M.S. Degree Requirements
NOTE: The requirements below are modified for 2020-2021 by the program's Covid-19 policies.
General Requirements
- 45 unit minimum to confer the M.S. degree. All courses must be 100 level and above.
- 36 of these must be graded units, passed with an average grade of 3.0 (B) or better. Any course taken as part of the 45 unit program must be taken for a letter grade unless the course is offered S/NC only.
- None of the 45 units to be counted toward the M.S. degree may include units counted toward an undergraduate degree at Stanford or elsewhere. Course requirements for the M.S. degree in Symbolic Systems may be waived after a review by the program office. Waivers are granted at the discretion of the program, and only if evidence is provided that similar or more advanced courses have been taken and passed with a letter grade of B or its equivalent, either at Stanford or another institution, and as part of another degree program which the student has either completed or is pursuing in parallel with the Symbolic Systems M.S. degree. Course requirements that are waived rather than fulfilled by courses taken at Stanford may not be counted toward the 45 units required for the Symbolic Systems M.S. degree.
- Work on the Master's thesis may account for up to 15 units, usually taken as Symsys 290, Master's Degree Project. Enroll in a section under your thesis advisor. If the advisor is not listed, please contact Lisa Woodcock, Student Services Officer, as soon as possible and no later than two days prior to the final study list deadline.
Program Proposal
An initial plan of study should be delineated on the Program Proposal Form prior to the end of the student's first quarter of study.
The final version of the Program Proposal, which should specify all the courses the student has taken and proposes as fulfillment of the unit requirements for the degree, is due by the end of Finals Week in the quarter prior to the student's expected graduation quarter. Advisor signature is required at this time.
Course Requirements
The MS program requires students to take advanced courses in four main skill areas: formal, empirical, computational, and philosophical; and in at least three of the following departments: Computer Science, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Psychology. Each course should be taken for 3 or more units.
Advanced courses in each of the skill areas are defined below. The courses listed are examples of those that have been approved. Other courses may be approved if appropriate.
Formal
Formal: a course in logic and computational theory beyond the level of Phil 151.
- PHIL 252. Computability and Logic (same as PHIL 152)
- PHIL 254. Modal Logic (same as PHIL 154)
- PHIL 356C. Logic and Artificial Intelligence (same as CS 257)
- PHIL 357. Research Seminar in Logic and Cognition
- CS 154. Introduction to Automata and Complexity Theory
- CS 157. Logic and Automated Reasoning
- CS 161. Design and Analysis of Algorithms
- CS 261. Optimization and Algorithmic Paradigms
Empirical
Empirical: a course drawing on experimental or observational data or methods, beyond the level of Psych 55, Ling 120, or Ling 130A.
- CS 224N. Natural Language Processing (same as LINGUIST 284)
- CS 224U. Natural Language Understanding (same as LINGUIST 188, LINGUIST 288)
- CS 229. Machine Learning
- CS 376. Research Topics in Human-Computer Interaction
- LINGUIST 230B. Semantics and Pragmatics I
- NBIO 206. The Nervous System
- NBIO 258. Information and Signaling Mechanisms in Neurons and Circuits
- PSYCH 204. Computation and Cognition: The Probabilistic Approach
- PSYCH 204A. Human Neuroimaging Methods
- PSYCH 209. Neural Network Models for Cognition
- PSYCH 251. Experimental Methods
- PSYCH 252. Statistical Methods for Social and Behavioral Sciences
- STATS 200. Introduction to Statistical Inference
- SYMSYS 245. Cognition in Interaction Design
Computational
Computational: a course involving programming beyond the level of CS 107.
- CS 108. Object-Oriented Systems Design
- CS 110. Principles of Computer Systems
- CS 124. From Languages to Information (same as LINGUIST 180, LINGUIST 280)
- CS 142. Web Applications
- CS 143. Compilers
- CS 145. Introduction to Databases
- CS 148. Introduction to Computer Graphics and Imaging
- CS 210A. Software Project Experience with Corporate Partners
- CS 221. Artificial Intelligence: Principles and Techniques
- CS 224N. Natural Language Processing (same as LINGUIST 284)
- CS 224W. Social and Information Network Analysis
- CS 246. Mining Massive Data Sets
Philosophical
Philosophical: a course in the area of Philosophy of Mind/Language/Science/Epistemology or Metaphysics at the 200 level or above, certified by the instructor as worthy of graduate credit.
Note that the undergraduate versions (numbered below 200) are not acceptable for this requirement.
- PHIL 264. Central Topics in the Philosophy of Science: Theory and Evidence
- PHIL 267D. Philosophy of Neuroscience
- PHIL 281. Philosophy of Language
- PHIL 281C. Slurs and Derogatory Language
- PHIL 283. Self-Knowledge and Metacognition
- PHIL 286. Philosophy of Mind
- PHIL 286A. Self-fashioning
- PHIL 287. Philosophy of Action
- PHIL 327. Scientific Philosophy: From Kant to Kuhn and Beyond
- PHIL 348. Evolution of Signaling
- PHIL 359. Topics in Logic, Information, and Agency (if taken for 3 or more units)
- PHIL 377. Rational and Social Agency (same as POLISCI 333)
SymSys 291
Completion of three quarters of the Symbolic Systems Program M.S. Seminar, SymSys 291.
Pre-project Research Requirements
Pre-project research requirements, including the Project Area Statement (PAS) and Qualifying Research Paper (QRP).
Master's Thesis
Completion of the Master's Thesis. Work on the project (SymSys 290) may account for up to 15 units of a student's program.