<p>For those who don't care to read the explanation, it basically combines computer science, philosophy, and psychology to create a program based in the theories of cognition and AI, applying programming and computation to model these processes...I was especially interested in the intersection of philosophy and AI...how the brain creates cognition and if it is possible to model that with computation, and if so, what the ethical, moral, and social implications may be. </p>
<p>I was just wondering if anyone knows of any other schools that offer similar programs. I am most interested in computer science and hope to earn a bachelor's in CS. I've also considered applying my eventual knowledge in this subject to video game development or other types of simulations.</p>
<p>Stacy, RPI is not alone in having this type of interdisciplinary program. Most good computer science programs will make some mention of cognitive processes related to computer science/engineering. Although it is not a new field of study, it is one that has evolved quickly, with concepts becoming outmoded rapidly as technology advances. Both hardware and software design incorporate concepts that stem from this type of interdisciplinary research and thinking. I will say that AI (and Expert Systems) has been stumbling about for the past 25 years, and from my perspective, remains relatively abstract in concept, with its potential not fulfilled. Ironically, it applies fuzzy logic notions.</p>
<p>Being here in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley, and also involved with the high tech industry, I have dealt with professionals in this field. Because one person cannot serve all functions in this field, there is quite a bit of specialization. I see two general areas of focus, one coming from a concentrated CS background (e.g., software development expertise) and the other coming from the Cognitive Sciences background (e.g., psychology, philosophy, anthropology, communications). The people who specialize in this field will go on to Masters and Ph.D. programs that include disciplines such as Human Computer Interface (HCI), User Interface (UI), Ergonomics, and Human Factors. Almost every major software company I have had involvement with has a User Interface function responsible for design considerations. Especially in gaming, its absolutely essential. Some companies, such as Yahoo!, have entire departments with HCI labs. Almost everybody who works in these groups have advanced degrees, often starting with a BSCS. If your interest is in game development or computer simulation, this is an excellent focus for you.</p>
<p>In the S.F. Bay Area, the top program is at Stanford. Elsewhere, there are many schools that have similar HCI programs (often including multi-disciplinary approaches), e.g.:</p>
<p>MIT
U. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Carnegie Mellon
Georgia Tech
UC Berkeley</p>
<p>My brother just graduated from RPI with a minor/concentration in either HCI or Human Factors, can't remember which. He really liked their courses, especially his UI and cognitive psych classes.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies, especially you, NorCalDad, for such a lengthy one.</p>
<p>I am planning on pursuing largely a CS education; I'm not too interested in human-computer interfacing, though. My interest lies more in the concepts of AI and the possibilities and implications of endowing computational processes with human-like 'personalities', traits, and intelligence. I realize that some of this intersects with HCI, but I don't really care too much about it in that vein.</p>
<p>Thanks for any more suggestions you all can offer.
-Stacy</p>
<p>I strongly suggest Harvey Mudd. The CS department website is <a href="http://www.cs.hmc.edu%5B/url%5D">www.cs.hmc.edu</a> and I think some of the research interests of current faculty are something you'd be very interested in. Also check out the course listings and see if there's soemthing for you.</p>