Sorry to make this my second post... I was going to try to help out for a while before asking any questions, but all of the active posts in the C++ forum were over my head. /wrists.

I'm a senior in high school heading to either Purdue, Michigan, or Stanford next year (feel free to give me your input on schools too) and I'm either going to major in Computer Engineering or Computer Science. With the Computer Science degree you can specialize in Software Engineering or take a minor in ECE. From what I've learned so far, my impression of CE is that it's mostly hardware design, using programming only when it directly relates to the hardware they're designing. Computer Science on the other hand seems to be much more programming oriented, but there's a whole side to it that I'm not familiar with, namely the theoretical "what can/can't be calculated?" bit. Software Engineering is almost a complete mystery to me, but I have a feeling it's one step up in the project above programmers, with more design work about how the program will work and less pure programming.

At Purdue, where I'll more than likely end up since it's in-state, and thus cheaper, all engineering majors take First Year Engineering, a program which introduces them to the various engineering fields. They choose their engineering specialty at the beginning of their sophomore year. The downside to this program, which sounds nice in theory, is that it makes it very difficult to switch in to. The adviser I spoke to wasn't even sure they would allow CS majors to switch to CE, but she did know that CE majors can switch to CS, albeit about a semester behind.

This post is turning out to be very verbose... I'm sorry for that. I'd like to know which of my impressions about CS/CE/SE are correct or incorrect, and which major would be more beneficial for what career, or if, as I've read, employers don't care what your degree says as long as you're skilled and experienced.


// I'm interested in processor design in theory, but the thought of spending 4 years analyzing schematics and calculating impedance sounds horrifyingly dry. I'm hoping that's more of an EE thing, but I can't see any other way microprocessors would come into being. Any information of that would be great too!



Thanks to anyone who actually reads this monstrosity... If nobody does, I can't blame you, I probably wouldn't either.

I read it all but sadly for you I simply don't know enough to give you the answers you seek.

I was never interest enough in the hardware to think about anything other than CS and the educational system here is different enough to that in the US that I can't give any useful advice.

I can suggest that, if you have the time to go through them, the lectures here:
http://see.stanford.edu/see/courseinfo.asp...aa-866adcae1111
(and the related courses that you easily find from the link) will give you a good idea of some of the material you might cover in CS.

Might be of interest (and if you master this now you will be "ahead of the game" regardless of what discipline you decide to pursue).

Hardware or software. Always.

If you are interested in both hardware and software try looking for a major that incorporates both. I'm currently doing a BE(hons) majoring in 'Electronics and Computer Systems' which is like Software Engineering and Robotics Engineering mashed together. We do all the main Software papers with a bit of electronics, extra maths and signal processing thrown in. It's pretty fun and also helps to keep your options open as to what you want to do at the end of it.

Major projects I have done so far (just finished 3rd year):
-Created a simple robot with touch/light sensors (1st year)
-Created a more complex robot that communicates with others via IR (no micro-controller, just a few NAND/AND/OR chips) (2nd year)
-Fooled around with adding virtual memory capability to Nachos (a Java OS) (3rd Year)
-Been part of a team which designed and built a website to facilitate carpooling to our Uni (3rd year)
-Programmed a MicroController (8051) to control a DC electric motor (PID controller) as well as talk to computer via serial port (3rd year)

I go to Rochester Institute of Technology, so I'm not sure how much our definitions are different from other colleges, but i think it will give you a little help.

Computer Science: (Which I am currently) These are your theorists. They look at a challenge and try and figure out the most efficient way to overcome it with computers. They develop and analyse algorithms. Often you'll see a lot of high math including calculus and discrete math, and a wide variety of languages (both high and low level).

Software Engineering: These guys focus on producing software ( big surprise). You will be more focused in a few languages (java/c++) but will also be going through the entire software lifetime. learning how to interpret customer wants into design specs. How to code in teams, and test code. You wont be doing as much deep thought, but you will be able to put together full systems very well.

Computer Engineer: Your focus will be more towards hardware and programming the hardware. You will get a mix of hardware design and construction. By this sense ASM (Assembly) is going to be your best friend. Languages will start you out with c/c++, and work your way to DOS/UNIX, and as mentioned before ASM/Hardware code.

Now at RIT those are your majors, and give you a good general EDU, but also leave a lot of room for specialization, for example. I specialize in Game Design and Artificial Intelligence. Your best bet is talking with the advisers at the college you want to go with and they will be able to explain what will work for u best.

Based on your post you're probably in their undergrad program. Have any thoughts on their graduate program? [Comp Sci.]

Before I started off reading mathematics and computer science at university I always thought I would have to cry my way through the math courses in order to get to enjoy the programming courses. By the nature of the post, maybe you won't be surprised to hear that the most enjoyable courses were the ones where you got to read math. My point is, don't worry about the choice at this point. After one year at University you might realize that you're more interested in something else anyways.

Take a look at this thread:

CS vs SE

If you don't like hardware, stay away from the degrees with "electrical" in them.

Also, you don't have to wait for school or for someone to tell you to get started learning to code or processor theory. IMHO a good way to learn about a processor is to code something in assembly for the CPU you want to know about.

For processors in general, they all pretty much do the same thing: fetch, decode, execute, store. Not much else.

Matthew

Yeah, why do we have this thread along with the featured thread of CS vs. SE

CS ftw.

The college where I study offers Associate degrees in Computer Networking and Technology and Computer Programming. They also have a Bachelor degree in Computer Science. Maybe you can check out the site for more information on their Computer Science degrees curriculum to see if it suits you.

Yeah i'm currently a Computer Engineer major, gonna be heading off to SDSU here in about a year and from what i've gathered out here in CA I have found that at a certain point you hit branch and you focus more on either software or hardware, depending on what branch you take.

Purdue is a great school, it would be a very good choice.
Personally, I'd do computer science there and then focus into software engineering, but that's because I prefer software over hardware.