Diff between Comp Sci and Comp Eng?

Parents Forum
1

<p>Here's a really dumb question. Does anybody know the difference between Computer Science and Computer Engineering? Youngest son wants to know. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I remember seeing this distinction drawn on the John Reed Web site about college athletics. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.johntreed.com/matsdad.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.johntreed.com/matsdad.html&lt;/a> </p>

<p>(That site, by the way, is not to be missed by any CC parent whose child is considering accepting a recruitment to a college sport.) </p>

<p>I think the distinction is that computer science deals largely with software, while computer engineering deals also with hardware issues, some of the issues my high school buddies learned about in electrical engineering programs. There would be some overlap in course requirements, but I'm pretty sure the computer engineering students get more of what is found in electrical engineering programs.</p>

3

<p>The differences among programs calling themselves either comp sci or comp engineering is far greater in many cases than the differences between these two.</p>

<p>Ignore the name and dig into the websites to see the program requirements. It will be easy to find.</p>

4

<p>Computer S</p>

5

<p>oops!
Computer science is hard.
Computer Engineering is really hard.</p>

6

<p>You have to take the engineer courses as a CE major. The payoff comes in the end as CE majors make, on average, a substantial amount more than CS majors. Even in entry salaries.</p>

7

<p>Yes, CE majors after graduating can possibly work in computer architecture depending on their specialty. They could be hired by companies such as Intel, National Semiconductor, AMD to work on the above-mentioned things. But many of these jobs require more advanced degrees than just a BS. They do have an EE bent and take engineering courses. There was a nice discussion in the old forum about it. . lemme see if I can dig it up. CE majors deal with both hardware and software.</p>

<p>Going to a college site such as that of Cornell and looking at the course offerings for these two majors can answer your question.</p>

8

<p>Here is a nice FAQ:
<a href="http://uenics.evansville.edu/%7Eeecs/FAQEECS.htm#CS1%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://uenics.evansville.edu/~eecs/FAQEECS.htm#CS1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Scroll down a bit, there is a question that deals directly with this.</p>

9

<p>Thanks everyone! Son will get a laugh out of backhandgrip's description...</p>