Sample Program Plans

Sample Program Plans

2 year & 4 year

The program plans below are meant for reference only. Every student's program plan will look different depending on their priorities, strengths, goals, and relative preparation for coursework. We encourage all students to create a working program plan that they update regularly in consultation with staff and peer advisors.  

These plans are not the only pathways towards a degree in CogSci and are merely examples. We encourage students to copy these plans to their own program planning worksheets and shift around classes as they fit with their unique goals. Program plans are NOT set in stone. They are always subject to change based on course availability, shifting student interests, and many other factors. They ARE EXTREMELEY USEFUL TOOLS to help insure success and to stave off anxiety-causing-seemingly-unanswerable questions. Succesful students utilize course planning to ensure a timely graduation, strategize about enrollment, make time for extracurriculars, among numerous additional benefits. 

Helpful Tips

While CogSci accepts a variety of courses from several different departments on campus, it is up to the student to adequately prepare themselves for each course. Taking all of the CogSci lower division requirements alone may not prepare students for all courses listed on our comprehensive course list. For example, students are welcome to take CS 188: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and it is on them to take recommended course pre-requisites (i.e., CS 61B).

The purpose of a program plan is to concretely sketch out a plausible and doable course progression within a student's time constraints. Program plans are very useful terms to help students answer questions like: 

  • If I want to major in CogSci, should I take more lower div classes that count for the major before transferring? 
  • Is a CogSci major doable for me? 
  • Do I have time to minor in X and also do a CogSci major? 
  • How many classes per term do I need to take to graduate with a CogSci degree? 
  • Do I have time to do a semester abroad? 
  • Do I need to take summer classes? 
  • I'm pre med. How do I fit in all the classes I need? 

When perusing the sample plans, please notice: 

  • It is not advisable for most students to make more than three courses during the semesters in which they are tackling CS61A/E7/Data C88C or Math 55/CS70. It follows that most students should not take these two courses simultaenously. 
  • It is highly advisable to limit the units taken during a first term to 13. Especially if one of these courses in CS61A
  • Many students are able to handle four upper division CogSci requirements starting in their 5th semester.