Bored with Material.

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I am a Computer engineering major at the University at Buffalo. So far I am doing pretty well, though I find my CSE courses quite boring. Its not the teacher or the setup, its just the material. I fall asleep all the time. I just cannot stay awake, though right after class in calculus or physics I am wide awake and love it. Ive always been interested in computers and have always wanted to be a hardware engineer, though I find the material to be so boring. I'm is a Discreet math and a standard CS 2 course now. next semester its algorithms and digital systems.</p>

<p>I'm not to sure what a real computer engineer does all day, though id hate to just sit there all day. if so id really like to switch. Any advice for me?</p>

2

<p>why not try Electrical or Electronics Engineering,</p>

3

<p>Its all the same stuff, isint it.</p>

4

<p>yeah, nowadays most engineering jobs need to use alot of computers, I chose engineering, but really hate to sit all day long too.
I don't see too much of choice for an engineer :(</p>

5

<p>Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. Some of this equipment includes electric motors; machinery controls, lighting, and wiring in buildings; automobiles; aircraft; radar and navigation systems; and power-generating, -controlling, and transmission devices used by electric utilities. Although the terms “electrical” and “electronics” engineering often are used interchangeably in academia and industry, electrical engineers have traditionally focused on the generation and supply of power, whereas electronics engineers have worked on applications of electricity to control systems or signal processing. Electrical engineers specialize in areas such as power systems engineering or electrical equipment manufacturing.</p>

<p>Electronics engineers, except computer, are responsible for a wide range of technologies, from portable music players to the global positioning system (GPS), which can continuously provide the location of a vehicle. Electronics engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electronic equipment such as broadcast and communications systems. Many electronics engineers also work in areas closely related to computers. However, engineers whose work is related exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers. Electronics engineers specialize in areas such as communications, signal processing, and control systems or have a specialty within one of these areas—industrial robot control systems or aviation electronics, for example.</p>

<hr>

<p>Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, test, and oversee the installation of computer hardware and supervise its manufacture and installation. Hardware refers to computer chips, circuit boards, computer systems, and related equipment such as keyboards, modems, and printers. (Computer software engineers—often simply called computer engineers—design and develop the software systems that control computers. These workers are covered elsewhere in the Handbook.) The work of computer hardware engineers is very similar to that of electronics engineers, but, unlike electronics engineers, computer hardware engineers work exclusively with computers and computer-related equipment. The rapid advances in computer technology are largely a result of the research, development, and design efforts of computer hardware engineers.</p>

<p>** frm BLS</p>

6

<p>the demand:</p>

<p>Electrical engineers should have favorable employment opportunities. The number of job openings resulting from employment growth and from the need to replace electrical engineers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force is expected to be in rough balance with the supply of graduates. Employment of electrical engineers is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014. Although international competition and the use of engineering services performed in other countries may limit employment growth, strong demand for electrical devices such as giant electric power generators or wireless phone transmitters should boost growth. Prospects should be particularly good for electrical engineers working in engineering services firms providing technical expertise to other companies on specific projects.</p>

<p>Electronics engineers, except computer, should have good job opportunities, and employment is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014. Although rising demand for electronic goods—including advanced communications equipment, defense-related electronic equipment, medical electronics, and consumer products—should continue to increase employment, foreign competition in electronic products development and the use of engineering services performed in other countries will act to limit employment growth. Job growth is expected to be fastest in service-providing industries—particularly consulting firms that provide expertise in electronics engineering.</p>

<hr>

<p>Computer hardware engineers are expected to have average employment growth through 2014. Although the use of information technology continues to expand rapidly, the manufacture of computer hardware is expected to be adversely affected by intense foreign competition. As computer and semiconductor manufacturing contract out more of their engineering needs, much of the growth in employment should occur in the computer systems design and related services industry. However, use of foreign computer hardware engineering services also will serve to limit job growth. Computer engineers should still have favorable employment opportunities, as the number of new entrants is expected to be in balance with demand.</p>

7

<p>My Major is Computer engineering but is more of the electrical engineering type. We take alot of EE classes, to get a dual degree in EE and Computer engineering, I only need 3 more classes. </p>

<p>So they are quite similar, Am I wrong?</p>

<p>I really would like to do semiconductor fabrication, but I have always wanted to develop Computer hardware. Circuits and Very low level programming.</p>

<p>Am I in the wrong major? because even the EE students take some CSE classes.</p>

8

<p>Q "So they are quite similar, Am I wrong?"</p>

<p>A "engineers whose work is related exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers. Electronics engineers specialize in areas such as communications, signal processing, and control systems or have a specialty within one of these areas—industrial robot control systems or aviation electronics"</p>

9

<p>since your going for a dual degree in E E and Comp E, I think your in the right major.</p>

<p>since you find the CSE classes boring you should go into Electronics or Electrical E.</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
My Major is Computer engineering but is more of the electrical engineering type. We take alot of EE classes, to get a dual degree in EE and Computer engineering, I only need 3 more classes.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's the setup at most universities. CompE's take corse courses like discrete math, data structures, etc. that EE's won't touch (unless they want to) and will also take the core EE courses. However, there are differences in the technical electives an EE or CompE will take. Although you may have taken your signals and systems course, as an EE you can take further systems courses as electives. </p>

<p>So although it may seem that you are doing a lot of EE stuff (which you are), to a pure EE major, you are quite different. </p>

<p>
[quote]
So they are quite similar, Am I wrong?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I like to break up EE into three areas:
-Electronic Devices and Circuits
-Electromagnetics, Power and Photonics
-Computers, Communications and Systems and Controls</p>

<p>As a CompE, you will see that the first and last areas are similar to what you are studying. But if you are interested in electromagnetics, you should major in EE. </p>

<p>Of course, computers are a part of everything in today's technology. So the two disciplines are similar, but keep in mind that advanced physics topics are associated with an EE, something compE's will not study. </p>

<p>
[quote]
I really would like to do semiconductor fabrication, but I have always wanted to develop Computer hardware. Circuits and Very low level programming.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Semiconductor fabrication is an EE topic. This should illustrate my point. As a CompE, you'll take a solid state electronics course and that's it. But as an EE, you will take further semiconductor courses as electives. CompE's care about using those chips whereas EE's fundamentally try to design the technology. So it comes down to what you want to do as an engineer. </p>

<p>
[quote]
Am I in the wrong major? because even the EE students take some CSE classes.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It really depends on what you want to do. Look at your coursework for both majors and see what course you think you'd be more interested in. From what I can tell, I think you may be more suited as an EE. Remember, even if you still like computers, you can still specialize in this area as an EE by taking microP, digital design, comp. arch., and advanced circuit design courses.</p>

<p>Also, the combined CompE/EE program is a special program where they allow you to double count tech electives for each degree. In other words, getting that dual degree doesn't mean you know as much EE as a student who strictly majored in it.</p>

11

<p>GatorEng said:</p>

<p>"I think you may be more suited as an EE. Remember, even if you still like computers, you can still specialize in this area as an EE by taking microP, digital design, comp. arch., and advanced circuit design courses"</p>

12

<p>...were you going to comment on that? Or are we just reiterating...?</p>

13

<p>since his list was long i just picked out an important message....</p>

<p>well he did say he found CSE classes boring..</p>