Computer engineering question

[Gibson486]

If I take Computer Engineering, would I be able to do what a Computer Science major does?

 

[bozo1]

Discussed last week here. (Change subscriber to forums if you don't subscribe)

 

[calpha]

I've worked with both, and the short answer is yes.

Although, generally speaking, C.S. grads are better equiped to program coming out of school based on my experience. But, that doesn't equate to programming ability. I've worked with C.E. Grads that can program circles around C.S. Grads, and vice versa.

Compared to the people I've worked with that have a C.E. degree (pre 1998) I found that my knowledge of higher level programming (data structures and operating system principles) was far greater then theirs. WIth all of the classes/objects & High Level programming the need for that knowledge has rarely come in. IE, if I need a binary tree for a program, I definitely wouldn't program one. Too many proven classes readily available to handle it. There is a library for C/C++ that handled most all standard data structures, but it's been so long, I can't remember the name of it. Myself, and the C.E. people I worked with would be able to easily handle the task of using it.

If I was in school again today, I'd consider a double in C.E. only because I like some of the things that C.E. gets to focus on (Processor design for one) that C.S. students don't (electives withstanding of course) but I am a programmer by nature, so there's no way I'd not be a C.S. student.

I dont' think it would have made a difference at all in the career path I've taken, except that I wouldn't have worked for the first small sweat shop that I did (They had a strict policy about not hiring C.E. Majors) which would not have been a bad thing at all

 

[Gibson486]

I read that discussion, but it never really answered if a computer engineer could become a computer scientists or vice versa.

The reason why I ask is because I picked computer engineering for a major, but I also want to do things such as make animation (my fascination with movies like Toy story and Shrek), which is somethign that computer science majors does alot. However, I do not want to be stuck behind a computer all day programming code. I also want to design the hardwrae aspect also.

 

[poopaskoopa]

It's up to you. A friend of mine has a degree in CPE but he today writes drivers for an immensely popular company.

 

[rayma2]

For our CpE Program here at Oregon State we automaticly get a CS minor when we Compleate the CpE program.. I guess that means that we know how to do CS stuff when we get out of school.

You can also just mess around with making animations on your own time. You dont need a degree for that.

 

[CSoup]

<< The reason why I ask is because I picked computer engineering for a major, but I also want to do things such as make animation (my fascination with movies like Toy story and Shrek), which is somethign that computer science majors does alot. However, I do not want to be stuck behind a computer all day programming code. I also want to design the hardwrae aspect also. >>



Huh? Where did you get this idea. I do not know of any true CS program where people can specialize in doing computer animations (and I know because I have been applying to get into one). If you want to do computer animation they look into graphic design or art programs. In CS you might learn the theory about what raytracing is or phong shading, etc., but you won't be trained to be an expert in lets say Maya or Lightwave or what ever other tools the design houses out there use.

 

[Nocturnal]

computer e, is more the hardware side. comp sci is more the programming side. you'll do some programming with comp e, but not as much as you would with comp sci. hope this helps. i got this info from the other thread about this a few days ago.

 

[superfluousmonkeys]

I goto Louisiana State U, and here ocmputer engineering and electrical engineering are very close.

The oversimplified version is this.


CompSci peeps code.

Comp Engineers design hardware but also take all the coding curriculum the c/s peeps do.

Comp engineering is in the school of engineering but Compsci is not!

so us EE's make fun of computer engineers, computer engineers make fun of compsci peeps, and compsci peeps make fun of business majors.