How is Northwestern’s CS department? Not sure if I prefer theoretical vs practical yet, but I plan on entering the tech industry after college and (tentatively b/c it’s still a long way off) pursuing data science. I like Northwestern b/c it seems to be strong in the humanities as well and its humanities theme requirement is also very appealing, so would majoring in CS as a BA and minoring in English, studying abroad, and graduating in 4 years be possible?
Also, is there a big difference between getting a BA vs a BS in CS? I like the humanities and am not a big fan of physics + chem (although I understand that most colleges, including Northwestern, require some physics courses :(), but I’ve heard some employers consider getting a BS to be more “legit”. According to their website, the CS requirements for both a BS and a BA are the same. Personally, I think I’d like getting a BA better, but would pursuing that be a disadvantage?
Also, is CS + X a joint major option/will it be one by next fall? There’s a whole faculty page for CS + X on their website, but I’m confused as to whether it’s an actual major option or if it’s just a research option or none of the above?
This is sort of a side note, but how is the gender ratio in the CS dept for students + faculty? Wouldn’t be a super huge factor in deciding whether or not I’ll apply to NU, but I’m a girl and I’d prefer if there was a decent amount of female representation.