For a Computer Science (CS) degree at many colleges and universities, certain ma
ID: 639196 • Letter: F
Question
For a Computer Science (CS) degree at many colleges and universities, certain math courses are required: Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Discrete Mathematics are few examples.
However, since I've started working in the real world as a software developer, I have yet to truly use some the knowledge I had at once acquired from taking those classes. Discrete Math might be the only exception.
My questions: Should these math classes be required to obtain a computer science degree? Or would they be better served as electives?
I'm challenging even that the certain math classes even help with required CS classes. For example, I never used linear algebra outside of the math class itself. I hear it's used in Computer Graphics, but I never took those classes-- yet linear algebra was required for a CS degree. I personally think it could be better served as an elective rather than requirement because it's more specific to a branch of CS rather than general CS.
From a Slashdot post CS Profs Debate Role of Math In CS Education:
'For too long, we have taught computer science as an academic discipline (as though all of our students will go on to get PhDs and then become CS faculty members) even though for most of us, our students are overwhelmingly seeking careers in which they apply computer science.'
Explanation / Answer
There is a math ceiling. If you can't get math, you will never move into the really sophisticated areas in computer science beyond the math ceiling.
Most basic business programming is under the math ceiling, however.
If someone wants to be all they can be, they will have taken the math courses( Linear, Calc 1, Discrete, and Calc 2). And, as a corollary, a university should provide the theoretical foundation, and thus require the math courses.
As a note, one problem at work(yes real professional work. :P) is mathematical and reducible to 3SAT, and I am putzing around with figuring out how to solve it in a practical fashion.