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Comment by weaksauce | Hacker News Reader

> Classes like Computer Organization, Operating Systems, Networking, Databases, Software Engineering Fundamentals, the first year programming sequence, etc. could hardly be considered math courses.

so a math degree has to have every single course be a math course? do they not take literature?

Networking had me prove the theoretical limit of networks using calculus and other things, databases had us using relational algebra and other proofs... it certainly wasn't `select * from users;` kinda course. it's a math degree at least at my university and most reputable ones it is. are all classes 100% pure math? no of course not but the emphasis is math.

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And a physics class will have you prove facts about momentum using calculus. A chemistry class may use basic elements of group theory, and it won’t be a “pour this chemical into that beaker” kinda course.

They’re not math degrees, and neither is CS. The emphasis isn’t math in a CS program at any reputable university; the emphasis is computer science.

The University of Waterloo, which came up elsewhere in the comments, is one of the top CS universities in Canada and gives out B.Math degrees with a CS major.

When you say, "the emphasis is computer science" what exactly does the term "computer science" mean to you? I'm not trying to be a jerk here. I think the term "computer science" covers several related, but distinct, disciplines so it's helpful to know exactly what the other person is referring to.

My databases course was very much a "select * from users" kinda course. Oh there was a little bit about good practice for relational DBs and what not but I wouldn't call it a math class. Obviously this is going to depend on your school, program, etc. I took a lot of math and CS besides my discrete math CS course and algorithms I wouldn't really call them math courses any more than I would economics or chemistry. Sure there's math sometimes but it's not the focus.

General electives like a math major having to take a literature course is very different from a core required piece of the major being literature.

> My databases course was very much a "select * from users" kinda course.

to be frank that doesn't sound like a very rigorous school for computer science... that sounds more like an information science curriculum instead of a proper computer science one. I'm talking university of california style learning or the equivalent.

> university of california style learning

Oh give me a break. CS 122 from UCI is exactly a “select * from users” kinda class. Sure, it has some sparse elements of theory sprinkled in, but pretending it’s some form of math class is outrageous.

Computer Science degrees also require literature. And some math, but not all.

But then UT Austin may not be a reputable university, computer science-wise.

[Certainly, they've redone the curriculum since I was there, and I don't like what they've done.]

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