How useful would a minor in one of the sciences be?

College Majors Science Majors
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You also get that from a proof-based math or rigorous science or social science class. The only departments (at my liberal arts college) where many students seem unacquainted with rigorous reasoning are the humanities. </p>

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If we include include playing an instrument under “practicalities of life”, then we should also include building electrical circuits. Artistic hobbies are no more “practical” than technical ones. I was thinking of “skills for the practicalities of life” as something that helps me with other aspects of my life, including non-monetary ones, rather than something I do for the sake of itself (like playing an instrument). As L’Hopital pointed out, your use of “practical” isn’t very useful because it includes anything that anyone could ever do for fun.</p>

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The average computer science major knows as little about fixing computers as the average astronomy major knows about the inner workings of modern telescopes or an English major about the production process of a dictionary.</p>

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<p>UGH I had a long-winded reply but than I accidentally closed the window! Anyways I’ll provide a condensed version. </p>

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Correlation not causation. Think of why these people are in the humanities in the first place. Rigorous reasoning and logic are attributes more seen in STEM fields. Creativity in humanities. Now, I think it is far more beneficial to start with the reasoning and logic (which most good math students have) and then expose yourself to some broader applications of that. Though creativity might be something largely immutable (is it?), for most humanities classes a high amount of creativity is not required, but rather being able to recognize a few simple patterns and extrapolating from there. I think that’s why you see so many STEM people take humanities classes and do better in the class than people who’ve been doing those things their life.</p>

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Call me elitist but I think having knowledge/skill in fashion, literature, art, and music are qualities that every so-called “cultivated” member of society should possess to some degree. My roommate plans on being a multi-millionaire someday (I believe him), but he doesn’t know how to wear classy clothing, or play an instrument, or recognize the difference between amateur photos and that of a professional artist. He said he wants to stand out as clearly a member of the upper class, but he has a long way to go.</p>

<p>BTW I am relatively populist, but I’m providing a justification for these more artistic pursuits different than doing it for the sake of itself. </p>

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The astronomy majors I know know a great deal about how modern telescopes and the electronics that assist them work. Maybe you’re thinking about astrology?</p>

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Could you tell me why? I’m really wondering what 1, 2, or 3 CS classes can do for me, as I may want to take one.</p>

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<p>Let’s give you an extreme case: you don’t want to become a researcher anymore, and you might decide to leave the area, and become a business person.</p>

<p>Well, you might end up in a company where some business experts are told to work with the web developers and designer on renovating the website. Today a good commercial website require both business logic and developer logic. In another words, business experts and developers will exchange their ideas and strategies and then make a decision. </p>

<p>As a student in computer engineering, I am recently engaged in launching a new web application using Django. Django is a web framework based on the general language Python. Unlike simple HTML and CSS makeup languages, Django is a framework, using a programming language. You have a few popular choices: PHP, Rails, Grails, Python, and Java. Among these there are frameworks that are excellent for rapid and reliable development.</p>

<p>A CS minor require more than just knowing how to write basic hello world.
Example: [CS</a> Minor](<a href=“Academics | Bachelor's Program | Computer Science”>Academics | Bachelor's Program | Computer Science), where electives I recommend CS108 Object-Oriented Systems Design,CS161 Design and Analysis of Algorithms
Here you just complete what I had for the first 2 years of my computer engineering study.</p>

<p>Knowing these can write real applications. Assuming you really want to move to a different field, computer science always look good. Maybe you are working for a local firm, and your employer is willing to pay you more to work on a web application. Hence, you can choose Python and choose Pylons or Djangs as a framework, or even develop your own framework.</p>

<p>Maybe you decide to switch to a science major, and you figure that one of the software that you use is not what you need, and there is no another replacement. In the mean time you might start developing one yourself. You might develop a tool for your students to use.</p>

<p>Maybe you want to become a freelancer beside working full time, and you can write an iPhone or Andriod apps. For iPhone you need to know Object-C, and Android is Java I believe.</p>

<p>Knowing the syntax does not qualify writing an application. Those EC I just mention and competition of a CS minor establish the fundamental of software engineering.
A few more sources about software and anthropology
[High</a> Tech Anthropology](<a href=“404 | Menlo Innovations”>404 | Menlo Innovations)
[Anthropology</a> and a fundamental problem of computer science ( P vs NP problem ) - Open Anthropology Cooperative](<a href=“http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/anthropology-and-a-fundamental]Anthropology”>http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/anthropology-and-a-fundamental)</p>

<p>What if you don’t want to write application. That’s fine. A cs major know a little bit about fixing common computer problem (compiling a driver yourself, or know what is going with the stupid browser).
Or maybe you decide to study anthropology and computer science (or mathematic…)</p>

<p>It is a self-improvement because knowing a bit about something is always better. You don’t know where you interest lies in the future.</p>

<p>While learning about Python, I found out one of the maintainer of Visual Python package is a physics professor. He joined because he’s using Python in his research, and Vpython can be used for physics education purpose.</p>

<p>But please note that taking a minor might mean an extra semester or two (or you can load up an additional course for each semester).</p>

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<p>^thanks! but will 2 or 3 class (one intro to Java, one intro to C++, maybe another) be that beneficial. Will I be able to code iPhone apps after 2 intro classes?</p>

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<p>Look. I suggest a completion of minor if you want to know more about it.
Beyond those intro classes, if you decide to do self-study, you can.
However, I still have to review the basic stuff all the time to catch some missing details that I didn’t catch at the beginning.</p>

<p>Programming is not something that you can learn from books. It takes practice and patience. A lot of stuff will come from experience, and of course, asking question, trial and errors are part of experience.</p>

<p>One intro to Java and one to C++ doesn’t make it good. You are better off to concentrate in one particular language. With solid foundation, it’s very easy to pick up another language in a reasonable time. I’d advice to just take either one. Don’t waste too much time. Try one language, and see if you enjoy writing the codes. I mean it could be a hobby, my friend. Some people don’t work in IT fields at all. They can be actors, but when they are free they might like to create something using programming language.</p>

<p>You can create a iPhone app without attending a class, but of course, you have to know the language. Yes surely you can do a lot of amazing thing after knowing the synatxs. The courses in Minor are just there to build up a stronger foundation in software development.</p>

<p>Data Structure and algorithm focus on how to optimize the run time and code structure, effectively and securely. When you need to use them you can pick up a book and read about it.</p>

<p>Again, you can divide into anything with knowing only basic programming, but you have to do a lot of self-study and practices on you, regardless how experience you are. </p>

<p>This is why I think computer science is a self-improvement skill.</p>

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I don’t know how tricky it is to program iPhone apps in particular, but I wrote a jump-and-run computer game with sound and graphics for my intro CS class. I also wrote a program that makes two robots (real robots, not simulated ones) play tag. Once you got the basic programming concepts down, it’s not hard to learn a bit more syntax to access more functionality (e.g. a sound library).</p>

<p>I second jwxie that I would not recommend taking two or three intro classes in different languages. Learn one language and then take more interesting courses. I highly favor electives over the core courses for the major. Web development, high-speed scientific computing or database management teach you more tangible skills than algorithms, computer organization or programming languages.</p>

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It’s interesting that you say that. Historically, the “elite” part of society has taken an interest in art to distinguish itself from the “common” people who could not waste time or resource pursuing fruitless endeavors. There’s really no reason to study music or literature other than to show that you have the resources to do so.</p>

<p>But go be a snob of you like. Meanwhile I will hang out with the geeks who care more about transistors than Rembrandt.</p>

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I’m going to disagree with you here, as I think studying music and literature are worthy pursuits in and of themselves, regardless of whether or not it’s what the upper-class does. But I was asked to provide a justification for these pursuits other than their intrinsic good, so I provided one. </p>

<p>I could have also said being a stud on the piano or having a great singing voice or being able to write poetry like an angel can be quite attractive. In fact, a turn on of mine is a girl that can flat-out sing. So there’s another outward justification.</p>

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<p>Good for you. Your personal preferences in choosing a mate and the “intrinsic value” of studying a subject do not make it a useful/practical minor though. Not to mention that studying music =/= being able to sing, and studying literature =/= being able to compose poetry. </p>

<p>Why do you think the arts have “intrinsic good” at all? You say that you don’t care about what the upper class does (or has done historically) yet you subscribe to notions coined by those very same people.</p>

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<p>I’ll play music even if no one is listening because I love to create sounds. I’ll listen to certain types of music that really can resonate in my head. It’s hard to explain.</p>

<p>I’ll draw not because I want to impress someone or hone my skills, but because it is an outlet for my creativity. Not to mention it also is relaxing. And to see a creation arise on paper! </p>

<p>I’ll look at professional painters and wonder what inspired them to do this, what biases are in the painting, and if this reflects cultural norms of the time. An enjoyable investigation, I think.</p>

<p>I take photographs because sometimes I want to capture the beauty I see (if not more) to show others or myself down the line. Part of me wants to upend my eyes as well in taking a photo. I look at photographs for inspiration on how to selectively see things in the world. </p>

<p>I think if you have ever seriously done one of the things I mentioned above, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, then what I’m saying above will probably sound like a load of BoguS.</p>

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<p>I create sounds when I fart and burp, why don’t they have any intrinsic value?</p>

<p>Have you ever written a mathematical proof? The whole concept of elegance is done purely for creativity and nothing else. Trust me on this, a beautiful mathematical proof is a sight to behold. Does that make pure mathematics a useful/practical thing? Doubt it. </p>

<p>You could also look at various mathematicians and how the time affected their works. For example, in early works, you’ll find that they didn’t use negative numbers as many felt they didn’t “exist”. This is partly why when the cubic was solved by Cardano, it was only considering positive coefficient and why people freaked out over the solutions. Once again, does that make studying math history any useful/practical? </p>

<p>I can make really really pretty pictures with fractals based on patterns from nature. </p>

<p>I think if you’ve seriously done any real (pure) mathematics, you’ll see all these things are very similar. That doesn’t say anything about it’s practicality/usefulness or why anyone should do it. Just because you view something one way doesn’t mean anyone else shares the view or should share the view.</p>

<p>I’ll restate B@rium’s question in my own way: Why do any of those thing have any “intrinsic” value when the sciences and math somehow don’t? The same way I showed how all your points could be done with just mathematics, it can be done with the sciences. I’ve at least seen it done with Chemistry.</p>

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<p>Thanks L’Hopital. You said it better than I ever could.</p>

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Okay yeah thanks for making assumptions. When did I say sciences and math never had intrinsic value?</p>

<p>I not only think cultural pursuits have intrinsic value but have a practical value as well in that it aligns with the sensibilities of the upper-echelon of society. If you don’t care about the latter, then fine, not everybody does. A lot of people do. To say that other things have intrinsic value does not mean that cultural pursuits do not, or have less, or are therefore less worthwhile. I think you’d agree. So I’m a bit lost at the purpose of your post. </p>

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Well I think it says a great deal about why someone should do it. Then again I’m more one to think that we should follow our desires (within the bound of law, of course) to an extent greater than what is being currently done. We are blinded by want of order, approval, money, status that become meaningless upon realization of their true value. Some pursuits are not shaped by the current context of societal thought and practice, and could very well thrive apart from it.</p>