> My databases course was very much a "select * from users" kinda course.
to be frank that doesn't sound like a very rigorous school for computer science... that sounds more like an information science curriculum instead of a proper computer science one. I'm talking university of california style learning or the equivalent.
> university of california style learning
Oh give me a break. CS 122 from UCI is exactly a “select * from users” kinda class. Sure, it has some sparse elements of theory sprinkled in, but pretending it’s some form of math class is outrageous.
General electives like a math major having to take a literature course is very different from a core required piece of the major being literature.