<p>I'm thinking about switching my major from CS to ChemE.</p>
<p>I am wrapping up my first CS course now, which is Intro to Program Design. Before taking the intro course the only experience I had in programming is with Visual Basic at my high school. I don't know if we just didn't fully explore Visual Basic, but practically everything we've done in the intro course is new to me. I never did recursive functions, trees, etc. with Visual Basic.</p>
<p>I did well in Visual Basic, but now I'm not doing so well. Recursions make my head hurt, well actually most of the programming makes my head hurt. When I'm designing a program it's kind of difficult for me to piece everything together. Especially when we're doing nested kinds of things like h(g(f(x))), etc. I'm okay with the simple stuff and even alright with the somewhat challenging stuff, but when we get to the difficult problems, most of the time, I just can't figure them out. I'm not sure. Maybe programming just isn't for me.</p>
<p>When I was trying to decide my major I had narrowed it down to either CS or ChemE. Chemistry has always interested me, and the description of the ChemE major on my school's website just entices me even more.</p>
<p>I heard that ChemE is one of the hardest engineering majors, so that worries me a little because what if it turns out like CS? But I was thinking... is it possible that the thinking process of CS just doesn't click with me but the ChemE process might? These are the two largest concerns I have at the moment.</p>
<p>If you prefer logic, stick with CS. ChemE will involve problem solving which is similar, however the Chemistry part (anything involving natural science really) may not seem so logical. No harm in trying a ChemE class.</p>
<p>Recursion is the first big hurdle for beginners to overcome. Once you understand it, you are on your way, so don't give up. Programming is about problem solving and being able to map real world ideas into abstractions. It is based on small building blocks and the ability to use the tools you are given in order to build more tools and more complex functionality. When trying to understand something follow the rule: divide and conquer. Break everything up into smaller and smaller parts until you understand it. Iterate through the code very slowly by hand if you need to. It can get tedious, but will ultimately reward you with the insight you need. You next need to learn to balance a detailed view with higher views. Diagram the flow with different levels of detail. Use Occam's Razor. Make assumptions, then challenge them if need be.
It is more dynamic that a mathematical equation. You may need to account for bad data, interrupts, unique combinations, extreme inputs, user confusion, etc. Chemical reactions will happen according to scientific rules given specific pressures and temperatures. In cyberspace you get to design your own rules, your own world.</p>
<p>@mitan_da1
I heard about that. Here is a quote from my school's site; if this is what ChemE's do then I'm interested in it:</p>
<p>"Chemical engineers produce fertilizers that have been responsible for eradicating hunger in the world; they produce fuels like gasoline that power the engine of our society; they produce the plastics and metals that are in most things we use; they produce cement that has made possible the cities we live in; they produce fibers that clothe us; they produce the chips that power our computers; they produce the processed food that stocks the shelves of our grocery stores; and they produce the pharmaceuticals that keep us healthy."</p>
<p>If not, what do they do? And why is that on the site?</p>
<p>@mrego
I may give CS another chance. It's something I definitely am going to have to think about. Thank you very much for your input.</p>
<p>"Chemical Engineering, where concepts of thermodynamics are used to solve engineering problems. Engineers use thermodynamics to calculate the fuel efficiency of engines, and to find ways to make more efficient systems, be they rockets, refineries, or nuclear reactors. One aspect of "engineering" in the title is that a lot of the data used is empirical (e.g. steam tables), since you won't find clean algebraic equations of state for many common working substances."</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>"Chemical engineering largely involves the design and maintenance of chemical processes for large-scale manufacture. Chemical engineers in this branch are usually employed under the title of process engineer."</p>
<p>I've heard that chemical engineering is one of the streams of engineering that does the most programming. I mean not including software, electrical, or computers. However, it has a lot more than streams like environmental, civil or mechanical. Maybe this is just my school but if you don't like programming (which is true for a lot of people) this could be more of an issue in chem eng. than other ones.</p>
<p>In my undergrad, chemE's had to write a lot of programs for Matlab, moreso than civE's and mechE's.</p>
<p>Chemical engineers are more concerned with the process of producing chemicals at a macroscopic scale, but not so much the chemistry involved at the microscopic scale.</p>