Important Theoretical Foundations for a CS Minor

[Kashan123999]

Hey there guys, as I am doing a minor in CS with focus on software development, I have selected the requisite set of courses to proceed with my plan. However as CS is basically a mathematical field, I think I will need (and as many software developers say) a sound mathematical maturity which will indirectly help me build required problem solving skills to analyze/apply algorithms and coding in general. Thus I want to know the theoretical CS courses which you guys think are "necessary" to take to have a sound CS skillset... I have selected the following theoretical courses and I can afford to take only 1-2 courses at max from them (Online). Kindly guide me accordingly. Thanks

1. Theory of Automata
2. Computer Architecture/Organization
3. Introduction to A.I
4. Network centric computing

 

[r3v3rs3]

My own opinion based upon on what you said "minor in CS with focus on software development".

1-- skip
Automata and CFGs are useful in specific compilation techniques. I would suppose that's partly because (with some exceptions), I "think" the syntax of programs of most programming-languages can be described by a CFG. I am not aware of the details though.

Both of these are sub-recursive models (computationally insufficient). They are interesting in the sense because both are intrinsic enough (somewhat like pr functions/do-times programs).

Take a "intro. to computability/recursion theory" course (if its offered) if you want to get a better overall sense of a number of CS ideas(reducibility of comp. models to each other, compilation/interpretation, natural recursively unsolvable problems etc.). Also, most of the ideas that have some practical applicability/usefulness are going to be in an intro. course (advanced courses would def. go more and more abstract).
However, you can skip this too I believe, if your focus is going to be more on software development.

2-- skip
Getting a better sense of how to construct a interpreter physically(general-purpose computer) that is able to interpret commands of a chosen low-level language. Potentially useful, but I suppose more so for a major. As a minor I think you can/should sort of skip this.

4 sounds quite interesting from name. Also, I think "Machine Learning" might be good to take from "data analysis" perspective, but it might have some pre-requisites (probably 3).

I would say take intro. to Algorithms and intro. to OOP courses as must and then choose from other ones.

 

[Kashan123999]

My own opinion based upon on what you said "minor in CS with focus on software development".

1-- skip
Automata and CFGs are useful in specific compilation techniques. I would suppose that's partly because (with some exceptions), I "think" the syntax of programs of most programming-languages can be described by a CFG. I am not aware of the details though.

Both of these are sub-recursive models (computationally insufficient). They are interesting in the sense because both are intrinsic enough (somewhat like pr functions/do-times programs).

Take a "intro. to computability/recursion theory" course (if its offered) if you want to get a better overall sense of a number of CS ideas(reducibility of comp. models to each other, compilation/interpretation, natural recursively unsolvable problems etc.). Also, most of the ideas that have some practical applicability/usefulness are going to be in an intro. course (advanced courses would def. go more and more abstract).
However, you can skip this too I believe, if your focus is going to be more on software development.

2-- skip
Getting a better sense of how to construct a interpreter physically(general-purpose computer) that is able to interpret commands of a chosen low-level language. Potentially useful, but I suppose more so for a major. As a minor I think you can/should sort of skip this.

4 sounds quite interesting from name. Also, I think "Machine Learning" might be good to take from "data analysis" perspective, but it might have some pre-requisites (probably 3).

I would say take intro. to Algorithms and intro. to OOP courses as must and then choose from other ones.

Woah thankyou mate this is helpful.

 

[ammarzubair]

these 4 courses... are these part of your studies or are you taking them to prepare for the CS degree