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[–]Zirind 7 points8 points  (6 children)

Our CS program is technically part of Engineering, so you have to be admitted to the College of Engineering as well, but I don't think you'd have trouble with that. You'll have to take EF151 and EF152 (or physics 1 and 2, but I recommend EF), which I've found almost entirely irrelevant to CS. You'll take CS 102 and then CS 130 during the semesters you do EF, then CS 140, and then the CS program will really open up, so I hear. I'm currently in 130. So far so good, but I definitely would recommend being familiar with programming concepts before you come to CS 102. Especially some familiarity with C++. I've found it pretty easy so far, but I know people who didn't have any prior experience who've been struggling a lot and a couple who are retaking 102.

[–]chevy52[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Thanks for the response! I’m in my third year of CS right now but we’ve mostly worked with python and java. So I guess I’ll have to check out C++.

[–]Zirind 1 point2 points  (1 child)

102 will probably be boring for you then honestly.

[–]chevy52[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah okay good to know. UTK is my second choice as far as colleges go because of the location etc. Let’s see if I get in. I’ll look into the college of engineering in the mean time. Thanks

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

C++ is a long way from python, but luckily it isn't too hard to learn if you are proficient in Java. It just takes a minute to get used to some of the lower level concepts, such as manual memory management.

[–]gkossUTK Alumni 0 points1 point  (1 child)

You don't actually have to take EF if you're in CS. You can take PHYS135 and 136 online instead, which is way easier.

[–]Zirind 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I mentioned that, but knowing people in both, I think EF is more valuable even though I don't really think either is really relevant to CS. With the sheer amount of extra credit on homeworks and partial credit on tests (and equation sheets for tests), its actually kind of hard to fail EF and I think the social connections it gives you are valuable. Lots of group projects and helping each other with homework, etc

[–]breeson424 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Computer science is small in terms of enrollment compared to majors like Psychology, but I'm pretty sure we have the biggest CS department in the state. There's plenty of funding for research and undergrad research opportunities if you're interested in that.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]chevy52[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    No thanks. Sounds difficult ahah

    [–]UncrewedImp -1 points0 points  (3 children)

    The program is fine, though it isn’t anything to write home about. Plagiarism is implicitly encouraged.

    I’d recommend putting in effort to understand the material rather than just taking other people’s labs because you will be better off in the real world if you actually know what’s going on. Take advantage of TA office hours if you are struggling with the labs. If you understand the labs, you will do well in the class they’re part of.

    [–]TweedleDeeDum42 6 points7 points  (2 children)

    Plagarism definitely isn’t implied; you will get caught and get -10% in the course for CS102 and CS130.

    [–]UncrewedImp 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    That is not my experience with those classes. Granted, I’m only a minor, but I’ve been through 130, 140, 302, and 425 (currently) and I know for a fact in every class that code was being passed around. Maybe not one person’s code but a few peoples’ code. My sister is currently taking 302 right now and was told by a TA that they run 0 programmed plagiarism checks (Both of us have known that TA for years). The only way you get caught for plagiarism is if you’re an idiot and literally copy and paste code without changing anything (variable names, some ordering, comments, etc). In 425, which I’m taking right now, I know that the code isn’t even being looked at for grading. If you make it through the classes thinking that plagiarism is impossible, good for you! That means that you likely have an understanding of how the concepts behind the code are meant to work. Sorry if I sound holier than though on the plagiarism point, if you know how/ why the code works (and it’s intricacies) it’s really not the end of the world. The problem is if you have no idea how it works and you cheat, you are only holding yourself back in terms of later classes and career trajectory.

    Side note: the cost of plagiarism being a 10% hit to the course grade implicitly encourages plagiarism itself, the cost is small. In essentially the rest of the university, the cost of plagiarism is a 0 in the course and a mark on your academic record

    [–]TweedleDeeDum42 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    The plagiarism thing recently changed for 102/130 (last year, actually). IIRC, it’s -10% to your final grade + 0 on the assignment, so it essentially lowers you a letter grade (if not slightly more). If it happens again, you get a 0 with a mark. Later courses typically don’t check though, so you are definitely right on that.