MATH + CS or just CS?

[Pikachumonster]

My school offers a BA or BS in CS. With a BA CS + BA Math it would take 5 semesters to graduate - I would take Fall 09 off to get more work experience and/or travel. A BS CS would require a full three years in school and I'd have to pay for that extra semester, but CS wise it would be more rigorous. Grad school is a consideration.

 

[reverend boltron]

Do the BA CS + BA Math. Math rocks, and you might go for a job as an actuary. Which is one of the highest rated jobs to get.

 

[BigJ]

What's the diference between a BS in CS and a BA in CS?

 

[Pikachumonster]

7 classes

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Pikachumonster
7 classes

7 Classes?

Just from that alone, I'd have to say your BA CS program is rather poor. If I took away 7 classes from my CS track, I'd only have completel finished 2 1/2 out of the 4 years required for the degree.

 

[astrocase]

I'm a bit biased, but I was kinda taught that the BA was the easy way out for those that couldn't handle doing those few extra classes and a senior project. Seems kinda odd to me to take a science major but not get a BS in it.

With that said I love math. Just make sure you're ready to take some of the more abstract senior level classes.

 

[esun]

It depends if you want to study math. The way it is at my school, you can also choose between a BSE and a BA for CS. The BA degree is meant for people that want to double major in a non-engineering field (since it is not in the college of engineering), such as math, physics, history, english, etc. Breadth courses then overlap for them, so the focus will be less on the CS major and more on the other major and breadths. With the BSE degree, you take more rigorous engineering courses but have fewer requirements for breadth courses. It is also more suitable for those doubling in another field of engineering.

 

[badmouse]

I'm warning you, if you get a BA in math you'll spend the rest of your life explaining to people why it's not a BS.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: reverend boltron
Do the BA CS + BA Math. Math rocks, and you might go for a job as an actuary. Which is one of the highest rated jobs to get.

:thumbsdown: If you don't take Actuarial Science & Math, which is a B.S., you aren't going to be able to get into the job.

That being said, both sound good, but you might want to talk to your advisor, as well as a Grad school professor at your school to see what its the best decision if you are considering Grad school. The CS BS I got had a science "minor", so chances are if you take CS BS, you can always just take a few more classes in Math and get a BA in that as well especially with all the math you are already going to take.

That being said, if you are a freshman, I would aim high, but expect nothing because your ideas of what you need to do and what you want to do may change once you are in college. I had an acquaintence in CS BS who got kicked out, ended up taking an Economics BA and now is making 2 million + dollars day trading for a firm. I had another friend who got kicked out of CS BS and ended up going to an easier college while starting a consulting firm of his own. Really luck, talent, and doing what you want to do is more important than a few different majors anyways.

 

[Lazy8s]

BS is the way to go man. CS is a science, not a liberal arts degree. My guess is the 7 class difference is all math/physics courses and possibly some theory of computing or other math intensive CS classes. My school offers a BS in math + a CS option (basically a math major with a REALLY rigerous CS minor). A few guys went that route and they have had no easier time with grad schools because the grad schools know it's not that much more difficult to get both degrees wince there is a rediculous ammount of overlap. If you want a BS in Math and CS that might help but again, you're not going to fool and grad school, they will know the classes are specifically designed to have overlapping concepts to make it easier for you. And yes, most high level CS classes are math classes that talk about computer implementations of the mathematical algorithms, if they aren't then you ought to switch schools.

EDIT: Bottomline: If you're goin to grad school do the BS.

 

[Strk]

Seven courses? Ouch. That's a pretty big difference.