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/sci/ - Science & Math


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8831121 No.8831121[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

I'm torn between B.Sc in computer science and B.Sc in physics, both in a top university.

/sci/, help me decide.

>> No.8831123

>>8831121
dumbest question I've seen on on sci desu senpai
>>>/adv/

>> No.8831124

>>8831123
I would rather ask /sci/ than /adv/ for obvious reasons

>> No.8831125

>>8831121
>B.Sc in physics
You can teach yourself compsci and just compile a decent portfolio.

>> No.8831128

>>8831121
>going to uni to learn how to program
Use the fucking internet.You don't need to be spoonfed everything.

>> No.8831135

>>8831121
>>8831121
Computer science. Physics is like getting a math degree. Utterly useless unless you market yourself as a data scientist with skills in statistics and programming. Or unless you get a PhD degree.

Computer science is obsiously more applicable to industry jobs. If you want to get a graduate degree inn CS then consider double majoring in math or evey least minoring in it.

Make sure to take a probability /statistics course (with calculus) and linear algebra.

I saw this with a pure math degree. Hardly anyone wants to hire you based on the degree alone and you have no skills to start a job day 1 unless it's a min wage job.

I'm going to go to graduate school

>> No.8831137

>>8831121
Easier to teach a physics bachelor computer science than physics to a computer science bachelor

>> No.8831141

>>8831124
MAYBE /SCI/ DOESN"T WANT IT THOUGH. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ANYONE ELSE, YOU LITTLE GEN Z TWAT?

>> No.8831147

>>8831141
Asking adv for advice is like asking liberal arts majors which algebra book one should use besides artin. they won't know

>> No.8831157
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8831157

>>8831121

If you're going for a major with the least amount of women, you might as well go for the high IQ one.

Btw, I haven't done either, too old now, but if I had to choose it would be Physics hands down.

Physics is more interesting and still leaves to door open to do many jobs in computer science, but it's not the other way around.

Computer 'science' is easier though.

>> No.8831170

The barrier to entry in computer science jobs is data structures and algorithms knowledge.

You are not going to study physics and CS on the side and then expect to pass interviews at your local start up or larger company unless you really know algorithms and data structures (weekend studies will not get you there) and up to speed on the latest stacks and technologies (which you will be way behind on as a physics major).

Realistically if you major in physics don't expect to get a job in programming unless you learn data structures and algorithms and have side projects

>> No.8831172

CS if you're a brainlet.
Physics if you're not a brainlet but can't learn on your own without guidance from the professor.
CS if you're the kind of person who studies and understands everything even before registering for the course.

>> No.8831182

Physics if you want to work really hard for a low 3.0 GPA and gradiate with low employment skills.

>> No.8831324

OP here

>>8831170
>>8831125
>>8831135

why would I aim for cs job if i major in physics?

>>8831182
>>8831172
>>8831157
CS isn't easier than physics at the uni im attending, and requires as much math as a physics degree(im not american)
I would cs is harder than physics, and it requires more work because of the projects and programing homework


PLZ RESPOND

>> No.8831325

>>8831324
>I would
I would say*

>> No.8831342

>>8831324
Whichever degree is more difficult, the more you learn, so go for that. If you're interested in both, officially study one topic, and then unofficially teach yourself the other information. No issue in doing that. The issue here is getting a job - if you're a CS major, you can't get a job in the Physics department and vice versa.

>> No.8831349

>>8831170
not OP, but what if I'm a physics undergrad that wants to do a computational physics masters?

will I still be as unemployable as ever?

>> No.8831387

>>8831324
There's no such thing as a hard undergrad degree in computer science no matter where you go, but assuming it was as good as you say, that just means physics is even more likely to be tenfold the difficulty. Physics is just harder than computer science at the undergrad level, and there isn't any amount of hand waving that can change that. Almost all CS degrees require you to take as much math as physics or engineering, it's just that it doesn't get used in your cs courses. Programming projects and assignments take time, but making a calendar in c++ is never going to be more difficult than say, E&M. Still, take whatever you find interesting. Both subjects are sufficiently rigorous that if you don't enjoy it, you'll hate yourself

>> No.8831399

>>8831121
Do both. Both are easy enough.

>> No.8831405

>>8831324
>top university
>not american

So is it Oxbridge? Cambridge doesn't have "physics" so probably not. Oxford?

Imperial, and memes like UCL, Zurich, IIT are not top tier.

In any case, both are easy more CS is more fun because of machine learning

>> No.8831409

>>8831387
>Programming projects and assignments take time, but making a calendar in c++
You obviously don't know what a CS degree entails so why bother posting?

>> No.8831419

>>8831409
>muh discrete maths
>much intro to combinatorics

>> No.8831424

>>8831419
No, you can take computability theory, artificial intelligence, probability/stats, information theory, machine learning, cryptography, etc.

You don't need to take any software engineering course

>> No.8831445

>>8831424
Lol. Actually programming is definitely a requirement for undergrad computer science. Anyone who says differently doesn't know anything about computer science and how it is taught.

I have a dual degree in compsci and EE from USC. The courses you're referring to are junior and senior level, and all have programming classes (usually c++, c, assembly and a data structures class) as prerequisites. They're also superficial at the undergrad level, and don't get into any serious topics. You can't "specialize" in AI in any undergrad program, for example.

>> No.8831459
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8831459

>>8831445
>programming is definitely a requirement for undergrad computer science.
That doesn't mean your time is filled with "Programming projects and assignments." You take one course in your first year, and you don't need to take any other course for the rest of your degree. Data structures class is not a programming class by the way, and C/C++ are definitely not essential to anything. It is more common to use Python and MATLAB for scientific comuting.

And there are a lot of undergraduate degrees focused on AI

Also no need to mention your shitty university that no one has heard of outside of your circlejerk. It's not a standard for anything

>> No.8831469

Do yourself a favor and go on indeed and type "physics jobs" and then "comp sci jobs" at the BSc level. You'll thank yourself later.

Or just do a physics minor

>> No.8831472

I'll give you the golden tip I wish someone gave me before I did my undergrad

Do joint computer science + maths

>> No.8831476

>>8831459
It does, though, and the OP specifically mentions "programming assignments" as something he's worried about as being difficult, you dickturd.

Please show me an undergrad program focused on AI. You can't even sufficiently tackle the topic without graduate level maths and stats, so I'd love to see the program that manages to teach such high level maths, AND an incredibly niche topic (which in of itself is incredibly irresponsible of a department. An undergrad such he generalized, not specialized.)

Pretty sure everyone in the western academia knows what USC is. Sorry you've never heard of a university that produces more original research, and specifically, has done a shit ton in the field of computer science (moreso than any university in the U.K.)

>> No.8831489
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8831489

>>8831476
>>Please show me an undergrad program focused on AI. You can't even sufficiently tackle the topic without graduate level maths and stats
What in the fuck are you even talking about? Bayesian stats, multivariate calculus, pretty basic probability, linear algebra and some optimisation. Pic related is the curriculum of the undergrad machine learning course from a random UK university

>Sorry you've never heard of a university that produces more original research, and specifically, has done a shit ton in the field of computer science (moreso than any university in the U.K.)
I get it that you've done hard work to justify your shitty school, but let's not be ridiculous now.

>> No.8831498
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8831498

>>8831489
Also pic related for >Please show me an undergrad program focused on AI.

Didn't look through them

>> No.8831507
File: 179 KB, 1376x882, usc.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
8831507

>>8831459
Your google search results are a reflection of your browsing habits.

>> No.8831513

>>8831507
No, it's a reflection of whatever the IP is saying about me, because I browse using a private window. aka the university is irrelevant outside your circlejerk

>> No.8831526

>>8831498
Wow, look at all these stellar universities. Meme programs. None of these would qualify you to work in ai.

Also,
>criticizes USC
>links me a bunch of random universities literally no one has heard of.

>> No.8831531

>>8831526
Lmao show me one metric according to which your shithole ranks above Edinburgh in AI

Also I obviously didn't handpick them; I only replied to your question

>> No.8831533

>>8831526
https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2016/computer-science-information-systems

Edinburgh #20
Your """""university"""" #50-100

>> No.8831541

>>8831387
I studied pure math and now doing category theory in computer science with interest in group theory. The CS is for brainlets meme needs to die. CS is not just programming a calendar in /insert favorite language.

>> No.8831547

>>8831121

A B.Sc in computer science, even in a top university, is garbage. Teach the material to yourself like this business major did: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/myprojects/mit-challenge-2/

If you're worried about jobs, don't be. Any STEM major can land any "CS job". Hell, there are many literature, classics, history, philosophy, and religious studies majors landing programming jobs. Having a degree just proves to HR that you're not a fuck up that can't see anything through and are semi-literate.

>> No.8831550

>>8831121
>B.Sc in physics

What's your end goal? If you want to go to graduate school, you should double major in mathematics. If you want a job in industry applying physics, you should double major in engineering. A sole physics major only makes sense if you want to study something you find interesting in college but your future plans only require a generic (STEM) BS degree like teaching, programming, or finance.

>> No.8831555

>>8831547
>>8831533
USC is for brainlets too dumb to get into Berkeley and Stanford. At Stanford you greatly benefit from a statistics double major studying ML. maybe at USC (party school) your CS program is crap but don't generalize it outside your party school.

>> No.8831560
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8831560

>>8831533
Oh look, I found a better, more reputable ranking site (one that actually rates based on research and not university culture, etc.) that lists USC as 10, and the first U.K. University (Cambridge) at 23...

What a surprise a U.K. based ranking lists a bunch of random U.K. Universities in its top schools. Here's shanghai (the only real ranking system for STEM)

>> No.8831562

>>8831533
>mfw I'm taking the English Writing course for a university from US that's also ranked #50-100 on that list while I'm doing a STEM master's degree at one of the top 15 universities in that list
>I'm taking the course for someone else who's enrolled in that university, and I do all assignments without access to their """resources"""
>I've only gotten full marks up until now
>English is not even my native language

>> No.8831568

>>8831555
And Berkeley and Stanford are brainlets who couldn't make it into cal tech, so what's your point?

>> No.8831569

>>8831560
Seriously USC should not be ranked that highly. It really isn't that good of a school. Berkeley and Stanford grads will always look better on paper than you. I would put penn state above USC that's what I think about USC

>> No.8831581

>>8831560
>oh look I cherry-picked one ranking that supports my position and I'll ignore everyhing else

Also Shanghai methodology is a joke. They only care about awards thus they reward research done decades ago, and Nature and Science are not the only journals and a lot of fields don't even submit there. Further, when you choose your undergrade you're arguably less interested about the research quality, as that's important once you go to grad school, but once you go there you should care about supervisor and your niche field you want to focus on

>> No.8831584

>>8831569
It actually is if you put your petty California biases to the side for a minute and realize how many contributions USC has made to compsci. Stanford and Berkeley are in their own league.

>> No.8831589

>>8831547
Cool. I do pure math and theoretical CS. No thanks in lumping me with web developers

>> No.8831590

>>8831547
>like this business major did:
>actually falling for that hack
His challenge was bullshit

>> No.8831606

>>8831581
So then how does any university in U.K. outrank USC in compsci again?

USC:
>larger endowment than all but two universities in the U.K.
>better, more well known professors, and more of them
>in a hotbed of industry
> more breadth
>research partnerships with NASA, NSA, Lockheed, etc
>leader in quantum computing
https://news.usc.edu/104391/worlds-most-powerful-quantum-computer-now-online-at-usc/

>> No.8831612

>>8831606
If your university were any good, your grad school applications wouldn't have all been thrown right in the bin m8

>> No.8831703

>>8831405
ETH is no meme, way harder than your retarded pay 2 win college system

>> No.8831706

>>8831703
>pay 2 win college system
Huh?

>> No.8831748

>>8831121
4/10 humblebrag