linguistics Requirement: LING 114 or MIT 24.9
Formal System Requirement for linguistics: LING 240 or 244 or appropriate equivalent MIT course
Students will also be expected to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language above the College’s foreign language requirement (at an intermediate level or above).
Psychology
Students concentrating in psychology must take PSYC 205 and one of 315R or PSYC 314R. PSYC 207R may be taken when approved by the student's advisor. In addition, students must elect at least two courses from the following list: CLSC 214, PSYC 215, PSYC 217, PSYC 218, PSYC 219, PSYC 301, PSYC 316, PSYC 318, PSYC 319, PSYC 328, PSYC 345.
Linguistics Requirement: PSYC 216
Formal System Requirement for Psychology: One of CS 111, CS 112, LING 240, LING 244, or PHIL 216
Philosophy
Students concentrating in philosophy must elect at least four of any of the following courses: PHIL 207, 208, [209], 216, 217, 221, 313, [340], or 349. PHIL 345 may be taken after consultation with the student’s philosophy advisor.
Linguistics Requirement: LING 114 or PSYC 216
Formal System Requirement for Philosophy: PHIL 216
Computer Science
Students concentrating in computer science must take CS 230 and CS 232. In addition, students must elect at least two courses from the following list: CS 220, CS 231, CS 234, CS 235, CS 251, CS 305, CS 315, CS 320, CS 323, CS 333.
Formal System Requirement for Computer Science: CS 111
Honors
The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the thesis program, a student must
have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100-level; the department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic Distinctions.