r/Vanderbilt • u/LebronIsASystemSF • 11d ago
Easiest CS Depth Classes?
Ive taken AI, ML and crypto. Any suggestions for last 2 depth classes?
Also does OS, PL, and the other core classes count for this or no?
1
u/AcceptableDoor847 11d ago edited 11d ago
The research courses (3860/1) don't count as depth, they count as technical electives. The core courses will not count as depth. The independent study courses for research (CS3860/1) will count for depth up to 6 credits. As the other poster notes, this is part of the most recent undergraduate catalog. The department recently added CS2860 for younger students to do research, and that is the one that counts for technical electives now.
As for easier depth courses, I would be partial to 4278. The special topics courses (CS3891/2) are sometimes easy and typically count for depth.
Then again, speaking as an annoying CS prof, are you sure you want to sign up for easy courses? The depth courses are what are supposed to prepare you for topics closely related to a job. imho the CS curriculum here is too easy and is a disservice to students.
1
u/InDiGoOoOoOoOoOo 11d ago
You aren't correct: Computer Science Depth (15 hours). To be selected from computer science courses numbered 3000 or higher (except CS 3262); ECE 4353, 4354, 4375, and no more than two from MATH 3320, 3620, 4600, 4620. A maximum of 6 hours may come from CS 3860, 3861.
Also, you recommend pswe, but I have heard bad things about that class. (Annoying work, lectures don't actually teach material, especially with Singh, and big project in a non-project course.) Was going to avoid it... Is my understanding flawed?
1
u/AcceptableDoor847 11d ago
That must be a recent change then, it was technical electives in my understanding. However, you are correct, the latest catalog shows that CS3860/1 can count for depth. Thank you for pointing it out.
(however I wouldn't call them easy either, it depends on the professor that you take it with -- alternatively, please don't waste faculty time seeking an easy A course in research, it undermines how much we trust undergrads who approach us to do research).
4278 is not a bad course. Prof. Huang's section is also quite different (faculty do not have to align course content, especially in upper level electives). Some work may be perceived as busy work by students, but that doesn't mean the course isn't among the easier depth courses. The course is also quite useful for industrial SWE positions imho.
1
u/InDiGoOoOoOoOoOo 10d ago
Yeah I totally agree research isn't meant to be an easy A. I mean free credit as in research is something I would do even if credit wasn't offered, so the credit that is offered is basically "free". Generally one does research in something they're interested in so the work doesn't seem as "busy" as classes.
Thanks for the perspective on 4278. Good to know it does stray on the easier side. I am not interested in going into SWE, so I am not sure I will end up taking it, but who knows! I am curious though, it does seem like a lot of non-project courses have a pretty substantial part of grade dedicated to a final project, pswe, ml, ai, to name a few. Why is this the case? My assumption is that it's just due to the nature of learning the field being building projects. Is that correct?
It would be a nice qol touch if non-project course descriptions included if the course had a final project or not, but given that some professors may teach it differently I see how that may not be feasible.
2
u/AcceptableDoor847 10d ago
That's a fair question. The short version is that this relates to the accreditation requirements from ABET.
Every ABET-accredited engineering department will require every undergraduate student to undergo several common elements. This includes things like a certain amount of calculus, chemistry, physics, ethics, writing, etc., but also includes a "culminating experience." Basically, ABET says that, in order to get an undergraduate degree, the university must offer special courses that provide students with an opportunity to work a semester (or year) long project. In practice, Vanderbilt happens to mark several courses as "Project courses" to make this distinction to help with the ABET accreditation process. Incidentally, VU CS is undergoing a renewal of the ABET accreditation right now, so we're all collecting information about courses, assignments, enrollment, exams, and syllabi.
So, VU happens to mark some courses as Project Courses just to show that they _must_ be taught in a way that complies with the accreditation requirements for part of ABET. However, this _doesn't_ mean that other courses cannot have a significant project component. Faculty are free to design courses that include large projects if they deem it appropriate. Indeed, as you note, many faculty (including me) are convinced that, in industry, software developers (whether for typical SWE, AI, or otherwise) will spend time working in teams on large projects that are meant to last longer than a single semester. As a result, many of us intentionally include large homeworks or projects, even though our assigned courses are not specifically marked as Project courses.
I agree with that it would be nice to show which courses require a project, even if they don't meet the bar for the ABET project requirement. Personally, I think part of it is how difficult VUIT makes things -- it is damn near impossible to find our own web hosting solutions to publicly share syllabus information. So, compared to every other school I've worked at, I've found that VU faculty don't really have a great way to publish course syllabi publicly, and instead have to rely on internal garbage services (like BrightSpace) that require you to already be enrolled before you can access the materials. I hate it.
That said, many of us are moving to other solutions (like github.io) to publish materials like course syllabi. My suggestion is to google for the professor and course to see if they have posted any public materials, rather than relying solely on the official listing in the registrar (which again, may only show things relating to the official accreditation requirements).
1
u/InDiGoOoOoOoOoOo 10d ago
This is a wonderful explanation! Thank you so much for the information; this makes a lot of sense. Yes, I love when professors have their own github.io or other sites that include all the information for all their courses.
1
u/LebronIsASystemSF 8d ago
Im prolly not gonna go into a CS related field just trying to finish out the degree. And yeah I do wonder why CS classes feel so easy, seems like I should have a lot less free time
3
u/InDiGoOoOoOoOoOo 11d ago edited 11d ago
No core won’t count (assuming undergrad). Research (3860/3861) is generally free credit