what minor with computer science

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<p>We had a blast at the ECS academy at Baylor. (I'll post exact details about it later after I write up my notes.) Two kids on the student panel had used AP/dual credit to get a lot of requirements out of the way and were getting minors. The girl was getting hers in poverty and justice. My son got out all the degree plans and started marking what credit he has/will have with AP exams.. Basically, he has taken almost their entire core. I don't think he could graduate in 3 years, though because you can't really stack the computer/math classes on top of each other. For example the first year you have to take Intro to Computers I and II. After that year, they have 2 or 3 computers classes a semester including junior and senior design projects. Math is Calc I, II then all of the advanced math. So...</p>

<p>what would be a good minor for a computer science guy? He loves his AP government and thought about political science, but dh wants to know what in the world that would do for him. Math would be a relatively easy minor with just a few extra classes. Statistics might be another option.. But I guess I was wondering if you would want it to be a liberal arts something since he is already taking so much math/computer science. I mean how would 5 classes: 2 computer science progamming classes, 2 upper level math classes and a statistics class be in a semester???</p>

<p>Math is a natural…but econ/business is also good.</p>

<p>Does he know what industry he wants to work in when he graduates?</p>

<p>I think it really depends on the kid. My son was required to have a minor with computer science and because he really doesn’t like social sciences or humanities he minored in physics. But really anything is possible though he might think about the sort of things he’s interested in doing once he graduates. I think a writing heavy minor is good for most comp sci students, but that doesn’t mean they’ll want to do it!</p>

<p>He can have one or more minors. Minors can be just for special interest or to make for a stronger job applicant (although it’s often said that minors don’t really matter to employers or grad schools). </p>

<p>Let your son pick what he wants. he’s taking a serious and difficult major; let him pick his own minor without parents asking “what will that do for you.”</p>

<p>My older son (math) had 2 minors, my younger son (Chemical Engineering) has 3 minors. Their choice.</p>

<p>You will not have time, most likely…math has nothing to do with CS, though.<br>
Writing is good for everybody. However, you are either strong writer or not and any English class is very time consuming, not because of writing, but because they make you read very boring novels. Well, they might not be boiring for avid readers, but some people do not like to read. D. did not learn anything in her Honors college English. She said, it was waste of her time, but very easy A. She is a slow reader and fast and strong writer. So, assess your personal ability and whatever makes sense to you personally. However, be prepared to spend day in and day out debaggin your computer programs, even very easy ones. I have been writing software for about 30 years. CS is awesome, great fun at every job.</p>

<p>The use of computing power to crunch numbers cuts across all disciplines. Choose any minor that interests him. Government and social science folks need CS people to help analyze loads of data for decision making. Might also look at GIS use and implementation. Some things to read…</p>

<p>[The</a> Age of Big Data - NY Times](<a href=“Big Data’s Impact in the World - The New York Times”>Big Data’s Impact in the World - The New York Times)</p>

<p>[The</a> City of Salem, Oregon, Broadens the Reach of GIS | ArcNews](<a href=“http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring12articles/the-city-of-salem-oregon-broadens-the-reach-of-gis.html]The”>The City of Salem, Oregon, Broadens the Reach of GIS | ArcNews)</p>

<p>^No usage of any number crunching while writing software. Not accounting by any means, even when writing programs for accounting usage. No analyzing data too much, but writing programs that do it. Ability to communicate with users inside organization, customers, vendors and various government agencies and offices (if working for government) is absolute must. Communication skills are crucial. You will have to dig up what people want your program to do. Most of the time, they have no clue, you have to be able to guide them in search.</p>

<p>What in the world do you mean that math has nothing to do with it and he won’t have time?? Here are the requirements for a math minor:</p>

<p>Requirements</p>

<p>Twenty-one hours including the following: 1.Mathematics 1321, 1322, 2321 (Calculus I, II, and III), and 2311 Linear Algebra.</p>

<p>2.Nine hours of Mathematics or Statistics courses numbered 3000 or above.</p>

<p>He has to take Calc I, II, III, Linear Alg and a 3000 level statistics course for a computer science major. He would only have to take 2 more upper level math classes to get his minor…</p>

<p>started marking what credit he has/will have with AP exams… Basically, he has taken almost their entire core</p>

<p>This is very common with strong students. Their AP/IB/DE credits cover nearly the entire Core/GenEd. That’s why so many kids find the time in their schedules to double major or do a few minors. </p>

<p>Unless his school REQUIRES a minor for CS majors, he doesn’t have to do any. He can just fill spaces in his schedule with courses that interest him…some Foreign Language, poly sci, econ, business, stats, some jogging/weight conditioning, tennis, whatever. </p>

<p>If his major requires a minor, then he can pick what he wants (math??) and the fill the rest of the holes in his schedule with courses that interest him.</p>

<p>My younger son couldn’t fit a Spanish minor into his schedule (that minor requires too many credits at his univ), so he just took the Spanish classes that interested him and then took some Italian classes for interest as well.</p>

<p>Math has everything to do with CS, and a number of CS programs have a math minor built into their CS major curriculum.</p>

<p>MiamiDAP:</p>

<p>I have no idea what you are trying to say. I teach at a university where the faculty in my department write the software (do the programming) AND create the math formulas/models that do the following:</p>

<p>Analyze and optimize Logistics for disaster relief and preparation
Analyze and optimize Vehicle Routing and Scheduling for major US carriers
Develop algorithms and artificial intelligence software to compile the best possible team for a sports fantasy league team</p>

<p>I also know plenty of people doing these same things in the business world. To do any of these without a very strong background in math would be impossible.</p>

<p>My younger son couldn’t fit a Spanish minor into his schedule (that minor requires too many credits at his univ), so he just took the Spanish classes that interested him and then took some Italian classes for interest as well.</p>

<p>Grin…the Spanish at Baylor is notoriously difficult. That is why he is doing 12 hours of dual credit for Spanish at the cc, so he didn’t have to take it there!!! Both my husband and my step brother made exactly 2 B’s at Baylor- 1 in freshman English taught by a TA (power trip) and 1 in Spanish. The department chair was VERY VERY hard and didn’t believe in A’s. Still makes my doctor hubby mad…</p>

<p>Math has nothing to do with computer science? Why are so many math courses required for comp sci majors at Carnegie Mellon? Depending on just what your interests are different math courses may be a good idea, but at the very least you are probably going to be asked to take at least discrete math courses, probability, matrices and of course calculus if you haven’t had it.</p>

<p>Interesting discussion! My son is only in beginning level college CS classes through his high school, so I don’t know how accurate his understanding is, but we just recently had this conversation about how math is used in CS, as I assumed it was. His 17 year old perception is that the math classes aren’t really needed to be able to code, but coding requires a logical way of thinking that is found in people that are naturally good in math. Of course the math classes are part of the curriculum regardless.</p>

<p>My son is only a junior, so who knows, but he wants to triple major in EECS, Math, and Physics with minors in Chinese, Philosophy, Art, History, and who knows what else! ;)</p>

<p>My son was a computer science major with a minor in philosophy – not because it would do him any good career-wise, but simply because he loved philosophy.</p>

<p>It does not seem to have done him any harm. </p>

<p>Minors don’t always have to be practical.</p>

<p>^^^</p>

<p>Your son is partially correct. Not much (or no) math is needed to code a sales order entry system, or a course registration system for a university.</p>

<p>But, try to code a system that…

  • Optimizes the classroom use for a large research university and automatically assigns classes to the rooms based upon this utilization optimization algorithm
  • Schedules and optimizes manufacturing runs based upon a complex set of variables…raw material lead times, manufacturing lead times, production capacity, etc</p>

<p>It is impossible to do either of those without a solid foundation in math which many CS programs provide.</p>

<p>[Mathematical</a> optimization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_optimization]Mathematical”>Mathematical optimization - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>A great complimentary minor for CS is one in Network or Cyber Security. My son is doing this the opposite way and majoring in Network Security with a minor in CS.</p>

<p>*My son was a computer science major with a minor in philosophy – not because it would do him any good career-wise, but simply because he loved philosophy.</p>

<p>It does not seem to have done him any harm. </p>

<p>Minors don’t always have to be practical.
*</p>

<p>One of my older son’s minors is Philosophy. Those classes really helped him with his critical thinking and deductive logic skills. So, although he took it for “interest,” it turned out to be practical. </p>

<p>Yes, math is definitely needed for CS. Miami may be speaking from an IT background from many years ago. Things change…CS requires a lot of math. Nearly enough for a minor.</p>

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<p>There is more to mathematics than just crunching numbers and there is more to computer science than just writing software!</p>

<p>Math and philosophy are natural minors for a lot of CS kids.</p>