EE vs. CompEng vs. <insert major here>

[pgebhard]

As I am about to complete high school and enter college, I have been considering which major to choose. Computing interests me greatly and I want to continue this passion throughout my life (I think...), but I also know that college students frequently change majors. Basically, what I am asking you is what issues should I consider when choosing my major. I am leaning towards Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering, but I want to hear some feedback regarding these majors (or other majors) from current college students, professors, engineers, etc.

What can you say about any job experiences related to your major? Do you enjoy what you do? Is it what you wanted it to be?

 

[dighn]

comp eng is more hard ware oriented. it's like electrical engineering with a bias towards computers. i'm in 2nd year comp eng and the first two years are identical to ee, so that says something

computer science is almost pure software if i' not mistaken

personally i like comp eng. lots math and physics in addition to electronics and programming.

though i am wondering if i should continue with ce or switch to ee. i hope i can learn something from thhis thread if more ppl respond

 

[pgebhard]

Yeah, I agree with you and I like the bias towards computers. I also want to hear from a lot of other people so I can get a good overall picture of the major (I am leaning most towards Comp. Eng.). Also, what kinds of jobs do Computer Engineers tend to have? It would be nice to hear from real-world Computer Engineers.

 

[CTho9305]

I'm a 2nd year ECE major, focusing on CE. It seems to me that CS majors do a lot of theoretical stuff, math, its really a science major.

Electrical Engineering seems to suck.... it seems incredibly tedious. Admittedly I've only gotten through the sophomore level EE classes, but I've taken some Junior level CE classes. CE is really cool stuff - computer architecture. Basically, a CE major really gets to understand how a comptuer works in great detail (to the point of designing hardware). I don't really know what EEs do.

CE rocks

(I personally prefer engineering to the pure sciences, because the results of your work are real. With science, you write a paper and let engineers go do cool stuff with it )

By the way, CS majors do not program. High school grads program. A CS major does stuff like encryption algorithms, other algorithms, and maybe REALLY advanced or important programming. But normal programming doesn't require a college education at all.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

EE = job security..and u do more......CE is like a little bit of both....who will hire u?...

i've done CE stuff as well, it's required for us to do CE stuff...but the stable jobs are in EE.....and it's super hard and stuff, but it beats sitting in front of a computer all day programming and stuff....depends on u mainly...i hate sitting in front of a computer all day coding...i'm more hands-on type of dude...

coming from me, i'd take EE...it's a little bit harder, but not much harder..yes tedius, but i think it's really coool...

EE's is VERY BROAD....in ucsd, we get to choose from 6 or 8? different depths....there's circuits and systems, machine control, computer systems, photonics, etc etc etc......but main thing is circuits...anything that has to do w/ high tech electronic stuff is EE...

 

[SuperTool]

Want my advise, find something else you are good at. Most of these EE and CE jobs are going to India, or are being taken by H1B's from India.
If you are good, you'll have a job, but don't expect big money. I think it's going downhill. So much consolidation.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
EE = job security..and u do more......CE is like a little bit of both....who will hire u?...

i've done CE stuff as well, it's required for us to do CE stuff...but the stable jobs are in EE.....and it's super hard and stuff, but it beats sitting in front of a computer all day programming and stuff....depends on u mainly...i hate sitting in front of a computer all day coding...i'm more hands-on type of dude...

coming from me, i'd take EE...it's a little bit harder, but not much harder..yes tedius, but i think it's really coool...

EE's is VERY BROAD....in ucsd, we get to choose from 6 or 8? different depths....there's circuits and systems, machine control, computer systems, photonics, etc etc etc......but main thing is circuits...anything that has to do w/ high tech electronic stuff is EE...

u know now i'm really confused about the difference between ee and ce. i thought ce was also very electronics oriented and wasn't really about programming? are u really talking about cs when you said ce? or not?

 

[acidvoodoo]

Originally posted by: dighn

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
EE = job security..and u do more......CE is like a little bit of both....who will hire u?...

i've done CE stuff as well, it's required for us to do CE stuff...but the stable jobs are in EE.....and it's super hard and stuff, but it beats sitting in front of a computer all day programming and stuff....depends on u mainly...i hate sitting in front of a computer all day coding...i'm more hands-on type of dude...

coming from me, i'd take EE...it's a little bit harder, but not much harder..yes tedius, but i think it's really coool...

EE's is VERY BROAD....in ucsd, we get to choose from 6 or 8? different depths....there's circuits and systems, machine control, computer systems, photonics, etc etc etc......but main thing is circuits...anything that has to do w/ high tech electronic stuff is EE...

u know now i'm really confused about the difference between ee and ce. i thought ce was also very electronics oriented and wasn't really about programming? are u really talking about cs when you said ce? or not?

no, CE has alot of programming, IE firmware

 

[nd]

no, CE has alot of programming, IE firmware

CMPE programs of course have a lot of programming, but CMPE jobs don't necessarily have any programming at all -- there are a variety of jobs for CMPE (VLSI/CPU design, low-level software development (firmware, device drivers, etc.), embedded systems design, other software jobs). Just depends on your specialization.. a good CMPE can do most any CS or EE job

 

[pillage2001]

Originally posted by: nd

no, CE has alot of programming, IE firmware

CMPE programs of course have a lot of programming, but CMPE jobs don't necessarily have any programming at all -- there are a variety of jobs for CMPE (VLSI/CPU design, low-level software development (firmware, device drivers, etc.), embedded systems design, other software jobs). Just depends on your specialization.. a good CMPE can do most any CS or EE job

werd.

 

[acidvoodoo]

Originally posted by: nd

no, CE has alot of programming, IE firmware

CMPE programs of course have a lot of programming, but CMPE jobs don't necessarily have any programming at all -- there are a variety of jobs for CMPE (VLSI/CPU design, low-level software development (firmware, device drivers, etc.), embedded systems design, other software jobs). Just depends on your specialization.. a good CMPE can do most any CS or EE job

bah, i don't really know what i'm talking about, but then i will probably end up doing aerospace E or physics when i get to college

 

[LS20]

most of those majors are closely related. ... ive seen on sites how like 50% of college grads actually work in the field of their major... i know alot of EE who are programming for a living... for an even stronger contrast my friends mom is an EE but shes one of the big heads in her corp's marketing department...

anyways it doesnt matter what you choose now.. just wait tilll you are actually in college then pursue what you like

 

[Crappopotamus]

good to know this stuff. btw, people in comp eng or whatever.... how hard is it? is it really tedious and boring? im still trying to decide if i should go for an engineering or a biz or something else....

and how are the chicks? the guys? im part of the robotics club at my school, and honestly its so geeky. rediculously geeky. oh and theres one girl. and i think she dropped out. GAWD. im so scared it will be like that! is it?

 

At the University of Michigan, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering are one department in the School of Engineering - EECS. It's regarded as the hardest major in the entire University community, so if you're looking for a real challenge, apply to the Engin school at UM. Good luck.

BTW, I'm a wimp and am in the School of Literature, Science and the Arts (PoliSci major).

 

[acidvoodoo]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
good to know this stuff. btw, people in comp eng or whatever.... how hard is it? is it really tedious and boring? im still trying to decide if i should go for an engineering or a biz or something else....

and how are the chicks? the guys? im part of the robotics club at my school, and honestly its so geeky. rediculously geeky. oh and theres one girl. and i think she dropped out. GAWD. im so scared it will be like that! is it?

hot girls will be a minority in engineering classes i beleive

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
good to know this stuff. btw, people in comp eng or whatever.... how hard is it? is it really tedious and boring? im still trying to decide if i should go for an engineering or a biz or something else....

and how are the chicks? the guys? im part of the robotics club at my school, and honestly its so geeky. rediculously geeky. oh and theres one girl. and i think she dropped out. GAWD. im so scared it will be like that! is it?

in my 2nd year class. 95% male. 30%-50% asian. but then where i live there are a lot of asians... esp in universities (vancouver bc)

judging from the avg the courses are difficult though i'm not having trouble with any of them except english-related courses and humanities courses

it will be boring if you hate math/electronics/physics/programming

it will be fun if you like all of 'em

and being engineering i'm sure u'll find a lot of geeky ppl. but there are "cool" ppl to hang out with for ppl who dont like to be associated with us geeks im sure that's true everywhere.

 

[pgebhard]

Crappopotamus, if you are in it for the girls, I think you should look elsewhere...

And, jumpr, I got into UM, but its size might not do it for me. Again, it does have the best education.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: pterG
Crappopotamus, if you are in it for the girls, I think you should look elsewhere...

yeah like go nursing ROFLMOA

or any arts major

such a big difference between the engineering buildings and the arts buildings...

 

[imported_Mike]

double majoring in EE and business, might want to think of the same for comgeng & EE, or maybe a minor in one or the other.

 

[Crappopotamus]

yah azn pride. hah. damn yeah thats what im afraid of. but are the guys geeky as hell? are YOU GEEKY?!!

hahaha. nursing SOUNDS GOOD TO ME! lol nah im not in it for the girls. im still a geek. but im a STEALTH geek. i try to suppress dat geeky side. i save the geekyness for in the classroom.

im gonna have to find them cool people lol. or just spend lotsa time in the arts buildings.... *sits outside arts building doing hw*

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
yah azn pride. hah. damn yeah thats what im afraid of. but are the guys geeky as hell? are YOU GEEKY?!!

well i enjoy math, physics, electronics and programming. and am antisocial.

WHAT DO U THINK

 

[SP33Demon]

Ok, my friend was dual major CPE and EE major, and couldn't find ANYTHING recently, he just graduated... and he just got hired for an IPO small sht company and is only making $35K/yr with no job security... he said he wishes he did Aerospace instead!

If you want a job out of college, go with Mech, Civil, Aerospace eng... or go with CS if you like programming software. Chemical Eng is also hot right now...

 

[dighn]

i thnk biochem/bioeng is also very hot now. too bad i dont like biology that much.

 

[pgebhard]

SP33Demon, those sound nice, but I cant picture myself leaving my true love...heh.

 

[Crappopotamus]

Originally posted by: dighn

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
yah azn pride. hah. damn yeah thats what im afraid of. but are the guys geeky as hell? are YOU GEEKY?!!

well i enjoy math, physics, electronics and programming. and am antisocial.

WHAT DO U THINK

woah. *scared* do you actally ENJOY it? i dont necessarily enjoy it... but im good. and im an academic type of person... [im chinese lol]. i mean what else am i gonna do?

i dunno. i want to go into an engineering of some sort... but im scared of the people. honestly. i dunno if ill fit in. im already kinda bored with some of my "gifted" friends, i dont want it to be worse...