Interdisciplinary Programs

Cognitive Sciences Emphasis

Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary field that has emerged during the past few decades at the intersection of a number of existing disciplines, including psychology, linguistics, computer science, anthropology, philosophy, and neuroscience. It can be defined as the interdisciplinary study of thinking, perception and intelligent behavior, as determined jointly by the nature of the environment and by the internal architecture of the intelligent agent, whether human, animal or machine. For more information regarding the cognitive science emphasis please visit the web site at: http://www.cogsci.ucsb.edu/.

Neuroscience Research Institute

Located a few steps from the Department of Psychology, the Neuroscience Research Institute is an Organized Research Unit of the University of California that provides support for an interdisciplinary group of scientists with a common interest in neuroscience research. Several of the Neuroscience and Behavior faculty are active participants in this research unit. The focus of the Neuroscience Research Institute is on cellular and molecular neuroscience and the scientific interests of the members of the Institute extend across basic biology, medicine, pharmacology, psychology and chemistry. In addition to individual laboratories, the Institute maintains a number of common research facilities for cellular and subcellular microscopy, biochemistry, molecular biology and tissue culture. The Institute also houses a small neuroscience library and a seminar room; both are widely used by the local neuroscience community. The Institute sponsors a series of seminars during the year by visitors distinguished in various areas of neuroscience.

Students pursuing a Ph.D. in this department may petition to add an interdisciplinary emphasis in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences (QMSS). This new interdisciplinary emphasis involves faculty from the Ph.D. programs in Communication, Economics, Education, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Statistics and Applied Probability. The areas of specialization of the participating faculty include advanced regression modeling techniques, multivariate statistics, bootstrap estimation methods, demography, econometrics, psychometrics, social network theory, mathematical psychology, spatial statistics, survey research, and educational and psychological assessment. The QMSS emphasis helps students to attain the competencies needed to conduct quantitative social science research through core design and analysis classes, courses in advanced and specialized methodologies, and participation in interdisciplinary colloquia and research projects.

Each admitted student will develop, with his or her advisor, an individual contract listing the QMSS requirements to be completed. The contract must include the following:

One year of calculus, one course in linear algebra, and a one-year statistics sequence (These requirements can be waived if equivalent courses have already been completed.)

Attendance for at least three quarters at the ongoing QMSS seminar series, including the presentation of at least one paper

Completion of at least three quantitative methods courses (excluding those listed above ), at least two of which are outside the student’s home department.

A Ph.D. dissertation that is centrally focused on an issue that is appropriate to the QMSS emphasis. The dissertation may make a contribution to methodological theory or may involve an advanced or innovative application.

A dissertation committee that includes at least one QMSS faculty member from outside the student' home department.

For more information about the QMSS emphasis, please visit the web site at: http://www.qmss.ucsb.edu/.

Interactive Digital Multimedia

The convergence of digital media, computing and communication has created new and exciting opportunities in science, engineering, and the arts. Interactive Digital Multimedia involves a range of technologies and applications centered on the creation, encoding, transmission, storage, presentation, and analysis of multimedia data, as well as the study of human interaction with multimedia systems. Research and education in digital media is a multidisciplinary effort that necessitates collaboration between students and faculty from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and perspectives, including Psychology, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science, among others. The result is a graduate training program that will entail coursework and group projects focused in three general areas:

• Multimedia systems
• Multimedia content
• Interactivity

This endeavor is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundations Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program. IGERT Fellowships, which are highly competitive and prestigious, will be awarded to a select group of Ph.D. students whose research interests fall into one of the above emphases. Candidates must apply to and be accepted by one of the participating UCSB home departments. Visit the IGERT in Interactive Digital Multimedia website at http://media.igert.ucsb.edu for more information.

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