Computer science with or without maths?

I'd like to do Computer Science once I finish college next September and I'd possibly like to do maths with it as well. But will this make it more difficult to get a good job afterwards because you studied 2 subjects and therefore didn't really do either in as much depth as other students? I'd quite like to do some kind of software development after uni and I'm concerned that employers would be reluctant to hire someone who has more experience with maths but less actual programming and development experience.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Reply 1

jayshah31

14

Crypto09

I'd like to do Computer Science once I finish college next September and I'd possibly like to do maths with it as well. But will this make it more difficult to get a good job afterwards because you studied 2 subjects and therefore didn't really do either in as much depth as other students? I'd quite like to do some kind of software development after uni and I'm concerned that employers would be reluctant to hire someone who has more experience with maths but less actual programming and development experience.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Remember that employers aren't too interested in the exact degree you did, it varies significantly by institution, they are more interested in the fact you went on to higher education and have transferable (people) skills. Additionally, I've heard from admissions tutors that they find it easier to get placements for students do have joint maths, simply because they have joint maths. If you want to be a programmer, you don't need a degree behind you. Need to get up, and get going with it.

Reply 2

nuodai

17

The whole "joint degrees make finding a job impossible" thing is overplayed, it's really not that much of a problem. As long as you're doing a degree that you enjoy, and as long as it's numerate and has some CS in it, you'll be fine.

A lot of courses that combine Computer Science and Maths cut out some of the practical elements of CS but leave in more of the theoretical ones, but you're likely to still have a lot of programming and that sort of thing if you combine it with Maths so it shouldn't be a problem. For jobs in the IT sector it doesn't really matter if you're combined your degree or not though. Your best bet is to look at the courses you want to apply for and find out which modules are cut out from the CS part of the degree if you choose to do Maths with it. Also look at how much room there is for optional modules which you could fill with CS modules. Chances are, though, that most programming/software development modules will remain, and it'll be the more specific/far-flung modules (e.g. security, networking) that get kicked out. It varies though so, like I say, check the course content.

Maths is a valued skill, especially when you've got it to a high level, so really you should be basing your decision on how enthusiastic you are about Maths, rather than how it will affect your job prospects afterwards.

Reply 3

TheQueenOfComputerScience

13

Crypto09

I'd like to do Computer Science once I finish college next September and I'd possibly like to do maths with it as well. But will this make it more difficult to get a good job afterwards because you studied 2 subjects and therefore didn't really do either in as much depth as other students? I'd quite like to do some kind of software development after uni and I'm concerned that employers would be reluctant to hire someone who has more experience with maths but less actual programming and development experience.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Its a good combination and should actually make you more desirable. However, do consider the fact that its meant to be alot harder to score high marks.

Reply 4

Crypto09

OP

TheQueenOfComputerScience

Its a good combination and should actually make you more desirable. However, do consider the fact that its meant to be alot harder to score high marks.

Why is it considered to be so much harder than just Computer Science?

Reply 5

sunspoon

14

Crypto09

Why is it considered to be so much harder than just Computer Science?

JMC at Imperial basically constitutes learning 3/4 of a computing degree and 3/4 of a Maths degree, so in the end you'll have learnt one-and-ahalf times more stuff than a student in the pure courses.

Reply 6

TheQueenOfComputerScience

13

sunspoon

JMC at Imperial basically constitutes learning 3/4 of a computing degree and 3/4 of a Maths degree, so in the end you'll have learnt one-and-ahalf times more stuff than a student in the pure courses.

Sounds similar to at my University, lots of lecturers have said to me its a good bit harder to score well.

Computer science with or without maths?

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