What Coding Skills Are Needed to Create a MUD?

• Abstraction is the ability to break things down into vague, representations that simplify your work without going too far and trying to make everything into some universal item. There is no parallel in the real world to this. There is, however, a semantic behavior by the same name that should not be considered similar.
• Interpretation is the ability to become the computer and instinctively follow the code so you can tell where it has or will go wrong. There is no parallel in the real world to this. You can only learn this skill by debugging code.
• Resource management is unique in programming. None of your resources actually exist outside of programming. Programming virtually always involves three resources: processing, disk space, and RAM. A MUD introduces additional resources you have to manage: bandwidth/throughput, threads, and network sockets. If you use a database, you'll also have to deal with database locks and the big 3 all over again.
  
  You can typically reduce the load on one resource by increasing the load on another. Your ultimate goal is to create the fastest, stablest system you can without making it difficult to maintain. There is never a best way to manage resources and anyone who uses the phrase "best practices" around you on this topic is an idiot. Every project is different.
• Communication with a computer comes in the form of instructions. You write them. The computer does exactly what it is told to do, which may or may not match what you meant to tell it to do. Other instructions running in the background environment may act upon it as well, but usually when things stop working after you make a change, it's your fault and you should feel bad.
  
  Code should be human-readable first, computer readable second, even when it makes the system less efficient. The mistakes of a programmer misunderstanding exactly what the code they're modifying does can be so staggeringly worse than a few milliseconds of wasted cycles you suffer that you're better off learning to live with them. Yes, even if you're the only person working on the project.
• Proofreading code is identical to proofreading writing in any other language, except programming languages are a combination of words, symbols, math, placeholders, commands, and shit HP Lovecraft warned us about.
• The rules of mathematics are only needed as far as knowing what to use and how to convert a mathematical formula into code. This will only come up when you actually need to plug a formula in, and you're unlikely to need anything complicated for a MUD. You also only really need to be able to mathematically interpret any formula correctly once, as the computer will do whatever you tell it to.

You mention college classes so I'm not sure if you are asking about formal training or not. It's also not clear if you are wanting to create a code-base for yourself or an actual game to be played on the internet. Maybe this will add to the discussion.

If you are asking what classes to take: intro programming (whatever language), data structures, databases, networking, and I recommend software engineering. Most of those would be core classes for a minor in computer science. (checked at UNC and those classes, except software engineering, would count towards a minor there, your school might be different).

If you are interested in learning to program for yourself there are plenty of free online classes: coursera, MIT, edX.

I was trying to find a website on abstract mud game design but here's an interesting assignment: MIT class assignment-create a mud.

If you are interested in actually putting a mud online to play (it's a lot more than just programming) try the forums at Top Mud Sites and The Mud Connector. There are many questions/answers about creating, coding, staffing, and running a mud.

Now, the truth of the matter is that you don't need to know any programming to get started making a mud. Many high school kids (back in the day) just downloaded diku/envy/circle/whatever (various muds and their relationships) and learned on the go. It's not that hard, just get in there and play a bit. When you run into a wall ask questions.

I cut my teeth on programming with, let's just say hex editors and disassemblers, before taking classes at college. While most colleges will introduce you to the particular language of the year - it's all just abstracted machine code. I learned algorithms from the mathematical side using pseudocode and once you get used to that changing languages is simple (currently playing around with Swift). I do think mud programming helped my career. Like real-life, it is a large, difficult to manage project with many competing interests (builders, coders, players, time) and the usual human management problems (rage quitters, my farts don't stinkers, drama queens, perma-whiners).

But if you are just interested in learning to code then, nah, my advice is go make an app. Get eclipse and the android packages or xcode from the apple store and have at it. Let me think...you mentioned dancing so maybe a lap-dance app, instruct users to hold their phone against their crotch and a picture of a shaking booty appears while the phone vibrates? Probably already exists. Ugh, another brain cell committed suicide over one of my terrible ideas..