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Maybe I'm too old now... but SQL is relational algebra translated into some sort of code/language. I did a lot of SQL & relational algebra for my undergrad data

Maybe I'm too old now... but SQL is relational algebra translated into some sort of code/language. I did a lot of SQL & relational algebra for my undergrad databases class [which was about 20 years ago now]. Has SQL/DBs been phased out of CS education? Just genuinely curious...

always_good 9y ago
Doesn't really matter if it has or not given how many developers don't have a formal technical education.
wmf 9y ago
Even 20 years ago the database class was optional for us. I didn't take it because networking was more interesting.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
bluedino 9y ago
I have an intern who's bout to graduate from a state university and has taken 0 classes on the implementation of compilers or databases. Java, Java. Java.
- reitanqild 9y ago
  Sounds like me 10 - 15 years ago. I'd say don't worry: I almost never use anything I learned in school. The Java was to shallow as was lots of other stuff. School is just there to convince your first few employers so you can het a chance to see how it is actually done. Oh, and to give you the credentials to stop annoying sales guys that are about to convince your boss that "you need Active Directory because your network is slow". (Guys company had botched a certain server install and tried to solve it by selling even mire stuff. )
rovek 9y ago
I graduated from an above average university in the UK in the last 5 years and we had multiple modules covering concepts of relational databases, data warehousing, hands-on MySQL and Oracle including full-stack application projects. There was a lot of Java and little more than a Hello World in C
epmaybe 9y ago
I think a web development class I took in college a few years ago spent maybe two or three class periods on SQL. Felt like enough to get by with, and learn more as you go.
mr_overalls 9y ago
I finished my BS in CS 7 years ago. I took an elective class on relational databases. We spent about the first 25% of the class on relational algebra & SQL, and then used SQL fairly consistently for the remainder of the class.
richardknop 9y ago
I graduated 7-8 years ago and we did a lot of SQL so I'd surprised if that's not the case today. I think one or two SQL/relational database classes are almost a norm.
urethrafranklin 9y ago
A huge amount of people working as developers have no formal CS education whatsoever. In my company I even hear it touted as a perverse point of pride sometimes. (Kind of like, Oh you have a degree? I studied biology and I can still do the same job.)
- epmaybe 9y ago
  I have a CS education, but have no real experience. So now, as a biomedical researcher, trying to rapidly prototype for medical devices and developing software is extremely daunting. I don't think these prideful people understand just how far a formal background can go to speed up the process when things get more complex.
scrumper 9y ago
Late 1990s: 68k assembler, relational algebra taught via SQL, Prolog, C, and some Ada. And astard hard discrete maths, logic, and formal methods. Red brick Russell Group British university, not prestigious.
takeda 9y ago
Nope, my college had at least 2 classes to cover databases. First one was to learn basics (although it had fun project to implement a DB engine and handle simple SQL), and second one was more about using it in real applications. The classes were not mandatory so you could technically graduate with CS without knowing anything about databases.

always_good 9y ago

Doesn't really matter if it has or not given how many developers don't have a formal technical education.

wmf 9y ago

Even 20 years ago the database class was optional for us. I didn't take it because networking was more interesting.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

bluedino 9y ago

I have an intern who's bout to graduate from a state university and has taken 0 classes on the implementation of compilers or databases. Java, Java. Java.

reitanqild 9y ago
Sounds like me 10 - 15 years ago. I'd say don't worry: I almost never use anything I learned in school. The Java was to shallow as was lots of other stuff. School is just there to convince your first few employers so you can het a chance to see how it is actually done. Oh, and to give you the credentials to stop annoying sales guys that are about to convince your boss that "you need Active Directory because your network is slow". (Guys company had botched a certain server install and tried to solve it by selling even mire stuff. )

rovek 9y ago

I graduated from an above average university in the UK in the last 5 years and we had multiple modules covering concepts of relational databases, data warehousing, hands-on MySQL and Oracle including full-stack application projects. There was a lot of Java and little more than a Hello World in C

epmaybe 9y ago

I think a web development class I took in college a few years ago spent maybe two or three class periods on SQL. Felt like enough to get by with, and learn more as you go.

mr_overalls 9y ago

I finished my BS in CS 7 years ago. I took an elective class on relational databases. We spent about the first 25% of the class on relational algebra & SQL, and then used SQL fairly consistently for the remainder of the class.

richardknop 9y ago

I graduated 7-8 years ago and we did a lot of SQL so I'd surprised if that's not the case today. I think one or two SQL/relational database classes are almost a norm.

urethrafranklin 9y ago

A huge amount of people working as developers have no formal CS education whatsoever. In my company I even hear it touted as a perverse point of pride sometimes. (Kind of like, Oh you have a degree? I studied biology and I can still do the same job.)

epmaybe 9y ago
I have a CS education, but have no real experience. So now, as a biomedical researcher, trying to rapidly prototype for medical devices and developing software is extremely daunting. I don't think these prideful people understand just how far a formal background can go to speed up the process when things get more complex.

scrumper 9y ago

Late 1990s: 68k assembler, relational algebra taught via SQL, Prolog, C, and some Ada. And astard hard discrete maths, logic, and formal methods. Red brick Russell Group British university, not prestigious.

takeda 9y ago

Nope, my college had at least 2 classes to cover databases. First one was to learn basics (although it had fun project to implement a DB engine and handle simple SQL), and second one was more about using it in real applications. The classes were not mandatory so you could technically graduate with CS without knowing anything about databases.