Hello, I have declared the major of computer science, but I’m looking at minors and I have been looking more and more at technical writing, would this be a good minor for CS? The mathematics minor is mandatory where I’m going to.
2 unnecessary. Take a couple of classes if it interests you. Yes math good. Also math/CS has its own forum here.
Math is mandatory, so lets put that aside. You should take at least one class in technical writing (if it’s not already mandatory). If taking a minor in technical writing means you’ll take less CS technical electives, then I wouldn’t recommend it. If it’s going to replace general Ed classes, then sure, go for it. Improving your communication skills is a plus, but those CS electives should be a higher priority.
If you have electives to burn and feel good about your English, take classes in creative writing. Software is all about learning how to be creative. Math, just take the program requirements and leave it at that.
After 30 years coding, I have seen many people who can outcode me but VERY few who can outwrite me. Guess what is more useful in this day and age…
Computer science folks often have to write specs or standards. I’m a technical writer who gets specs from engineers. I’d love it if more of them would have taken a technical writing class or two.
The kind of writing they do in the English department (analyze the author’s purpose and rhetorical style) is less useful to technical people than technical writing or even journalism.
Exactly, that’s why I would think creative writing would be useful (after one takes tech writing). Keep in mind that a non-major in a decent to good English department in 200-300 level classes will likely be slaughtered by the majors and/or the profs (at least I was when I stumbled into a Shakespeare class - had to take an elective grrr, only guy who got an A was some Nigerian English major guy who managed to mail order the instructor’s edition of the textbook), so don’t think it’s an easy class.
There should be a technical writing class and not a minor. But I think lots of classes are interesting like Cognitive Science, psychology with regard to neuroscience, neural networks, so maybe a minor in Psych would be complimentary.
I have a BS in Mech Engineering with a concentration in Technical Communications. It worked well for me. But in general it’s not necessary to have a minor. Just take electives (you won’t have many) in areas of interest.