I finished my B.S. in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Human-Computer Interaction at UC San Diego in 2023. The major sat between the CSE department and the cognitive science department, which meant half my transcript is programming and systems courses and the other half is perception, design, and research methods. This post is the full list, term by term, for anyone who wants the details behind my resume.

Computer Science

  • CSE 8A/8B: Intro to Programming - Java fundamentals, then object-oriented design.
  • CSE 12: Basic Data Structures & OO Design - Lists, stacks, queues, trees, and hash tables, with implementation and analysis.
  • CSE 15L: Software Tools & Techniques Lab - Git, debugging, testing, and the Unix toolchain.
  • CSE 20 / CSE 21: Discrete Math → Algorithms & Systems Analysis - Proof techniques, combinatorics, then algorithm analysis.
  • CSE 30: Computer Organization & Systems Programming - C and memory, down at the hardware boundary.
  • CSE 100: Advanced Data Structures - Balanced trees, graphs, priority queues.
  • CSE 101: Design & Analysis of Algorithms - Complexity, greedy/dynamic programming, graph algorithms.
  • CSE 110: Software Engineering - Team software development with agile process. Our team project was ZooSeeker, the San Diego Zoo route planner.
  • CSE 120: Principles of Computer Operating Systems - Processes, scheduling, concurrency, virtual memory.
  • CSE 134B: Web Client Languages - Front-end web development.
  • CSE 135: Online Database Analytics Applications - Building database-backed web applications. This led directly to my web analytics dashboard.
  • CSE 167: Computer Graphics - Rendering pipelines and transformation math.
  • CSE 191: Senior Seminar in CSE - Advanced topics seminar.

Human-Computer Interaction & Design

The HCI core of the major:

  • COGS 1: Introduction to Cognitive Science - The field survey that started it all.
  • COGS 13: Field Methods: Cognition in the Wild - Observing how people actually use technology outside the lab.
  • CSE 170: Interaction Design - Prototyping and evaluation of interactive systems.
  • COGS 121: HCI Portfolio Design Studio - Studio course building interactive projects; much of what’s on my portfolio started here.
  • COGS 123: Social Computing - How systems shape group behavior online.
  • COGS 187A: Usability & Information Architecture - Usability testing and information organization.
  • DSGN 1: Design of Everyday Things - Built around Don Norman’s book. Where I learned to ask why a door needs instructions.

Neuroscience & Psychology

The “cognitive” in cognitive science:

  • COGS 17: Neurobiology of Cognition
  • COGS 101A: Sensation and Perception
  • COGS 101B: Learning, Memory and Attention
  • COGS 107A: Neuroanatomy and Physiology
  • PSYC 106: Behavioral Neuroscience

Data Science & Research Methods

  • COGS 108: Data Science in Practice - Python data pipelines on real datasets. My introduction to pandas; Learning From Health was the course project.
  • COGS 14A: Introduction to Research Methods - Experimental design and statistics.
  • PSYC 60: Introduction to Statistics
  • MATH 18: Linear Algebra - The math that everything ML-related sits on top of.

Science, Ethics & Breadth

  • BILD 1 / BILD 3: The Cell; Organismic & Evolutionary Biology
  • COGS 100: Cyborgs Now and in the Future
  • PHIL 28 / POLI 27: Ethics and Society I & II
  • PHIL 156: Latinx Philosophy
  • HIEU 109: Nationalism in Europe, HINE 127: History of Modern Turkey, HIGL 127: Sport in the Modern World - History breadth.
  • WCWP 10A/10B: The Writing Course - Two quarters of college writing.
  • MATH 20B/20C: Calculus for Science & Engineering
Full course history (44 entries)
Academic YearTermCourseTitle
2020-21FallBILD 1The Cell
2020-21FallCSE 8AIntro to Programming 1
2020-21FallMATH 20BCalculus for Science & Engineering
2020-21FallWCWP 10AThe Writing Course A
2021-22WinterBILD 3Organismic & Evolutionary Biology
2021-22WinterCSE 8BIntro to Programming 2
2021-22WinterMATH 20CCalculus & Analytic Geometry
2021-22WinterWCWP 10BThe Writing Course B
2021-22SpringCOGS 1Introduction to Cognitive Science
2021-22SpringCOGS 13Field Methods: Cognition in the Wild
2021-22SpringCSE 12Basic Data Structures & OO Design
2021-22SpringCSE 15LSoftware Tools & Techniques Lab
2021-22SpringCSE 20Discrete Mathematics
2021-22SpringPOLI 27Ethics and Society I
2021-22FallCSE 21Mathematics for Algorithms & Systems
2021-22FallCSE 30Computer Organization & Systems Prog.
2021-22FallHIEU 109Nationalism in Europe
2021-22FallPHIL 28Ethics and Society II
2021-22FallPHIL 156Latinx Philosophy
2022-23WinterCOGS 17Neurobiology of Cognition
2022-23WinterCOGS 108Data Science in Practice
2022-23WinterCSE 100Advanced Data Structures
2022-23WinterCSE 170Interaction Design
2022-23WinterHIGL 127Sport in the Modern World
2022-23SpringCOGS 121HCI Portfolio Design Studio
2022-23SpringCOGS 123Social Computing
2022-23SpringCSE 110Software Engineering
2022-23SpringMATH 18Linear Algebra
2022-23SpringPSYC 60Introduction to Statistics
2022-23FallCOGS 100Cyborgs Now and in the Future
2022-23FallCOGS 101BLearning, Memory and Attention
2022-23FallCOGS 187AUsability & Information Architecture
2022-23FallCSE 101Design & Analysis of Algorithms
2022-23FallCSE 167Computer Graphics
2023-24WinterCOGS 101ASensation and Perception
2023-24WinterCOGS 107ANeuroanatomy and Physiology
2023-24WinterCSE 120Principles of Computer Operating Systems
2023-24WinterCSE 134BWeb Client Languages
2023-24WinterHINE 127History of Modern Turkey
2023-24WinterPSYC 106Behavioral Neuroscience
2023-24SpringCOGS 14AIntroduction to Research Methods
2023-24SpringCSE 135Online Database Analytics Applications
2023-24SpringCSE 191Senior Seminar in CSE
2023-24SpringDSGN 1Design of Everyday Things