<p>I'm an admitted CS major under L&S. Yet, I truly enjoy hardware just as much as I enjoy software. I want to be able to work with both in terms of a future career. Is this by itself a legitimate reason to attempt a transfer into CoE and EECS? Or will a CS degree not prevent me from working with hardware? Also, what are the differences? I've been looking around and I saw a very recent post stating "The rigor of CS is basically the same as EECS except you're not required to take physics." Is this a valid statement? What are your guys take on it? Any other advice on what I should consider before deciding to make an attempt to switch into EECS? Thanks!</p>
<p>The degree itself means little, and there shouldn’t be much stopping you from taking EE classes. In terms of graduation requirements, EECS is essentially CS + multivariable calculus + physics, and as a CS major you will have to take circuits and can take classes in digital logic and hardware design. If you want to do robotics, communications (for example, wireless networking), signal processing and media compression, or other fields that aren’t in software, then you will need to start from EE20 - Signals and Systems.</p>
<p>EE classes teach you engineering intuition and how to model and build systems. Undergraduate CS classes, even systems ones like OS or Compilers, just don’t give you this sense. There are a few grad classes that move towards engineering but having real systems experience from EE seems quite helpful.</p>
<p>Whether you are in CS or EECS, you’ll need to take CS61ABC and some circuits class. EECS majors have to take EE40 while CS majors have a few options. I would take EE40 (which will satisfy your circuits requirement regardless of your major) and then take EE20 to see if you find signals and systems to be interesting. At that point you’ll have completed the EECS and CS lower-div requirements except for discrete math and can apply to EECS if you’d like to.</p>
<p>Regardless of where you end up, your schedule will be on track and at “worst” you’ll have unnecessarily taken EE20 if you stay in CS, although EE20 is certainly more useful for software people than EE40…</p>
<p>Edit: I forgot to mention the physics and math requirements. As EECS you’ll have to take Math 53 and Physics 7A and 7B. Perhaps you can take classes at a community college over the summer to skip either Math 53 or Physics 7A.</p>
<p>Great, that helped a lot. Anyone else?</p>
<p>I too am going to be a CS major in L&S. I also like physics & math, and was planning on taking Math 53 and Physics 7A/B just because I like those classes. If I do like EECS more than CS and I choose to transfer, how difficult would this proccess be? Going from CS -> EECS. Would there be a certain GPA I should try to attain?</p>
<p>The magic number for switching into EECS from another college that I keep hearing is 3.7 GPA. So it is seemingly far easier to switch from EECS to CS.</p>
<p>I want to do EECS, because I’m interested in both the engineering aspects and the computer science. I also want a B.S. not a B.A. (It is weird why they do that for L&S).</p>
<p>I would talk to advisors in both L&S and COE, about the differences in what you’ll learn, and the differences between what you will do in the two majors.</p>
<p>At Cal Day, the EECS made it fairly clear that as a CS student you’re essentially in the engineering department, but you have L&S Breadth requirements, slightly different other requirements (Like the math/physics), and you get a B.A.</p>
<p>I would take the classes that are similar between both majors, get A’s in them and then transfer if you still feel that way. If you keep that 3.7+ it shouldn’t be too difficult to transfer (It might have been 3.5, but better safe than sorry).</p>
<p>I think that GPA cutoffs are only part of the picture. If you want to transfer into EECS (especially from CS), you need to give them a reason that amounts to more than “I don’t want a BA.” (You’re not alone if you feel that way, though. Several people transfer from CS to EECS or from <science> to Engineering <science>.) The administration doesn’t like that for some reason, though, so you’ll need a more compelling argument.</science></science></p>
<p>In the case of going from CS to EECS, you’ll need to demonstrate both interest and skill in EE. This means having taken or currently taking EE40 and EE20 as well as Math 53 and Physics 7A+7B by the time you apply for a transfer. While your overall GPA should be 3.7 or better (I don’t have any hard numbers on this, sorry), EECS classes should be raising your GPA, not lowering it.</p>
<p>Like I hinted, the advisers will tell you that if you’re going to specialize in CS, then whether you get a BA or BS doesn’t matter. This is largely true and many employers and grad schools won’t significantly discriminate. It’s mostly just nice to be able to put “B.S. EECS” on your resume or say you hold a BS when it comes up in conversation. I also do know of at least one employer that informally requires an engineering BS when it comes to promoting people to senior positions.</p>
<ul>
<li>L&S CS is more convenient if you are going to double major within L&S because you don’t have to satisfy both CoE and L&S breadths. There are people who double major across colleges, though, so can do extra work to get the best of both worlds if you’re so inclined.</li>
<li>CoE EECS is a more technical major that teaches you engineering if you take advantage of the EE offerings. There is a greater focus on engineering math, engineering science, and engineering design. If you would like breadth within engineering, then this is a better major for you.</li>
</ul>
<p>Ultimately, you can still be successful with a BA and the administration doesn’t want people flocking to EECS for the BS so they tell you there’s no difference.</p>
<p>The plan in my first post is a good compromise that lets you complete the L&S CS requirements while doing some extra work to satisfy the EECS ones. That way you’ll have a good list of courses on your transcript when it’s time to transfer, while still satisfying the L&S CS requirements in case you aren’t successful. Either way, you can still graduate on time and earn a CS degree of some sort.</p>