If you successfully complete a major in computer science at Williams, you will have an excellent grounding in many of the fundamental ideas of the discipline. However, especially if you plan a career involving computing, there are some things you should consider. Williams College places a limit on the number of courses that a department may require students to take to fulfill the requirements for a major. You should not interpret this limit as an upper bound on the number of courses you need to take to prepare yourself for your career. You should think of it as a foundation from which to expand your understanding. Students contemplating graduate school, for example, are strongly encouraged to take more than the minimum number of computer science courses required for the major. They are also strongly encouraged to take more mathematics courses than required for the major (see the next paragraph). Those students who are considering a career in a computer-related industry should seriously consider taking one or more courses in a discipline related to that industry. For example, a student interested in a career in computer graphics should consider taking one or more art courses. A student interested in hardware issues should consider taking Physics 204, Electronics or other courses from that department.
All majors are strongly urged to take more mathematics than is required for the major. In particular, Math 104, Math 105 and Math 143 are important in many computing applications. Those students planning advanced study or careers in computer science are also urged to take one or more of the following mathematics courses:
See members of the department for more specific advice on selecting courses with a view toward your future.
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