CS 635/796 - Computational Models of Cognition
Summer 2006
Syllabus and Course Summary

last modified May 25, 2006

Instructor: Dr. Harry S. Delugach
Email:
WWW: http://www.cs.uah.edu/~delugach
Phone: (256) 824-6614

Class Meets: Tue. Thu. 2:45 - 4:45 P.M.
Location: Technology Hall TH N-308
Office Hrs:
2:00 - 3:45 P.M. Tue. Thu.
Office Location: TH N-351

Texts:
Michael Wooldridge, Reasoning about Rational Agents, MIT Press, 2000, ISBN 0-262-23213-8.

Peter Gärdenfors, Conceptual Spaces: The Geometry of Thought, MIT Press, 2004, ISBN 0-262-57219-2.

Other notes will be provided on the class web page.

Class Web Page: http://www.cs.uah.edu/~delugach/Courses/CS635

Grading

First Exam	25 %
Second Exam	25 %
Project	30 %
Problems	20 %

The following grading scale will be used (final averages are rounded to the nearest whole number):

A+ 96; A 92; A- 90; B+ 88; B 82; B- 80; C+ 78; C 72; C- 70; D 65

The plus/minus grading system will be used in this course and such grades will appear on your transcript. In accordance with University policy, they will not affect your grade point average (GPA). If you feel there is an error in the grading of your work, you must bring it to the instructor's attention within one week after the assignment was returned.

General Policies

Please read the general guidelines and policies that apply to all my courses. They are a part of this syllabus. Since this course is offered through the Computer Science Department, you are subject to the CS Department policies for your performance and evaluation within the course, regardless of your degree program or major department.

Course Objectives

To understand essential concepts in cognitive systems and intelligent agent design.
To learn how to specify and design working intelligent systems that achieve some tangible and demonstrable result.
To understand the belief, desire, intention (BDI) model of cognition and apply it to actual problems.
To construct a coherent proposal for an actual cognitive science or computer science research project.

Problems

There will be two homework assignments, to be done individually. You may discuss the problems with your classmates, but the work must be your own.

Semester Exercise

You will submit a cumulative exercise at the end of the semester. These are to be done individually. The exercise will take the form of a formal research proposal, based on some actual program solicitations in cognitive and computer science. CS 796 students are expected to have more in-depth proposals and to present their exercise to the class at the end of the semester.

Course Schedule

NOTE: Readings are to be done before the class at which they will be discussed. Additional notes and material may be provided by the instructor as needed.