Would a math minor be a good idea or a waste of time??

From what I see, I'm already required to take the Calc sequence and then take MA 225 and then a 300, 400, and 500 course in MA - which isn't too bad

But would this be worth it in the long run?

I just don't see any other minor that would fit anything in the comp sci area

5/17/2006 3:06:07 PM

4 extra classes is a significant amount of effort. You're looking at adding a semester or more unless your planning is very very good.

5/17/2006 4:59:13 PM

I'm a CSC major working on a math minor, and I believe you read the requirements wrong.

You have to take Cal 1-3 which of course is required for CSC majors.

But then you have to take 15 ADDITIONAL hours of math beyond those 3 classes that are 300-500 range or 225.

I'm not required to take 225 and I don't think you are unless they changed the curriculum, but 305 is a requirement and that counts. So if you take 225 and 305 then you are left with 3 more courses to take.

5/17/2006 4:59:36 PM

^
Agreed. Recheck the requirements ... 15 hours in additional to calculus ... otherwise, any PAMS or COE student could probably get a math minor easily.

A math minor would complement the computer science major pretty well. What you take is completely up to your programming interests and what you think you could handle in a course load. Seriously, there are a ton of different combinations of courses you could take ... math theory based, numerical analysis based, discrete-model based, etc. etc. Talk to your major advisor and the minor advisors.

Courses which double-count:
MA 405 (not as a major course, but as a major requirement)
MA/CSC 416
MA/CSC 565
MA/CSC 580
MA/CSC 583

(The last three are extremely tough ... hence why they are graduate courses . )

If you want a minor which incorporates a lot of CSC courses, look up cognitive science.

[Edited on May 17, 2006 at 6:04 PM. Reason : .]

5/17/2006 6:03:12 PM

if you want to get a minor with CSC look into coginitive science.

5/17/2006 6:30:28 PM

whatever.

easy 400 level math classes:

MA 401, MA 407, MA 427 (and this one is good for comp sci ppl...numerical analysis). As for 500 level, MA 513 complex analysis isn't so bad. MA 583 or MA 584 aren't bad easy. I took 584 this past semester, easiest math class ever so far.

5/17/2006 11:04:02 PM

MA 433(History Of Math) is a pretty good course, but with Dr. Waters retiring it might change.

5/17/2006 11:34:51 PM

I say Cognitive Science not because its particularly worthwhile but because it sounds nice and I didn't have to take a single extra class

[Edited on May 18, 2006 at 4:05 AM. Reason : .]

5/18/2006 4:05:27 AM

Quote :

"MA 433(History Of Math) is a pretty good course, but with Dr. Waters retiring it might change."

I guess his daughter is done with school then(that was the only reason why he was still teaching)...

5/18/2006 6:48:49 AM

^He said his doctor told him he really needed to because he had been having health issues.

5/18/2006 10:32:31 AM

yeah...he was having health issues when I had him back in 2002...

5/18/2006 10:54:43 AM

MA433 doesn't count for math majors, so I dont know if it would be the same for minors.

5/18/2006 12:11:31 PM

I'm not sure if you can take MA 225 for the math minor. A minor for math when you're comp sci will typically be 4 additional courses, because MA305 (intro linear algebra, required for csc) counted into the requirements. It's not as much additional work as you might expect, I did mine without an extra semester and just used my electives to get the required courses - you can work it out without much trouble. As mentioned, MA/CSC 416 (Combinatorics) is an excellent course to take and can actually be beneficial. MA 410 (number theory) is an interesting course as well.

The minor would probably be worth it if you ever decide to go to grad school, otherwise I'm not sure how beneficial it would be unless you're looking for a job that requires some deeper knowledge of math. It can also look good on a resume.

[Edited on May 20, 2006 at 8:50 AM. Reason : !]

5/20/2006 8:48:29 AM

Any 300, 400, or 500 level math course counts so MA 433 does count towards a math minor.

5/20/2006 9:55:34 AM

I was going to do that but ended up 3 credits short. I got the experience and that's all I cared about. Not like having the actual minor will make or break you come job time.

5/25/2006 1:23:18 PM