This is the best answer. Deciding where to apply and where to enroll are crucial decisions at the beginning of such a career. I hope everyone is having a great new year so far. Traditionally, a computer science curriculum digs deeper into specialty areas such as compilers, graphics, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing (NLP). But where should you apply? There is still some hardware content in Software, but not as much. You also won’t take some of the software engineering classes like object oriented design or some of the extra curricular classes from the CS degree. Caitlin Fischer / Computer Science (2019) "My first computer science course was memorable. Electrical Engineering: circuits, black magic diagram (seriously), motors, amps, signals and control, complex analysis, power, hardware programming, robotics, automation, Computer Engineering: FPGAs, OS, Firmware, distributed systems, Serial communication, Embedded systems, Security, IoT, Software Engineering: object oriented programming, project management, UI/UX, quality control, mobile applications, web applications, full stack developer, Computer Science: algorithms, databases, math, machine learning, artificial intelligence, graphics, Data Structure, security, OS, distributed systems, web applications, full stack. Since you want to be a software engineer, you don't need the knowledge from a computer engineering degree. I have, however, attended both University of Ottawa and Concordia University for Computer Science. Approximately 400+ computer science courses in Canada cater to the needs of international students, thus making it a favorable study abroad destination. More posts from the cscareerquestions community. Similarities Between Computer Science and Software Engineering Degrees. It covers business systems, online transaction systems, along with algorithms, databases and assembly language programming. Some of the best universities for computer science in Canada are University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, and the University of Alberta. Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) consists of three eight-month academic sessions either following first-year Engineering or following a transfer program from first-year Science. Computer Science is part of the Faculty of Mathematics, which means that we have a lot of specialized resources and events for Math students. Computer Engineering gives you the EE side combined with the CS side. Expect to learn different programming languages, how to work with operating systems, and how to maintain databases. computer science vs engineering degree reddit, CMPSC 488 Computer Science Project (3) This class provides a hands-on experience designing and developing a real-world software system. EE/CE usually write very unmaintainable code. Students learn the theory behind topics such as programming or algorithms, as well as the skills and tools needed to do technical tasks. If I were you I'd just major in computer science, and take courses on NLP in your upper year if your main goal is to be a software engineer. While often confused as the same stream, computer science and computer engineering are two different specialities. I cannot comment on Carleton since I have not attended that school. Otherwise, CS. Some more info—it is a dual degree, not a double major. So I took the computer engineering degree at my school. However, a lot of job ads ask for either EE or CS, or sometimes EE or CS or equivalent. Computer Science: Realistic career choice in Canada? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Many students and parents rely on computer science rankingsto help them decide which schools to apply to. :). There are several reasons for this dynamic: With Software Engineering, you'll get some classes on the software development life cycle. CpE for hardware or low level software. Computer engineers are involved in many aspects of computing, from circuit design to the design of microcontrollers, microprocessors, personal computers and supercomputers. From what I seen, Engineers are amazing at getting things to just work but when you look at their code it is horrendous. Regardless, any of these tracts will (hopefully) make you an experienced programmer. Most universities in Canada now offer some form of computer science program. I am asking if computer engineering is more secure in procuring a stable job. You will also take more math classes compared to a computer science degree for the computer engineering. P… However, I’ve been looking into switching to a bachelor of arts computer science/linguistics dual degree, with a minor in either mechanical, biomedical, or computer engineering (depending on what tech electives I take). I mostly agree with your buckets except for distributed systems. I think this article may be explaining the American view. Computer engineering graduates might want to get a master’s degree in the field of computer engineering’ to advance their career or get higher salaries. Hello all, I hope everyone is having a great new year so far. A computer engineering major should definitely feel free to apply to adds that say either EE or CS, or to EE ads. For reference, I think I would like to be a software engineer. No. The second year is common to both Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. The computer science vs software engineering reddit is developing at a frantic pace. My first choice purely in terms of personal interest is probably Computer Science specializing in software development but I think the most important thing is ensuring that there's definitely going to be … whereas CS (usually) is more focused on probability & statistics, and pure maths. Both CEN and CS study the use of the digital computer […] Computer science and engineering degrees provide graduates opportunities to work in a wide variety of industries, because nearly every organization counts on technology to run properly. A subreddit for those with questions about working in the tech industry or in a computer-science-related job. Computer science focuses on the basics of computing, including, algorithms, programming languages, artificial intelligence and hardware design. I'm going through Computer Systems Engineering rn at UMass for that low level knowledge but I plan to have a career in high level software or game development maybe. As an EE I approve of this message. November 27, 2020. There are philosophical as well as practical answers to these questions. Currently working as a software engineer at A Thinking Ape. Computer science focuses mostly on troubleshooting issues on a software level. Technology is continually evolving, so there is an ongoing need for innovative computer scientists to develop new and better ways of using systems. Pure CS they don't know why it works but their code is much better. The cost is flexibility. Maybe minor in linguistics if possible if you like it so much. I’ve heard about how linguistics is used in NLP/AI development, yet most people say that it requires a degree higher than a bachelors. Remember that just taking classes won't be quite enough. Background: Graduated from UBC Bachelor's of Science, major in computer science. There are several fields that make up the broader field of computer science. This is usually true - in my area all the AI related jobs require a masters' degree and I know people who are pursuing a masters' for just that. In my computer science degree I'm exposed to NLP in the mandatory Intro to AI class, and then I can take the AI 2 class and again in the natural language processing class. That being said, if you just want to be a software engineer, do you really need to do a dual major? In some contexts, computer science can be used as an umbrella term that covers many different intellectual and academic endeavors related to computers. The most common major in software engineering jobs is computer science. Computer Science. Computer Science at Waterloo offers a different kind of focus. Because computer engineering is not as common as EE or CS, it will not be listed explicitly in as many job ads. Edit: Practically speaking, depending on your university, the programs offered will likely contain blends of the categories above (notice how software engineering and comp sci overlap a lot?) As has been said elsewhere, computer engineering is much more difficult than computer science. In Spain, the degree, at the time I did it, was called “Computer Science Engineering”, literally translated, and it lasted for 5 years. That should be firmly in the SWE/CS camp. Edit2: like another poster mentioned, you're more likely going to end up working in software than hardware simply because industry demands. Computer science is one of the most popular areas of study in the world—and for good reason! There are more math classes and engineering classes dealing with things (like electromagnetic waves) that you'll likely not be using, but I think you have a deeper appreciation for what is happening under the covers. I am currently a student pursuing a bachelor of science in computer engineering. Some influential rankings, such as U.S. News & World Report, enter a sort of “collective consciousness” in admissions. Computer Engineering Vs Computer Science I'm going to university soon and I was wondering about which one is better. An “applied” curriculum covers te… The field of information technology is a diverse one, full of promising career options, many specialties, and opportunities for smart, motivated people. The cost of studying masters in computer engineering in Canada ranges between 9,000 CAD to 50,000 CAD ( ~4 to 27 lakhs). Specifically, I am asking if computer engineering is more secure in procuring a stable job, and if CS/Linguistics would hurt me in the long run. Having never tried programming, I found the course, Introduction to Computing I, both interesting and intimidating; it was interesting because I had to think differently to solve problems and it was intimidating because almost every time I answered a question in class, I was wrong. That should be enough qualifications to answer right? Ironically there limited knowledge makes there code more bullet proof(IMO) and works fine with very small programs/scripts. Press J to jump to the feed. Most programs are computer science based and mostly a fuckton of theory rather than building shit aka software engineering. Students will work on a project that will serve as the capstone to the computer science degree program. I'm going to university soon and I was wondering about which one is better. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are based upon academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact (click here to read the full methodology). I love both but I prefer working with hardware but from what I've seen everyone ends up in software and frankly, there's more money in software. A subreddit for those with questions about working in the tech industry or in a computer-science-related job. In addition, computer science degrees typically explore emerging computer applications such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing. Most students who pursue computer science do so for one simple reason: to prepare for a career in computer science. I was just wondering if this switch would hurt my future job prospects. Computer engineering is a branch of the engineering field that integrates computer science with electronic engineering to develop computer hardware and software. An education in advanced math also provides a strong foundation for Computer Science, since many concepts stem from Mathematics. I understand the switch make not make much sense, but during my time as an undergrad I want to be exposed to fields other than engineering (currently I have no room for such thing) and I’ve had my eye on linguistics for a while. If you're worried about finding a job, then I suggest leaning towards software since that's where most entry level jobs are. Computer engineering focuses on solving problems and designing hardware and … As an EE you can easily fill a CS role, but very few CS majors will get ANY engineering job without years of experience. Master’s in Computer Science vs Master’s in Electrical & Computer Engineering June 30, 2020 On April 10, 2019, astronomers published a photograph of a black hole, giving humans their first ever peek at one of the universe’s most mysterious and fascinating phenomena. This means I take about half the courses either major would normally take. Other fields, such as computer graphics, deal more with concrete and hands-on visuals. Both Computer Science and Software Engineering teach fundamentals of programming and computer science, so you can choose either one to become a software developer. I loved working on projects in college, but I hated working as a software engineer; I went from working on fun projects where I had a lot of control over the project to mostly maintaining code. High likelihood that you'll still end up working with software than hardware. so just check the course lists and decide which program you find more interesting. A critical part of the computer science vs. computer engineering discussion is what options are out there in case you want to pursue further higher education after your bachelor’s degree. I am currently a student pursuing a bachelor of science in computer engineering. Usually there is not a big difference between the amount of math you take in CE vs CS but they are different types of courses. An employer could expect to assign a project to a computer science graduate and the result would be a computer-based system designed and implemented exactly as asked. IMO Computer Science is a bit broader than Software Engineering. The curriculum is designed to cover the engineering aspects of both hardware and software—a total computer systems perspective. You can easily tell the difference between those who wanted to do software and those who just happened to get a job in software when they graduated(most of them). CE for low level hard and CS for high level. One of these fields is the computational complexity theory, which can be very abstract. The course will emphasize collaboration and teamwork to employ and integrate computer science concepts. Both have their merits depending on what you want to do. Thank you in advance and I appreciate the time anyone takes out of their day to reply. But it is also very unlikely you will see them pass back a reference to a temporary object in C++ and crash the thing. Computer Engineering and Computer Science can mean different things to different people. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. University undergrad curriculum however good is always going to lag behind so, either get into research soon, get internship experience soon, or get personal projects going soon, they'll give you an excellent edge in job competitiveness, Edit3: another thing that differentiates engineering programs and science programs (some school also offer comp sci in Arts) is the additional required courses necessary for engineering accreditation. Top Master Programs in Computer Science in Canada … I love both but I prefer working with hardware but from what I've seen everyone ends up in software and frankly, there's more money in software. If it’s like my school you will take a mixture of computer science classes and electrical engineering classes. It is actually insane to me how many CS students seem to have issues getting jobs when so many bad(at programming) EE/CE students got jobs in software from my graduating class, I did... honestly...idk if the extra tuition is worth it, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the cscareerquestions community. The nice thing about Computer Engineering is the flexibility to go on the hardware or software side. But do what you want honestly. Electrical Engineering 100 times over computer science. Press J to jump to the feed. New versions of the software should be released several times a quarter and even several times a month. YOU CARE MORE THAN NORMAL PEOPLE DO AND THIS MAKES YOU ADMIRABLE <3, You forgot CIS (computer information science). A critical part of the computer science vs. computer engineering discussion is what options are out there in case you want to pursue further higher education after your bachelor’s degree. Variations aside, however, here’s how computer science and computer engineering are generally used as specific titles for undergraduate majors. This should hopefully help me in deciding what i wanna do for the next four years... Before i end up doing the same thing that other 3 end up doing. A key difference between Software Engineering and Computer Engineering is that you will learn more about designing hardware in Computer Engineering. In fact I know someone majoring in computer engineering who wants to switch his major to computer science even though he's an upper year. Howimportant is the decision? But you will get a deeper understanding of the lower lever like registers, transistors, and CPU architecture from the CE degree. To understand the difference between Computer Science and Software Engineering majors, let’s take a look at their respective curriculum at University of Waterloo in Canada. Update for computer science vs software engineering reddit. I’m taking an intro to linguistics course this semester to see how I like it, but I was just wondering if anyone else has some advice for me. Computer Engineering and Computer Science – Similarities and Differences Students considering a career centered on computers and computing often ask for clarification about the difference between computer engineering (CEN) and computer science (CS). However it would be unusable with "real" programs. You will also get to know your cohort better in Software Engineering versus Computer Science. I have been an EE for 8 years and have seen CS majors with experience get passed over for new grads simply because the new grads had engineering degrees. Computer science and software engineering may share some overlapping commonalities, however, the principles behind each field of study can offer several differences. It involves the study of how data and instructions are processed, communicated and stored. From what I know CE is usually more physics, calculus, etc. One is that computer science deals with the science behind the interaction between hardware and software systems and computational applications, whereas software engineering typically deals with the engineering principles of building, designing and … I’ve heard about how linguistics is used in NLP/AI development, yet most people say that it requires a degree higher than a bachelors. Masters in computer engineering in Canada is a 1 to a 2-year program designed for students interested in advanced studies of computer science. I studied computer engineering and then worked full time as a software engineer for 2 years. However, I’ve been looking into switching to a bachelor of arts computer science/linguistics dual degree, with a minor in either mechanical, biomedical, or computer engineering (depending on what tech electives I take). 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