[nfbcs] Computer science major college question

[Greg Kearney]

You will definitely need calculus for a computer science degree. Most schools will also require a language. That said I have heard of a few school that accept computer languages (C, Fortran, Python, etc.) for this requirement but such schools are, I suspect, very, very rare.

As a dyslexic I was told to steer well clear of formal foreign language instruction and so ended up taking American Sign Language to fill my university's language requirement. The advantage was that ASL has no written form and as such I was never required to learn to read, write or spell in it.

When I went to school the disabled student's office provided far less support than many of them do today. What support they gave was welcome however, they could, for example, insure that once I had signed up for a class and the recorded book were ordered that the class would be offered no matter what.

I would also point out here that there are many paths to a career in technology and no all of them lead through a computer science degree. Today I hold the professional title of engineer at a major silicon valley company, yet my degree is in fine arts with graduate work in American Studies. I never once had any formal computer science or engineering training but I did avail myself of some programming classes that filled the math requirements in college.

Many of the people I work with directly have degrees in music and others in fields as wide ranging as philosophy and history and came to computer science after the fact. Indeed my company often tells people they should ignore the education requirements section of job posting and apply if they feel they can do the work. My supervisor never set foot on a college campus but came out of the military.

Greg Kearney





> On Jul 3, 2016, at 11:40 PM, Taylor Arndt via nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Really? I thought if you went into the sciences you didn't have to have one wow that stinks
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Jul 3, 2016, at 10:18 PM, Andy B. via nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 1. I had to take calculus. Why? When you start getting into database cross products, intersections, and unions/set theory, having an understanding of these from a math point of view helps. Finally, during week 1 of one of my programming classes starting tomorrow, we have to write a program that solves a 4-line algebra problem.
>> 2. The DS offices did not do much for me in my undergrad degree.
>> 3. Almost all schools require a foreign language credit(s). Mine did  not because I took classes online.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert Guyette via nfbcs
>> Sent: Sunday, July 3, 2016 9:34 PM
>> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Robert Guyette <rags215 at comcast.net>
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Computer science major college question
>> 
>> Yes you have to take calculus bedside you will use it in computer science classes.  The more the math the better.  I did  not rely on the disabled students services.  
>> 
>> Get Outlook for iOS
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Sun, Jul 3, 2016 at 6:27 PM -0700, "Taylor Arndt via nfbcs" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
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>> Hi, so I am doing some research for colleges. I know that I want to major in computer science but I have few questions One. Do you have to take calculus in college?
>> If so why is this?
>> Two. Did the disability services at your college help you in anyway for your computer science major?
>> Three. Did you have to take a foreign language class in order to graduate?
>> Thanks, and I'd appreciate any input
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
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