A few terms ago, my advisor gave me a printout of math elective recommendations for CS students from the math faculty advisor. I found it very helpful, and thought I'd post it here because I've seen some discussion about math electives for CS recently. Here's the full text of the printout:

[Page 1]

CS Math electives and prereqs (recommended by math faculty advisor Beatriz Lafferriere in bold; details page 2)

MTH253 Calculus III (4cr): MTH252

MTH261 Introduction to Linear Algebra (4cr): MTH252

MTH 311 Intro to Mathematical Analysis I (4 cr): MTH 353 (recommended for math majors only)

MTH343 Applied Linear Algebra (4cr): MTH252, MTH261

MTH344 Introduction to Group Theory and Applications (4cr): MTH252, MTH261

MTH346 Number Theory (4cr): MTH252, MTH261

MTH356 Discrete Mathematics (4cr): MTH253 (MTH261 expected)

MTH457 The Mathematical Theory of Games (3cr): MTH261 or STAT243

MTH458 The Mathematical Theory of Games (3cr): MTH261 or STAT243

MTH461 Graph Theory (3cr): MTH261, MTH356

MTH462 Graph Theory II (3cr): MTH261, MTH356

STAT366 Introduction to Experimental Design (4cr): STAT244

STAT451 Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I (4cr): MTH252

STAT452: Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists II (4cr): STAT451

STAT467 Applied Probability I (3cr): STAT461 or STAT451

STAT468 Applied Probability II (3cr): STAT461 or STAT451

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Email from Beatriz L re: Math Electives/CS majors

I'm copying Barbara on this email. I have worked several times with her on the list, updating it and suggesting the best courses for CS majors. Barbara, feel free to add anything you consider appropriate.

My first suggestion to Barbara was not to send CS majors to Mth 311. Mth 311 is the most challenging course in the math major. It is even difficult for our majors. I teach that course and, from my experience, CS students do not perform well. I remember one student took the course twice with me. I asked him why he was in the course. His answer was that passing the course was an honors badge. It shows you are smart...

CS students do well in Mth 343 (it is not theoretical, more applied). The content of the course is excellent for CS students in general (linear algebra is central to algorithm performance).

Mth 356 is very popular with CS majors in winter term. 90% of the students in that class are CS majors. This course is more theoretical than CS 250. It is also very good for CS students. No struggle there, students pass the course without problems. It helps to solidify CS 250 topics with emphasis in proving techniques.

Number theory, Mth 346 is also a nice course for CS majors.

We have Mth 456, Combinatorics, Mth 461, Graph Theory. Really good ones but they are offered every other year.

I would not recommend Mth 300 to CS students. The goal of that course is to prepare math majors for Mth 344 and Mth 311. CS students do not need to take those courses. In my opinion, Mth 344 can be done without Mth 300. For that reason, if a student wants to complete a math minor, I suggest to take Mth 344 and not Mth 311. The minor requires one of them. Mth 300 is an approved elective for the minor in math. In that case, students can take Mth 300 before Mth 344. But I suggest Mth 356 instead of Mth 300 for CS majors.

Another excellent course for CS majors is Stat 451, probability. That is a great course, not theoretical, very applied.

My list would be: Mth 343, Mth 356, Mth 346, Stat 451, Mth 344, Mth 456, Mth 461, Mth 462.