Would a double major between CS and economics be practical? I know UChicago in general has a pretty intense workload but I don’t mind working hard. What do you think?
Anyone? Bump please
Hey outlooker, I’m no expert but a cursory look at this page:(http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/thecollege/thecurriculum/)
reveals some basic information. The college requires a minimum of 42 courses to graduate. This means half of the quarters require 4 courses and half only 3. The economics major requires 13 courses and the CS major another 13. I’m not totally sure but I don’t think you can overlap courses (using, say a CS course to satisfy one of the Econ math requirements). So if no overlap is required, then you’ve got 26 courses spoken for with the 2 majors. Then there are the core requirements. This is 15 courses, but I’m pretty sure that a few of those can satisfy major requirements, particularly from the Math and Natural Sciences part of the core. Assuming 4 courses overlap, that’s another 11 courses. So now you’ve got 37 courses taken to satisfy the core plus the two majors. So mathematically I suppose it is possible to get the two majors. Of course this leaves aside the rigor issue but more importantly, I’d think, it leaves aside the scheduling issue. Since most of the core courses are supposed to be taken in the first two years, and since some of the major requirements must be taken in sequence, it might be very tricky to get the courses you need all the time.
As you imply, the two majors are rigorous, and so in attempting to complete the requirements for both have you exceeded the practical limits of the average UChicago student to do it and still see the light of day from time to time? I’d guess a fair amount of that depends on you, and how prepared you are in the CS area particularly. There are ways to lighten the rigor, such as pursuing the non-PhD prep track in Econ and / or perhaps pursuing a minor in CS.
Another question that should be asked is why you want to do the two majors? Why wouldn’t you do the highly quantitative track in econ, minor in CS, then veer off in a more CS direction at the graduate level? Does and CS / Econ double major qualify you for a particular job that you want?
Well, I’m just a parent who piped up because I can’t stand to see a prospective student plead for some help and not get it. What you really need is for an actual UChicago econ / CS major to join in, or at least an econ major or CS major with familiarity with the other area to weigh in. Are you out there?
Outlooker, you can also help yourself by looking at the requirements yourself and sketching out a sample schedule for a possible CS / Econ double major. In terms of rigor, my son is a 2nd year CS track student contemplating another concentration (possible major) in a language or something. He’s in his 5th quarter this winter and this is the first quarter where he’s taken only 3 courses. He’s done okay, and he’s added in some EC’s, but he has worked pretty darn hard. I’d say he’s an average UChicago student in some areas, better in some, and perhaps a little below the average in some others.
Best of luck to you. The best avenue probably is to start, push yourself in the 1st year at least the winter / spring quarters with 4 courses, discuss your intentions closely with your advisor and pick your way to the best solution for you.
@kaukauna that was extremely helpful. Thank you so much for your response
Some minor and not-so minor adjustments are required to what kaukauna said:
- Although only 42 courses are required to graduate, many students, perhaps a large majority, take a few more than that, up to 48 (i.e., four courses per quarter).
- If you don't place out of the language requirement, the Core is really up to 18 courses, not 15.
- None of the 15 Core courses will count towards a major requirement -- that's clear if you look at the major requirements -- although some courses that can count toward the Core are also prerequisites for courses that do count for the major. For example, if you want to be a biology major, your choice of courses to satisfy the natural sciences requirements of the Core is limited to what might be called hardcore courses, without the somewhat fluffy alternatives available to others. If you have to take a year of foreign language, that's not going to count towards your major, either.
- The Computer Science major requires 14 courses, not 13. If you do a BS in Computer Science, you need 17 courses, but if you are double-majoring in a related field, you can petition to count up to 3 of the courses from your other major toward the BS. That means, effectively, that if you are double-majoring in a related field, it's relatively easy to upgrade your CS degree to a BS. What I don't know is whether Economics is a "related field." If the answer isn't "no" across the board, then it will certainly depend on what path you are taking through Economics.
- The Economics major looks like it requires 13 courses, but really it's 17 beyond the Core, because there are two introductory Economics courses and two Math courses (in addition to the Core Math) that don't count toward the major but are prerequisites for the courses that do count toward the major. However, one Computer Science course (if you take one of the right ones) can count towards the Economics major, and you can place out of the introductory Economics courses if you pass a placement test given during orientation. You can also place out of the introductory math, and if you do it's possible that you may be able to double-count the math you take to satisfy the Core and the Economics major. But you would have to know a lot of math for that.
So anyway that’s a total of up to 48 courses. You can do it, but unless you place out of the language requirement and the introductory Economics requirement, you aren’t going to be taking any electives outside your majors, and you may not be able to do an honors thesis in either department.
I agree with kaukauna that you really ought to consider NOT double-majoring, and instead majoring in one and doing some substantial course work, or a minor, in the other. No one in the real world cares that you didn’t double major if you can show a decent level of training and knowledge in your second field.
The other option I think lots of people take if they absolutely, positively can’t live without having two full majors, is to have Mathematics be the second major. The major requirements for Math have a fair degree of overlap with those of both CS and Economics, and I think there’s a lot of double-counting permitted, so instead of needing 30 courses plus the Core, you may be able to get through with 25 or 26. Which is a lot more do-able.
I happen to be a CS/Econ major. It’s entirely possible. I’m actually also going to fit in the masters degree in four years at the same time. Just plan your schedule out and you can fit in anything you want.
@LearningLover did you double major in CS and Econ? Or are you doing an undergrad in CS and masters in econ in four years?
I’d love to know what path you’re on
JHS, thanks for the clarifications. LearningLover, extremely glad you weighed in. I really was not qualified to answer the technical issues, and I really just wanted to get the conversation going for Outlooker’s benefit. LearningLover, regarding your own situation, how are you handling the need, apparently, to schedule 48 courses for the CS/Econ double major as outlined by JHS above. Have you placed out of some prerequisites?