Re: (OT) Should math (or adv. math) be required in CIS degrees?

[samtregar]

in reply to (OT) Should math (or adv. math) be required in CIS degrees?

Yes, and no. I think that calculus and linear algebra should definitely be required for a CS degress (er, CIS? Is that the same thing?). This was the case where I studied (NYU) and I think it makes a lot of sense. How will you read Knuth without it? And how can you call yourself a CS grad without being able to read the defining texts of the field?

NYU also required Numerical Computing if you wanted to graduate with honors. I skipped this class realizing that I was unlikely to be doing number crunching anytime soon. Since I already have the math background I figured it wouldn't be hard to pick up later if I needed it. I have yet to prove this assumption...

So, will you use calculus in your job? Probably not. But a university degree in CS is only partially about job training. The other half is about engaging with an academic tradition which is, for better or worse, highly mathematical.

-sam

[jeffa]

CS is Computer Science - CIS is Computer Information Systems. Are they different? Mostly yes: CIS is more about business/management and CS is more about science (theory and abstraction). The main programming language of CIS is still COBOL while C++ still rules CS (there are exceptions, of course). At the univerisity i graduated from (CS major), the CS drop outs usually became CIS majors. Both programs required higher math, but CIS had easier calculus courses. They also had/have better facilities and more money than the CS department. Damned managers. :D

jeffa

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