<p>I'm seriously considering double-majoring in CS and math (both L&S); can any current students here tell me if this is reasonable if I want to graduate in 4 years? </p>
<p>I do have a good amount of AP credit, and I've also taken linear algebra & differential equations at a local college (not in California tho). I may be able to skip Math 54, or start with Math 54 at the minimum. I also should be able to take care of all the non-major-related pre-reqs w/APs & test scores, leaving me only the L&S breadth courses to deal with. </p>
<p>I understand that class placement can be a problem at UCB and that CS and math classes aren't exactly easy, so I'm trying to get a feel for how realistic my goal is.</p>
<p>The answer is yes or no. It really depends on what kind of student you’re. I’m also double majoring in CS and math but I haven’t satisfied many requirements before I came to cal like you. That being said, it’s a lot of classes. I probably take at least 20 units per semester. But I don’t think you have to take that many. I would say the major factor is how good are you at CS? have you done any programming in the past? Because CS is very time consuming by nature due to its programming projects. So if you’re confident that you can handle a heavy workload I would say go for it.</p>
<p>It’s not uncommon for people to double major in math and CS. Heck, most people I know who are doing this are graduating in three years. You might even consider triple majoring (statistics) since math overlaps heavily with stats (though it gets a bit complicated since there’s some policy about only two upper division classes overlapping). You shouldn’t have any problem getting into upper division math classes, BUT you will have trouble getting the professors/books you want. </p>
<p>There also is not much trouble getting into CS classes. One person I know was #108 on the CS 70 waitlist and she still made it in the class.</p>
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<p>I always say this, but I’ll repeat it…The difficulty of classes heavily depends on your own ability. I took graduate + upper division honors math my first semester and I thought they were relatively easy/manageable (maintained a 4.0) without any prior background. I took the classes just because my friends took them. Some other people take non-honors upper division math and are dying.</p>
<p>Even with no AP credit, you can just count courses to figure out that CS + Math is doable if you schedule carefully:</p>
<p>CS = 7 lower division and 7 upper division courses = 14 courses
Math = 5 lower division and 8 upper division courses = 13 courses
overlap = Math 1A, 1B, 54 and probably Math 55 / CS 70 (ask the departments which to take if double majoring) for -4 lower division courses, and possibly -1 or -2 upper division courses.
R&C = 2 courses
7-course breadth = 4 to 6 courses because CS 61C covers one category, and math courses can cover two other categories</p>
<p>Add this all up to get 27 to 31 courses. Since you will probably take about 32 courses total, this makes it doable without overloading if you plan carefully.</p>
<p>If you have credit for Math 1A, 1B, and 54, that is another -3 courses; if you have AP English with a score of 4, that is -1 course (R&C A; 5 on AP English literature makes it -2 courses since it covers R&C A and B). Such AP credit would make fitting it all in even easier, allowing plenty of space for additional free electives (in or out of the majors).</p>
<p>As far as workload goes, CS courses with programming can be above average workload, but math courses are generally relatively low workload if you have enough ability in math (including proofs and theory) to seriously consider majoring (or even minoring) in math. Note: the CS theory courses (170, 172, 174) are like math courses, but not as difficult as what are usually considered the more difficult upper division math courses (e.g. 104, 113, honors courses).</p>
<p>If you are unable to get credit for completing the equivalent of Math 54, consider taking Math H54, which may give you more of a taste of what upper division math may be like (and you’ll get a small class taught by both a faculty member and a GSI – probably the best of all worlds with respect to class size and faculty member / GSI teaching the class).</p>
<p>I had considered this type of track in the past. There is a good number of people who take both CS and math classes, and many of them double majors.</p>
<p>I’d say there’s some unique struggles in doing both CS and math to look out for. One is the variance in time-consumption for math based on your ability to “get it”, as Foraminifera notes. Another is the variance in time-consumption for CS projects based on how fast you can code/your endurance. Personally I feel like coding and doing math are quite different, and you’ll have to measure these independently.</p>
<p>In the past when I was taking both CS courses with projects and math classes, I usually did the math homeworks first if I knew I would be pulling an all-nighter coding, so you might have to watch out for this kind of situation. Not understanding a math concept isn’t as bad as not understanding it, and also not having slept for 24 hours.</p>
<p>@ma nameisesteban: I have a little bit of experience in programming, but definitely not on an internship or “look at this awesome program I built” kind of scale. I went to a summer camp on java some years ago, and I’m trying to learn more now. But what was your own experience in CS like before you came here? And to be more prepared should I continue learning/programming in Java? </p>
<p>@Foraminifera: I’m pretty sure I can skip the calculus sequence without problem, but I don’t know about jumping straight to graduate level math courses as you did. </p>
<p>@ucbalumnus: How much more difficult would H54 be compared to regular 54? Would the difference lie in having to do more proofs? Btw I’m interested in an applied track, not pure. </p>
<p>@Indiscreet: how many hours/week on programming vs. math? I know diff. in abilities</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses guys.</p>
<p>The Math Department’s general description of honors courses is here:
[Honors</a> Courses | Department of Mathematics at University of California Berkeley](<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/honors-courses]Honors”>Honors Courses | Department of Mathematics at University of California Berkeley)</p>
<p>However, there may be significant variation based on instructor.</p>
<p>But choosing the honors version is a good idea if you want to major in math and want a preview of what upper division math may be like.</p>
<p>As far as workload goes, math courses are generally less work than CS courses with programming, unless you don’t “get” math (and if that is the case, it is probably not a good idea to major in math, and you may find CS very difficult as well). CS theory courses (70, 170, 172, 174) are basically like math courses, though not as difficult as the math courses generally considered to be the more difficult ones (104, 113, or their honors versions).</p>
<p>I remember encountering students as good at math as Foraminifera. They are not typical, but you will encounter them in non-trivial numbers at Berkeley if you hang around the Math Department.</p>
<p>Jeez, Foraminifera. I’m the only one I know who’s going to Berkeley that can even take upper-division math their first semester, and I don’t think I could get into a graduate-level course if I wanted to. (Maybe one of those “Methods for the Sciences” courses.) I guess I need more mathy friends that didn’t get into MIT or Caltech or Stanford. :P</p>
<p>To be honest, just explore your interest during your first semester before thinking about double majoring. It’ll jsut stress you out more since you’re not sure how to fit everything within your schedule. You might find yourself not liking either major or simply just one.</p>
<p>Also to note that students with double majors are guarantee an additional semester (and if all go wrong, I believe they might give you a 10th semester if you have valid reasons).</p>