<p>Title says it all. I'm interested in both electrical engineering and software and I'm having a tough time choosing between the two majors so I'm considering the middle of the road: Computer Engineering. The program is brutal much more so than the Software Engineering program I am in right now but I think itll be worth it if when I graduate I am able to freely pick what I like without being forced to choose with limited experience. So, does a Computer Engineer get enough education in both fields to be able to do bachelor level Software Engineering and Electrical Engineering jobs?</p>
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Well, not really - if it did, it would take a lot longer as you would have to learn the full curriculum of both majors, and that is not a 4-year program.</p>
<p>CompE is going to give you SOME EE and SOME CS, oriented specifically towards … computer engineering. From what I recall, the software design is focused on core functions, low-level languages, and operating systems, and the electrical portion is likewise focused on those areas particularly relevant to designing computers - no antenna design or lasers, for example.</p>
<p>As a result, a CompE degree is great for working in the computer industry, but it is going to be hard to break out of it and work as a “general” CS or EE. There might be a few other niches where you can compete, but not many unless you expand your skills and resume beyond the CompE curriculum.</p>
<p>I agree with that.
As a Computer Engineering major, you (depending on your program) might not have any exposure to some areas of electrical engineering like signal processing, semiconductors, antennas, electromagnetism, analog design, etc. </p>
<p>In fact, I always say if your end goal is to work in hardware, just do the full EE degree. Software, maybe CS is a better option too.</p>
<p>I would agree that it is hard (but not impossible) to get a job typically suited for a EE. I feel it is easier to receive a software engineering job as a CompE though. I have received a number of offers though to work as a software engineer in addition to typical CompE jobs.</p>
<p>Yeah, you won’t be competitive for core CS and EE jobs as a CompE. But you’ll have options in low-end CS and ES and be competitive for core CompE.</p>
<p>Well I also have another option. My school has an dual degree in Electrical Engineering and Computing technology for a total of 5 years. Basically I take a standard Electrical Engineering degree but another whole extra year is added due to the fact I will also be taking Computer Science courses.</p>
<p>Here to give you a perspective. If I do the computing option, these are the programming courses that will be added onto my electrical engineering degree:
ITI1120 Introduction to Computing I
ITI1121 Introduction to Computing II
CSI2101 Discrete Structures
CSI2110 Data Structures and Algorithms
CSI2120 Programming Paradigms
CSI2372 Advanced Programming Concepts with C++
CSI3120 Programming Language Concepts
CSI3131 Operating Systems
SEG2105 Introduction to Software Engineering
SEG2106 Software Construction
And finally the last course is an elective in a computer engineer, computer science or software engineering class third year or higher.</p>
<p>Do you think it is worth it to take Electrical Engineering and these CS courses and stay an extra year in university? Will it make me significantly more marketable and increase my job market?</p>
<p>^ Not significantly more marketable for software. Theory, systems and applications are missing from the extra courses… frankly, those are the CS courses most people would expect a CompE to take.</p>