Symbolic Systems Major

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>This looks like a very interesting major and it's hard to find much information on it since it isn't very common. From what I've read it seems like Computer Science with a mix of philosophy, linguistics, psychology, and cognitive science. I want to get some insight into what exactly this major is and I'm hoping there are some Stanford undergrads who know about this major or even current SS majors.</p>

<p>What exactly do you do in this major? Is it very rigorous in terms of workload like Engineering or is it slightly less brutal? How good at math and programming do you need to be to go into this major and how would one prepare themselves in high school if there are no AP/IB classes available at their school to go into this major?</p>

<p>Also, is this a dumb major to look into if I'm primarily interested in pursuing Law or Business?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>
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From what I've read it seems like Computer Science with a mix of philosophy, linguistics, psychology, and cognitive science.

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<p>Just based on that, it seems that a "symbolic systems" major is just a cognitive science major with a computer science focus.</p>

<p>I didn't think Stanford had such a program, but apparently it does -- as an interdisciplinary program.</p>

<p><a href="http://symsys.stanford.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://symsys.stanford.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
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The Symbolic Systems Program (SSP) focuses on computers and minds: artificial and natural systems that use symbols to represent information. SSP brings together students and faculty interested in different aspects of the human-computer relationship, including...</p>

<pre><code>* cognitive science: studying human intelligence, natural languages, and the brain as computational processes;
* artificial intelligence: endowing computers with human-like behavior and understanding; and
* human-computer interaction: designing computer software and interfaces that work well with human users.
</code></pre>

<p>

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<p>So basically, as I said, it's cognitive science with a focus on computers. Unless I'm mistaken, this is the closest thing that Stanford has to a cogsci major.</p>

<p>I can't seem to find much info on the major at Stanford (in part because the site doesn't want to load on my computer), but here's Berkeley's cogsci page:</p>

<p>Cognitive</a> Science at UC Berkeley: Welcome</p>

<p>It's a growing field, and Stanford has an interesting take on it. I'd long considered majoring in it, until I decided I preferred linguistics and computer science.</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin/bulletin02-03/pdf/SymbolicSys.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin/bulletin02-03/pdf/SymbolicSys.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Sounds like it has a bit of AI(Artificial Intelligence)</p>

<p>
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f) Artificial Intelligence: CS 121 or 221,
Human-Computer Interaction
Natural Language
Computer Programming: CS 106A and 106B, or 106A and 106X,
or 107

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<p>Symsys can be a lot of things, depending on what you make it. Some people choose to focus on the AI side, some do neuroscience, some do other things. So it can be cogsci with a CS focus, or CS with a cogsci focus, or neither of those.</p>

<p>Have you ever read Hofstadter's "Godel, Escher, Bach"? If you read and enjoy that, there's a very good chance that you'll enjoy Symsys.</p>

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<p>Okay thanks for the help guys! Any more insight would be great.</p>

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<p>Bumping this because the Symsys major is one major reason why I, as an LAC-type, am even considering Stanford. Is it available anywhere else? I love CS, ling, and philosophy.</p>

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<p>To my knowledge, symsys as a major is available only at Stanford. I think a school in Arizona has it as a minor. But most everywhere has cognitive science, which isn’t as cool as symsys.</p>

<p>For perspective, symsys is one of Stanford’s oldest and most enduring interdisciplinary programs, and has been considered a model for interdisciplinary programs in general. The core is pretty neat, and while the core by itself doesn’t always make sense to people, it makes total sense when combined with one of the required tracks. </p>

<p>(I had considered it for a while, but have decided to settle on CS and math.)</p>

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<p>Well, that’s annoying… I love symsys, but not particularly Stanford. Cogsci seems too focused on bio; I’d rather just take some combination of CS and linguistics.</p>

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<p>

The reasons are…?</p>

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<p>Why I love symsys: I really like interdisciplinary CS, especially combined with linguistics and philosophy. I dislike the engineering side of CS, so symsys is essentially my perfect CS major.</p>

<p>Why I don’t particularly love Stanford: I’m an intimate liberal arts college kind of girl. I visited Scripps, which has <1000 students, and didn’t feel hemmed in at all. I also really want personal attention from professors (no TA discussion sections) and small classes; I might well double-major in English, which is a HUGE department.</p>

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<p>When my son first got there, his adviser told him not to do the interdisciplinary programs simply because he would be considered not very strong in all of them. I guess that this is open for debate, but he followed his adviser’s advice.</p>

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<p>Not very strong? His adviser was discouraging him from an interdisciplinary major because he thought it wasn’t his strong suit?</p>

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<p>Double major them.</p>

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<p>^Wrt to interdisciplinary majors, at Middlebury every student is required to complete at least one major and one minor; however, those who complete interdisciplinary majors are not required to also complete a minor. The interdisciplinary majors are considered more difficult, not less, especially their famous International Studies major. I do suppose this would vary widely among schools.</p>

<p>At Stanford, I would likely pursue a double major in English and symsys; it’s unrealistic to major in English and linguistics and philosophy and CS (well, probably a CS minor due to the engineering requirements for the major).</p>

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<p>For interdisciplinary majors sometimes you can bypass the courses you don’t want to take, just as you said before the computer engineering courses for the CS major. About 20% at Stanford, I think, graduate with double major each year.</p>

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<p>^However, symsys in conception is not an engineering major in the least. (And many, many schools with excellent CS programs do not have engineering requirements for CS majors, FYI. CS itself was once a new-fangled interdisciplinary program, so there are different approaches to the field.)</p>

<p>I don’t think having more freedom in course selection automatically equals a less rigorous education.</p>

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<p>I think that it depends on what you want to do really. There’s a lot of companies that don’t really want to deal with sym sys majors and only go for the actual engineers. From a job perspective i think the CS program at Stanford is strictly a stronger choice. But for whatever you personally want to study for your own enjoyment…do whatever you want/knock yourself out. I hear a lot of people in sym sys really enjoy it a lot.</p>

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<p>But there are a great many companies that do want symsys majors. That’s why symsys and CS majors have the two highest average starting salaries for Stanford graduates. (Check the CDC site.)</p>

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<p>Phantasmagoric, do you think it would be feasible to double major in SymSys and CS, for a student who has already studied a great deal of CS for credit at the undergraduate level while in high school? Or perhaps a double major in SymSys and linguistics? Or should SymSys majors only add a minor (in CS, or otherwise), since it’s already an interdisciplinary major?</p>

<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p>

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<p>Also, while I have your attention (and maybe that of other current Stanford students): I recently read that Stanford has eliminated the program under which upperclassmen advised freshmen. I was sorry to hear that this program fell under the budget-cut axe, and was wondering what others there thought. Did you consider that an important/valuable aspect of advising there? And generally, do you think the quality and quantity of the advising that will remain is sufficient for freshmen, and undergrads overall? Thanks again for your time.</p>

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