Thread: Regarding Undergraduate Computer Majors

  1. #1
    Board Conservative UnregdRegd's Avatar
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    Regarding Undergraduate Computer Majors

    As a freshman at college, I am currently enrolled studying computer science (bachelor of science) as my major. However, there are many other choices within the computer field. Is a B.S. in C.S. good enough to get a programming or software engineering job in the United States anymore? Would a dual major in E.E./C.S. be better?

    Some potential majors available at my university:

    - Computer Science (Bachelor of Science). This includes a minor in mathematics.

    - Computer Science (Bachelor of Arts). This major makes it easier to minor in something other than math.

    - Computer Engineering. This has more to do with networking, hardware, etc. as far as I know.

    - Electrical Engineering/Computer Science. This dual major includes classes on electronic circuitry and that kind of stuff as well as the usual computer science stuff.

  2. #2
    Mayor of Awesometown Govtcheez's Avatar
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    > - Computer Engineering. This has more to do with networking, hardware, etc. as far as I know.

    This is your CS/EE major, except without such specialization in each. It's a good major.

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    Senior Member joshdick's Avatar
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    I'm a freshman at Drexel University double majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science (BS). You might want to look at Information Sciences Technology. That's another large field of computers and such. Here at Drexel, that's a seperate major.

    Where are you going to school, UnregdRegd?
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    I'm majoring in Computer Engineering. Basically, CpE is a mix of CS and EE. So if you are thinking of the EE/CS double major, look into CpE more; it may just be what you are looking for.

  5. #5
    Registered User axon's Avatar
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    My school offers three degrees: Computer engineering (CE), computer (CSE) science engineering, and math computer science (MCS).

    I'm personally in the CSE program. The difference between this and MCS is that I have to take computer architecture classes (circuit logic and such), these classes give me a CE minor, which is a pretty sweet deal! Also, CSE students have to take much more math, as compared to other engineering or MCS majors.

    Not a lot of schools offer CSE as a major, thought...I wonder why?

    axon

    some entropy with that sink? entropysink.com

    there are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness. - franz kafka

  6. #6
    Mayor of Awesometown Govtcheez's Avatar
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    > Not a lot of schools offer CSE as a major, thought...I wonder why?

    I wouldn't really consider CS engineering without a good reason. Usually engineers actually design and make tangible things.

  7. #7
    l'Anziano DavidP's Avatar
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    CS Major here...woot woot, go CS all the way.

    At my school, even if we are CS majors, they still make us learn quite a bit about the Engineering part of computers too.
    My Website

    "Circular logic is good because it is."

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    Linguistic Engineer... doubleanti's Avatar
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    >CpE is a mix of CS and EE

    I heard that too. I'm doubling in EE and CpE, so I guess I'm three quarters hardware and a quarter software? Well it's all related anyway, anyone here do a math major or minor? That would be nice.
    hasafraggin shizigishin oppashigger...

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    they have a software engineering program at my university and honnestly i cant tell the difference between Computer Engineering and the Software Engineering degree

    Computer Engineering is about 3/4 of the time circuits and 1/4 of the time programming while Software Engineering is 1/2 circuits and 1/2 programming...

    This is also a real "Software Engineering" program you graduate from the faculty of Engineering and spend your first year doing general Engineering...

    Americans seem to like to label everyone an Engineer of late... A computer scientist is NOT an Engineer, a Software Engineer is NOT someone with a Computer Science degree and a couple "Engineering" courses...

  10. #10
    Registered User axon's Avatar
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    Originally posted by doubleanti

    I heard that too. I'm doubling in EE and CpE, so I guess I'm three quarters hardware and a quarter software? Well it's all related anyway, anyone here do a math major or minor? That would be nice.
    I am also majoring in Math...mind as well that is...I can't minor in it, as the math courses required for CSE give you an automatic/implied minor...I need three more to get a major...good deal.

    some entropy with that sink? entropysink.com

    there are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness. - franz kafka

  11. #11
    Linguistic Engineer... doubleanti's Avatar
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    Hm, that's quite a bit of overlap there. Well more power to you I suppose. Also regarding generalizing the curriculum along the guidlines of a few things, I think, is insufficient. Each holds a variety of inter-related topics that rarely a major's name do justice. For example we touch upon programming, digital logic, analog circuits, semiconductors, DSP, and probably more things that I'll see when I get there. Funny how you start to see why they made you take those lower-division maths or physics, or even chem, to prepare you for the classes you'd be taking later. Time to review!
    hasafraggin shizigishin oppashigger...

  12. #12
    i want wookie cookies the Wookie's Avatar
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    im going to be double majoring in computer science and computer engineering, since alot of hte courses overlap.

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