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CS vs. CompEngineering majors

A

AllstarDad

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Jul 25, 2004
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First and foremost i am not sure if this is the correct area for this post if it is not my bad.

I am currently a high school junior thinking about what to study in college and the 2 majors i am considering are computer science and computer engineering. I am going on the assumption that computer engineering is physical hardware and computer science is more programming related. Is this true??? :confused: What kind of jobs would a computer engineering major do opposed to a computer science major?

I have an interest in both and am currently taking AP compSci AB(the second ap computer class) and scored a 5 on the compSci A test. I have a small background in electronics(assembling computers and little projects). Any feedback from college experiences in those majors would be appreciated. Also I'd love some recomendations on some colleges to look at. I live in virginia and so the 2 state schools i am considering are virginia tech and george mason. Anyone attending either of those or recentely graduated these?

thanks in advance
 
I wish my school had SOME computer science classes. My school is mainly Language oriented which sucks cause I am a math/science guy

the closest we got to having Comp Sci AP was "Computer Science Odyssey". The course description said the class would go over the basic functions of the hard drives, the memory, and other parts of the computer. :rolleyes:
 
I am a computer science major myself, and from what I know, your dead one with the areas CE and CS deal with. Think of CE as working for companies like Abit, Asus, Intel, AMD, Nvidia, ATI, etc. Now alot of those compaines will also need CS people, for writing drivers, and the interface to them, etc. Now you will probably have a little of both no matter which way you go, as understanding hardware helps a programmer, and understanding software helps the engineer.

I don't really have any suggestions on how to choose though, depending on the college you might be able to talk to an advisor from each, see if some of the classes might be the same for both (like a base set of classes that both need, which might be able to help you decide).
 
Computer Engineering is a blend between Electrical Engineering and Computer Sceince. As a Computer Engineer myself (U of Maryland '04 .. go Terps!) I tended to lean toward the Computer Science side. I enjoyed the heavier math background as well as the low level knowledge of computers, circuits, and device physics. I feel like I have a better grasp of the whole picture compared to pure CS majors. On the flip side, I know several CE majors who now design nifty RF devices or work on new chip designs. While I had to do this stuff in school, it wasn't my strong point.

In retrospect, I probably would have double majored in EE and CS. As a CE at my school, I was about 12 away from both CS and EE yet could not have them because the degrees are too similar. Make sure you know all the facts before you're 3.5 years into a program!
 
Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm a CS major), but aren't CE majors essentially a specialized EE major? In practice, a EE major could do a CE's job, but not necessarily the other way around?
 
theDot said:
Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm a CS major), but aren't CE majors essentially a specialized EE major? In practice, a EE major could do a CE's job, but not necessarily the other way around?
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Not really. CoE / CompE (CE is always Civil Engineering) specializes in hardware / software interactions. It's more accurate to say that a CoE could do *either* an EE or CS job with a little supplimental training (or none, depending on their specialization). However, an EE is less likely to step comfortably into embedded programming and high level languages, and a CS is less likely to be able to deal with transistor fanouts.

//edit: as for the original question: CoE will generally give more flexibility. I'm a BS CoE currently in grad school. My degree declaration is in EE yet I've got a heavy CS theoretical courseload. Provided I stay away from power systems, I'm pretty much the pimpness :) As noted above, most CoE programs are going to put you a semester away from both a CS and an EE degree, and if you're smart enough to graduate with any of those, you should also be smart enough to be able to learn that last semester yourself.
 
The best way to tell the difference is to look at the course requirements for a degree. For example, out here:

CS
EE
CE

They all have a lot of math ( I think EE/CE has 1-2 more classes, but CS types are going to take some sort of discrete math ). EE/CE majors take 2 programming classes where a majority of CS classes at least have the opportunity for a programming component.

CS is almost all programming & theory - 1-2 classes in architecture and whatnot. EE/CE start out the same, with the same core math/science/electronics classes but (at least here) they really start to differentiate themselves in the 3rd year. CE starts looking into digital logic and computer architecture where the EE students start getting heavy into mor 'traditional' electronics.

CS guys make word processors.
CE guys make printer firmware.
EE guys make the printer's electronics.

Personally, I finid CS more interesting. Probably easier to get a job as a CE these days. It really comes down to what you like to work on.
 
ameoba said:
CS guys make word processors.
CE guys make printer firmware.
EE guys make the printer's electronics.
Click to expand...


Yea, thats pretty much what I was thinking. The only thing missing is the guys writing the drivers, which is probably a mix of CS and CE.
 
As a Computer Science major at the University of Maryland (with several CE friends), the real difference is in how much interest you've got for the hardware details. One of the classes I took taught me all about assembly and other low level software things - while my friend's class taught him about logic gates, etc. - the low level hardware. There's a large amount of overlap in the curriculums (CE majors tend to take a lot of CS courses).
 
computer science technically is being a mathemetician with a very fast calculator, as you'll see as you get to higher level courses. Proving algorithms and learning about the fundamentals of software engineering, operating system design, etc. But basically you are right.

Computer scientists sit at terminals all day writing code, and computer engineers design motherboards. Depending on the university, however, some term computer engineering to be computer science (I have one friend who's in this situation).

If you go into computer science, make sure you have an extremely strong math background. Not necessarily in calculus, as it's for the most part useless in CS, but in algebra, linear systems, discrete systems, graph theory, etc. My school basically gives you a math minor for free they make you take so many math courses as part of cs curriculum
 
Fryguy8 said:
computer science technically is being a mathemetician with a very fast calculator, as you'll see as you get to higher level courses. Proving algorithms and learning about the fundamentals of software engineering, operating system design, etc. But basically you are right.

Computer scientists sit at terminals all day writing code, and computer engineers design motherboards. Depending on the university, however, some term computer engineering to be computer science (I have one friend who's in this situation).

If you go into computer science, make sure you have an extremely strong math background. Not necessarily in calculus, as it's for the most part useless in CS, but in algebra, linear systems, discrete systems, graph theory, etc. My school basically gives you a math minor for free they make you take so many math courses as part of cs curriculum
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Mine requires a fair amount of math too (calc) although I haven't checked to see if they overlap with a mathminor.
 
Keep in mind that it’s not “one size fits all”.

There is a lot of overlap. For example, at my university everyone (CS\CE\EE) had to take the intro classes for digital circuits, analog circuits, microprocessors, and one programming course, beyond the “general” classes like calc\physics\chem.

CS\CE had to take things like OSes, software architecture, etc…

CE\EE required to take semiconductor theory, control systems, embedded systems, etc…

Then there’s courses that are only required for those majors (and were electives for others)

CS: databases, advanced OS theory, compilers…
CE: advanced digital design, microprocessor design, circuit layout…
EE: Power systems, radio frequency, transmission lines, amplifiers…

And then of course, the upper level electives:

CS: data mining; artificial intelligence; cryptography
CE: advanced uMicroproc design, VLSI layout\fabrication
EE: advanced semiconductors, advanced RF,


In my CE degree, for instance, I took a few CS electives my last year (network security and IDS systems, AI, cryptography,).
 
The problem is that, even inside a program with the same name at 2 different universities, you may have different focuses. An important lesson I learned as an undergrad : not all "CS" programs are the same, look at the catalog.
 
i am a 2nd semester cs major and i would recomend the major if you like doing alot of math and programming work.
 
I'm in the same boat as the OP, juinor in HS, looking at CoE, CS and EE mainly

I'll take AP Comp Sci AB next year (wasn't offered this year so i took Adv. Java instead)

Well thanks for all the help you guys, that cleared a lot of stuff up.
 
same here im a junior in hs but tell me if im wrong...EE focuses on electronics such as tv's cd-players etc. CE focuses on chip and mobo design with alot of classes on advanced languages so you can actually make your hardware work :D . and CS focuses on programming
 
cell_491 said:
same here im a junior in hs but tell me if im wrong...EE focuses on electronics such as tv's cd-players etc. CE focuses on chip and mobo design with alot of classes on advanced languages so you can actually make your hardware work :D . and CS focuses on programming
Click to expand...

CS also focuses a lot on theory of computation. we get a bit of the hardware too but not a lot.
 
Look at each major available to you, and choose the one that has the courses that you are interested in.

In the professional sector, it matters not. Just focus on what you like doing the most, get as much entry-level experience as you can (help desk/tech support), and get an internship doing that on a more advanced level in your senior year.

If you show you have a professional and innovative mindset, are self-manageable, work well in a team environment, and efficiently complete tasks ahead of deadline, you'll get the job, or if you don't want it, a nice shining spot on your resume that will get you the job you want.
 
i have a simple question then...im a hardware guy that would some day like to work for a company such as intel or nvidia that works on the newest cips, what degree should i be looking at
 
cell_491 said:
i have a simple question then...im a hardware guy that would some day like to work for a company such as intel or nvidia that works on the newest cips, what degree should i be looking at
Click to expand...


It depends on what job you are looking at. If you are working on the shader model language or the micro code in the processor. That would be CS. If you want to work on pipeline design or the VLSI layouts then computer engineering is more for you.
 
well put it this way i dont want to sit in front of a workstation and write chip microcode all day, i want to actually be mapping out the process and working with the physical chips
 
No days no one actually works with the chips anymore. The VLSI guys take the architecture and attempt to implement it. Then it is sent to a fab and it either works or it doesn't.


Actually designing boards and working on them is moving more towards the EE field. Most school have their computer engineering program much closer to the EE then the CS even though its a bridge between them.
 
well im gonna get my masters while im at college so maybe i can get a masters in EE and a bachelers in CE....who knows
 
Getting a degree in any of the fields is good. It really is only going to matter for your first job. My suggestion would be to go towards CpE, that is my major. I am saying that because since you get the experience from both CS and EE, you know almost as much as they do. They have a few extra classes on each end, but having an engineering degree is not so much the classes you have, but it shows employers that you know how to learn and learn efficiently, so you can pick up on whatever they need you to do. That is the advantage of going Engineering over CS. And I say CpE over EE because it will allow you to work in programming if you are so inclined or switch sides and work on hardware. And honestly, it's only going to matter on your first job.
 
yea im probably gonna do computer engineering, thats what ive always wanted to do...I LOVE COMPUTERS
 
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