Computer Science BA vs BS

<p>I'm filling out the Berkeley application and I want to major in Computer Science, but there are two different options, a BA from the College of Letters and Science and a BS from the College of Engineering. I'm interested in taking some extra math and physics courses wherever I end up at college if that helps. That said, how different are the curricula in L&S and the College of Engineering? Is one more rigorous than the other? Would employers prefer a BS over a BA? I know this question has been asked before, but I could only find stuff about it on the internet current to 2009. Thanks for any help.</p>

<p>Employment: If your focus is CS, they don’t really care if you’re BA/BS. EECS is ABET accredited, I don’t think the BA is. But that only matters in a handful of fields.</p>

<p>Curriculum: EECS requires more math/physics, I think. The GE requirements are different as well, probably the biggest curriculum difference. Both majors require CS61A, 61B, 61C, and CS70. EECS also requires EE20N and EE40 (Systems and signals, circuits). L&S I think requires EE42. In terms of upper div CS, both majors have a lot of choices, and you’ll pretty much have the same options/classes (though EECS also allows for EE classes).</p>

<p>In terms of admissions: EECS is harder to get into, but if you get in you’re in. L&S is easier to get into, but does not admit by major. That means you need to meet a GPA requirement (currently 3.0) and complete a bunch of pre-reqs before you can declare as a CS major… so they’re a little bit different in that respect.</p>

<p>I’ve probably missed a few differences… I’d suggest just looking at the requirements/curriculum/GE for both and see which looks like a better fit for you.</p>

<p>If you want to know the actual requirements for the EECS and L&S CS majors, look here:
[Degree</a> Programs | EECS at UC Berkeley](<a href=“http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/education/degrees.shtml]Degree”>Academics | EECS at UC Berkeley)</p>

<p>General L&S and CoE breadth requirements are described here:
[Office</a> of Undergraduate Advising: Summary of Degree Requirements](<a href=“http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/requirement/summary.html]Office”>http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/requirement/summary.html)
[College</a> of Engineering 2013-2014 Undergraduate Guide ? UC Berkeley College of Engineering](<a href=“http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/guide]College”>Undergraduate Guide - Berkeley Engineering)
<a href=“http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/handouts-and-items-for-main-page/HSS%20NEW%20REQ.pdf[/url]”>http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/handouts-and-items-for-main-page/HSS%20NEW%20REQ.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Note that starting Spring 2014, EE42 will never be offered again, and L&S CS peeps have to choose between either 20N or 40. Furthermore, there’s 99% possibility that CS162 and 170 requirement for L&S will be dropped, turning the major requirements into any six upper divs CS classes. This is the department’s effort to narrow down the difference between CS and EECS. In fact, with these changes, like failure622 mentioned, the biggest difference is now just the GenEd Curriculum.</p>

<p>However, a CS major will want to take 162 and 170 anyway, since every program interacts with the operating system (or is the operating system), and writing programs which are time and space efficient is important as the problem size increases.</p>