<p>I know some of you have kids who have or have had a schedule similar to this:</p>
<p>MTH 301 (3) Discrete
ECE 380 (4) Digital Logic
CS 350 (2) Programming III
CS 315 (3) Software Engg
ST 450 (3) Statistics</p>
<p>Does this look manageable? How difficult is MTH 301 compared to, say, Calc 2 or Linear Algebra? </p>
<p>Electives are pretty much taken care of except for 2 UH credits that he still needs - so it’s pretty much tech courses from here on out.</p>
<p>Yes, that looks similar to what my D took last semester and she survived 
</p>
<p>She took:</p>
<p>MTH 302 (1) Discrete (she took 301 the previous semester but had to do this too because it needs to be 4 credits… so take note and don’t sell or rent a book) I don’t know how this compares to Linear Algebra or Calc 2 except to say I know she didn’t have any problems with the class, thought it was pretty easy.</p>
<p>EN 219 (3) Honors American Lit</p>
<p>CS 351 (2) Programming III in C++ (I think 350 is Java, and if so, that’s probably the better choice!)</p>
<p>ECE 380 (4) Digital Logic</p>
<p>MUS 121 (3) Intro to Listening (easy FA credit)</p>
<p>UH 300 (3) Marketing Communications (She really liked this class. Highly recommend. They did a great service project for a Tuscaloosa charity and she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.)</p>
<p>I know she did spend a lot of time in the library and in the CS labs, but she did manage to go to every home football game, an away game, one other road trip and had time for us the week we came to visit. So it seemed manageable to me, but not sure what she would say.</p>
<p>Can you take Math 301 and 302 the same semester or do you have to take 301 first?</p>
<p>Thanks, Rose. </p>
<p>Lisa, from the flowchart, it looks like 301 is a prerequisite to 302. 301 used to be a standalone 4 cr course - they recently broke it down into two courses, 301 and 302.</p>
<p>you have to take math 301 before you can take 302. </p>
<p>Math 301 is a lot of self teaching, and lots of studying!! </p>
<p>ECE 380 is also a heavy class with long lab. </p>
<p>Last semester, my son took:
CS 260
CS 351
ECE 380
Math 301</p>
<p>he also took many of those 1 credit freshman courses last semester for 17 credits total. </p>
<p>This semester he is taking</p>
<p>CS 315
CS 360
Math 302
ENGR 142
ECE 383
UH 101
and something else…- Total of 18 credits, and it is a little overwhelming. He will be fine, but very busy academically. </p>
<p>He pushed off statistics to next semester, opting for an honors class to fill that need instead, and give him something a little more “fun”. </p>
<p>I wish he had put off 383 and taken statistics instead, I think that would have been less stressful this semester. But who knew!</p>
<p>Any more details on ECE 380?</p>
<p>Also does anyone have information on
ECE 225 ( Electric Circuits)
Math 355 ( Theory of Probability)
PH253 (Intro to modern Physics)
UH 333 (Chess Learning/Teaching Class)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Son has similar schedule this semester and seems to be handling it. The proof will be in the grades at the end of the semester. Check back in May and ask the same question to see if you get the same answer.</p>
<p>MATH 301 and ECE 380 have a lot of overlap. I found them both very easy, but I’ve also been programming for the past ten years.</p>
<p>ECE 380 is Digital Logic. You learn about logic gates and how to design logic circuits with them, and build up to more and more complex circuits. As long as you pay attention, there’s really nothing difficult about it. It’s all logical by nature and everything builds on what you’ve already learned.</p>
<p>MATH 301 is Discrete Math and is mostly just logic with some basic math concepts like ceil/floor and div/mod. There is a little bit of set theory but for the most part it’s just logic with new symbols. I never went to the class and got an A+ because the concepts are identical to the ones any competent programmer knows innately. Take it with Dr. Moore if possible. He’s a truly fascinating guy.</p>
<p>MATH 302 is an extension designed mainly for CS students, and it shows. A lot of the class is about graph theory, which becomes useful in CS 360. There’s also some stuff about regular expressions. I don’t really remember anything. I went to one class and got an A+. Again, if you can program, this class is a breeze.</p>
<p>As for how Discrete Math compares to Linear Algebra and Calculus II, it doesn’t. Linear Algebra isn’t necessarily a terribly difficult class, but if you struggle with the abstract theory that composes at least half of it it can be. I still don’t entirely understand what a basis is. Calculus II is pure evil. One of the hardest classes I’ve taken.</p>
<p>CS 350 is probably more practical than CS 351. In CS 426 we have a programming assignment right now that can be written in either C or Java, and Java is a much better representation of the object-oriented paradigm than C++, which is sort of a hack and not true OO. If you took the CS AP test, you already know Java and it will be easy.</p>
<p>I took MATH 355 and it wasn’t that bad. Early on the class is pretty simple, but once you get into actual stats concepts it becomes harder. If you can keep your distributions straight (my instructor gave us the formulas for the tests) it’s relatively straightforward. I believe it’s much more probability-focused than a true stats class, which I preferred.</p>
<p>I’ve heard people complaining about Modern Physics. You’ll have a better idea after Physics 2, which I found very difficult and most of my classmates seemed to have trouble with as well. Really turned me off of physics and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I’m taking CH 101 instead.</p>
<p>In any case, the OP’s schedule really isn’t that bad. There are no 300 or 400 level CS courses except 350, which is one of the easier ones. CS 315, CS 360, 400 level CS courses are what you need to look out for, as well as Calculus II, Physics II (if opting for Physics), and possibly ECE 383 (I found it fairly easy, but my lab partners seemed confounded by what I was able to do).</p>
<p>One last thing: 17-18 credits is insane, especially if you’re coming in with AP/dual enrollment credits. You’ll run out of classes before you do scholarship money and you’re only punishing yourself by shortening your college experience. I haven’t been taking anywhere near that many hours per semester and I’m still looking at a 6-hour schedule next Spring, which I will probably have to pad (in addition to padding this semester and the Fall).</p>
<p>macamatic - Where have you been all our lives?! What a fantastic post with tons of useful, info from the coal-face. Truly, I hope you are some sort of ambassador or advisor on campus! Have you taken any AEM or other ECE classes? Dish!</p>
<p>Thanks. I don’t serve any official capacity, but I try to help when I can. I’m a CS major, so I’ve only taken ECE 380 and ECE 383, and I don’t need any AEM courses, so there are people much more qualified to answer those than me, but if you’re a CS major (or the parent of one) I can provide some insight. I can also expand on any of the descriptions I gave earlier (especially the Discrete Math ones - I can probably do a little digging and come with a better overview) if someone is interested in hearing more about them.</p>
<p>As a parent of an ECE/ Physics major I am very interested in any information about ECE 380 and MATH 355.<br>
DS is also been programming for several years. This semester he is taking ECE 225 and it is very easy for him. His preferred language is C++. Feel free to be as technical as you want, I might not understand, but I am sure he will really appreciate it!
Thanks</p>
<p>:) to macamatic. </p>
<p>Thanks for taking time to answer. You have been a great help to me/ my son over the past year! </p>
<p>I would like to highlight one thing Macamatic said about math 301/302. The teacher really seems to make a difference. But you can probably say that about most classes! </p>
<p>My son has found some of the classes Macamatic found easy a little more challenging than he did. The CS students are taking ECE 380/383 without the benefit of some of the ECE/EE foundation classes that EE’s take prior to those classes. He found the need to spend time “filling in the blanks” for lack of a better description. </p>
<p>However, ECE 383 is a pre-req for a number of upper level CS classes. So if you do not take it in order and early enough, you limit the next semester classes you can take. </p>
<p>Also, many upper level CS classes are only offered in either spring or fall. Not both semesters. So watch that and plan accordingly! This probably true for most upper level classes in most majors. </p>
<p>So far, these are the semester specific courses we have identified:</p>
<p>Fall only:
CS 403/503
CS 438/538</p>
<p>Spring only:
CS 426/526
CS457/557
CS 428/528
CS 567</p>
<p>And a bunch of the 600 levels are semester specific too.</p>
<p>My son figured this out as he was trying to lay out his 4 year plan. Right now, he plans to get his masters in CS under the 4-year scholarship. So he is taking what I consider a pretty heavy course load to finish up the pre-req courses. Hopefully, this will allow him to take a lighter course load when he is taking the upper level courses. </p>
<p>Sent from my DROID RAZR using C</p>
<p>^^^Vlines, thanks for the information about semester specific classes. My son is also a CS major who plans to get his masters in the 4 years but he is not as organized as you or your son so hadn’t mapped out his courses. I copied the above for him and e-mailed it, and he now realizes that he might not get done with his undergraduate degree at the end of his “sophomore” year as he had hoped. Our kids are ambitious to try to get their masters too, but it does mean a heavier schedule (possibly 21 credits next semester if his appeal goes through to take a CS course concurrently). Thanks for the help…if you found out any other CS pertinent info. that might not be general knowledge, I’d love you to PM me. Thanks!</p>
<p>vlines and kjcphmom - do either of you have a flowchart or any additional details as to what specific courses are required for the MS via the University Scholars program? Don’t some of the BS courses double-count towards the MS? </p>
<p>I am assuming the 15 credits of “Free Elective” in Jr and Sr year will actually be MS level CS courses - with an additional 15 credits to complete the MS…but that might not be accurate. </p>
<p>Please PM me if you have additional info. I’ve been asking my son to meet with a CS advisor about this and he hasn’t ‘gotten around to it’ yet. Thank you!</p>
<p>RTRMom2 - I have been letting my son handle all the details of college (or at least trying to 
so I can’t help you with this. My son is planning to get his Masters in the 4 years (or 5 if necessary) but has not yet been accepted in the program. The counselor gave my son the contact information last week and he has to apply and be accepted. He didn’t think there would be a problem, fingers crossed.</p>