<p>I'm currently sophomore at UC - Berkeley going down the business major route, but I'm not feeling my business major much anymore and I'd prefer to do CS. The only problem is that I think it's a little too late for me completely switch majors so I'm thinking of a minor. My question is: will a minor in CS be sufficient enough to obtain a software engineering job, or jobs that regular cs majors would get?</p>
<p>Through the minor, I would've taken important practical classes such as compute security, databases, software engineering, and operating systems. Compare to a cs major, I would only miss some theoretical classes such as algorithms and the likes.</p>
<p>As far as aptitude is concerned, I've aced my math and an intro to comp. sci. class as a freshman when I was deciding between majors so I think I more or less at least will be somewhat ready to handle the course load.</p>
<p>It is definitely possible to be a software engineer without taking the entire computer science major. Still, there are some courses (a few core ones) that would make software engineering a lot better (and easier) if you take them.</p>
<p>Programming I (usually C++ or Java)
Programming II (usually C++ or Java)
Object-Oriented Development (only if the Programming I & II course did not cover this)
Discrete Structures (or Discrete Mathematics) (preq: Programming I,II)
Analysis of Algorithms (preq: Discrete Structures/Math)
Data Structures (preq: Programming I & II, Discrete Structures and maybe Algorithms)
Programming Languages (preq: almost all of the above)
Operating Systems (preq: almost all of above)
Database Systems (preq: Programming I & II and probably Operating Systems)
Computer Security (software-based: Operating Systems, Networks; Math-based: Error-Correcting Codes)</p>
<p>I can give you explanations on why if you need them.</p>
<p>I am work part-time as a software developer without a degree. But I will have my BSCS in about 1 year.</p>
<p>The classes GLOBALTRAVELER has listed above will help you out alot. They have helped me in my job.</p>
<p>One thing that can help you is working on software projects outside of the classes room. Maybe a open source project, making a free app for the iphone or something like that.</p>
<p>I have a softwareish job (mostly programming but with a large non-programming aspect and I don’t work on much of a team) and never bothered to take programming classes in college, beyond what was required. I kind of just happened to fall into it as I was able to program quickly and effectively despite my lack of experience. I don’t even really enjoy programming very much. I’m pretty sure that if I can get such a job you can too.</p>
<p>It’s better to take the cs minor because not everyone is a genius. plus you never know what happen - you might switch major after taking some of these cs classes.
The only boring class is probably the discrete mathematics. OMG</p>
<p>Disagree! I love discrete math, I think it’s very interesting. Programming classes are boring… you can learn that stuff in a week, and the more you work with it the more you learn the technical behaviors of the language as opposed to cramming all that stuff in your head in a useless way.</p>