jchalmers (9/9/2014)
When investigating colleges and majors for my kids and and the children of friends/family, most of them looked at the math requirements of CS majors and rejected the major as an option. Most of the colleges that offer Computer related majors have requirements for 2 or 3 years of calculus. I know a lot of kids with an aptitude for computer related careers that choose other majors so they can avoid the Calculus classes. I've worked in computers for almost 30 years and a wide variety of industries and have never needed or known anyone that needed to use any math beyond basic algebra. If we really want to encourage people to pursue technology careers, we need to get the colleges to create majors and minors that are directed at actual career paths. it appears to me that many of the colleges create gen ed and major requirements to ensure jobs for professors, instead of preparing students for careers.
I was in a final year of a BSc in Software Engineering attending the first lecture of a module on simulation when I stated, due to some of the lecture's content, that I had never done calculus. The lecturer and every one of the students looked at me with incredulous looks as though I had said "I can't read".
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!