<p>Does computer science count as an engineering major?</p>
<p>I know computer science does not have the name engineering like electrical engineering. So does it consider as an engineering major?</p>
<p>The short answer is no.</p>
<p>Computer Science is more a branch of mathematics than engineering. Also, some CS degrees do not require calculus I, II, and III along with differential equations, whereas I believe all engineering degrees do require them.</p>
<p>The answer is 'yes'. At many colleges (like UCSD and UCLA) it's part of the school of engineering. CS is about more than writing simple programs and includes software engineering.</p>
<p>in cornell, yes.</p>
<p>CS may be part of the school but it still does not count as an engineering major. There are many schools that place their CS in the math department. IMO, I believe it should be place in the math department, but perhaps I am biased in this regard.</p>
<p>Even the USPTO differentiates between CS and engineering degrees.</p>
<p>never mind. <edit></edit></p>
<p>I am a student in UCSD. The CS major in UCSD listed under Computer Science and Engineering department. And CS major requires all calculus I, II, III.</p>
<p>From I know, two of my uncles studied CS major and work at the industry right now. Their title is "Software Engineer", and since CS major works as software "engineer", I personally think it's an "engineering" major.</p>
<p>No employer or grad school cares about these definitions; what one learns is all that matters.</p>
<p>cpthk,</p>
<p>I'm not knocking you, but you do know that many companies use the term "engineer" just as a title. I have seen the term "sanitation engineer" for waste management employees, does that make them an engineer?</p>
<p>If you read some of the engineering periodicals or forums you will see that some of the engineers are trying to push for either certification or requiring a graduate degree to be called an engineer. I don't care either way, but there are some engineers that take great offense to others slapping the label on themselves.</p>
<p>vossron,</p>
<p>It does if the person wants to become a patent attorney. </p>
<p>Overall you are right, I just thought I would add that one bit.</p>
<p>I believe one goes into computer science to become a software engineer.</p>
<p>According to Wikipedia, there is controversy in that the word "engineer" shouldn't be aside the word "software".</p>
<p>I myself agree that they can be classified as engineers.Schools should be evaluated and get accredited by the ABET for a BS in computer science.</p>
<p>Here is the Wikipedia link</p>
<p>Software</a> engineer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>Order, thanks, I didn't know. But can you clarify what that means? If you want to be an engineering patent attorney, your degree must say engineering, and the same for computer science, even if the classes taken are identical? Thanks.</p>
<p>Some people even question if computer engineering is a real field of engineering because its so new. Some schools even have classes which try to tackle this topic of whether or not CS is Engineering. <a href="http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/%7Erapaport/Papers/philcs-complete.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/Papers/philcs-complete.pdf</a></p>
<p>If your University has within it a school of Engineering and the CS curriculum is a subset of the engineering school then you have a degree in engineering. If your University puts CS in the math or physics department or even arts, then its not a engineering degree. Also if you as a CS major don't take at least Calc 1-3, Calc Based Prob and Linear Algebra to graduated, then you are in a weak program and this is not considered engineering. Most of the time schools that don't make there CS students take a lot of math don't themselves even have engineering programs. The CS degrees in industry are not even in the same league and regarded as different. if Abet calls your CS engineering, then its a engineering curriculum. if it wasnt the engineerin</p>
<p>The very word engineer has so many different meanings, that proper definitions are not even available. The real root of the word is somebody who is in charge of and operates a engine. More modern use of the word relates to what we study in school as well as its old root. Engineers still drive trains, and maintain their systems. We all should at least go to a abet accredited school so lets look at there definition of what a engineer is.</p>
<p>“The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.”</p>
<p>Now by the above definition, I can say that CS falls in and meets the requirements listed above. I see absolutely no discrepancies in the relation the CS degree has to the definition. In the jobs ive had ive always been titled as a engineer and worked in a way that met the criteria of the above definition.</p>
<p>Just on another note, If person A has a degree in engineering and is employed as a graphic designer, that person is not a engineer. If person B had a degree in graphic design and is employed as and his title says engineer, than that person is a engineer.</p>
<p>vossron,</p>
<p>You do not necessarily need an engineering degree. </p>
<p>To be eligible to sit for the patent bar exam you need to have a bachelor's in a technical field. CS is the only degree in the list that has an asterisk by it, designating that it need to be accredited by CSAC, CSAB, CAC, or ABET.</p>
<p>One way to get around the science degree is to take additional science course to meet the required number of units to qualify.</p>
<p>CS does count as an engineering major at many schools. One who graduates with a CS degree from, for example UCSD, will graduate with the rest of the engineers from the Jacobs School of Engineering. Ditto the CS grads from UCLA from the Henry Samueli School of Engineering. Since the CS major is in these engineering schools, the admits must meet the (higher) acceptance criteria of the school, must take the extensive math courses and other course required, learns the concepts of 'engineering', etc. </p>
<p>In addition, many companies consider CS grads as engineers and indeed they generally follow typical engineering practices in developing new software designs and applications.</p>
<p>Dr. Horse,</p>
<p>Please correct me if I am wrong, but that is only for the U.S., right? In other countries, I believe Canada is one, it is illegal to use the title "engineer" if you have not gone through the required steps.</p>
<p>I work in a building full of software engineers. I'd guess that 95% of the degrees are computer science.</p>
<p>"Real" CS is a science derived largely from discrete mathematics. It is not engineering. But most people who major in CS don't become computer scientists, they become programmers and software engineers (apparently there's a difference between these two jobs). So a lot of CS departments are within the college of engineering or it's grouped with EE ("EECS" departments).</p>
<p>Basically, CS is science not engineering, but CS degrees are often considered to be engineering degrees and their undergraduate curricula are similar to engineering curricula.</p>
<p>Thank you GShine. </p>
<p>You said it better than I could.</p>
<p>
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I work in a building full of software engineers. I'd guess that 95% of the degrees are computer science
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And most engineers would laugh when software engineers refer to themselves as engineers.</p>