Double Major CS/Math Please Help

<p>I have a cousin who is double majoring in computer science and math at California State University Sacramento. She was ranked number 7 in her class of 2007. She is good in math. She wasn't able to take the Cal AP test but she took the physics one and did not do well on it. She got a 1. Her whole class got a 1 besides my sister who got a 2. Maybe it is the difficulty level of the class or the way the teacher is teaching it. My sister did take the Cal AP test and got a 5.</p>

<p>My cousin did not have any programming background going into college. She took the intro to programming class at CSUS and got a B in it. She said it was a lot of work towards the end of the semester. My cousin also took Cal 1 and got a B in it also. </p>

<p>What do you guys think of a double major in CS/Math? My cousin is a good student and works really hard. She wanted to be a business major but her parents were not really happy so she changed to CS/Math. </p>

<p>I have a feeling that this major will eat my cousin up. The reason why I say this is because first I think her heart is not in it 100% because of her parents although she tells me it is. The average CS major finishes his or her degree in 5-6 years at CSUS and she says she wants to finish the double major in 5 years. She is going to be overloaded. I heard the programming classes require 35-45 hours of work a week. Although a B in Cal 1 is good I do not think in intro to programming it is a good grade. I do not know how she will do in the more difficult programming classes. </p>

<p>English is really hard for my cousin because it isn't her first language. She had to take two lower English classes before she could take English 1A which is the all CSU majors have to take as part of GE and they also have to take another advance English course on top of that and pass the WPE English exam. If they fail the exam they have to take another advance English class. She passed the first lower level English classes with a C and C-. I do not know how she will do in English 1A. This is stress on top of stress for her. </p>

<p>Please give me any advice for my cousin. CS and math majors please help. I know engineering majors also take some advance math and hard classes so there advice is also helpful.</p>

<p>CSUS Double Major CS/Math</p>

<p>CSUS</a> Catalog</p>

<p>Well since CS curriculums in general involve LOTs of math, dual majoring in math shouldn't be too difficult since many of the courses will overlap.
As for english, I recommend she keep practicing speaking it and read plenty english literature books...</p>

<p>Hi, </p>

<p>I was an engineering major at Georgia Tech. I was intialy CS though. Personally programming is just nuts! It takes a special mind to do that, especially if you want to be in a cube all your life staring at code stressing out for hours because it doesn't work only to realize you were missing a comma. If she doesn't enjoy it or has a passion for it I would change majors sooner than later.</p>

<p>Thanks guys, anyone else want to charm in?</p>

<p>i am a math/cs major. you can't really say that CS is "hard". it all depends on what you (in this case, your cousin) enjoys. I wouldn't recommend a double major in CS/Math unless she is planning to go into Theory research (algorithms, complexity, AI) which means continueing to study for a phd. i cant see any benefit of entering employment with a CS/Math rather than just a single CS degree, not to mention the intensity of higher level math courses which CSUS requires. is there some sort of undeclared engineering major at CSUS? perhaps your cousin can start with that taking a wide variety of engineering classes before deciding to commit to a major</p>

<p>Thanks guys, anyone else want to charm in?</p>

<p>There is an undeclared engineering major. Basically the lower division classes are mostly the same for the engineering major in terms of math requirements and physics. You are allowed to take different lower division engineering classes. This way you get a feel for all the different engineering majors. You cannot take upper division engineering courses with this major you have to be declared a specific engineering major for that.</p>

<p>
[quote]
What do you guys think of a double major in CS/Math?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>In general? It's a pretty easy (in the sense of overlap, not in the sense of difficulty of material) double major. But like anything else, it's harder and unenjoyable if your heart's not in it. If she doesn't really like it, she probably should find something else.</p>

<p>I don't think it's wrong to double in CS/math if you like it (and, unlike anonamous, I don't think that only those who want a theory-based PhD should do it), but if all she wants is to get a CS job at the bachelor's level, the math degree isn't necessary.</p>

<p>Most of CS is not really programming. You need to be able to program, but I don't think a B is a cause for fear. It's a perfectly respectable grade.</p>