Does CS count as an engineering major?

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>On one hand, CS doesn't have the word engineering in its name. But on the other hand, both CS and engineering students use computers, so they do have something in common.</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

2

<p>This topic comes up once a week. Do a search.</p>

3

<p>“But on the other hand, both CS and engineering students use computers, so they do have something in common.”

  • I just threw up in my mouth.</p>
4

<p>Accountants and English teachers tend to use computers, too. </p>

<p>{LOL every response here, including mine, has been so jerkish}</p>

5

<p>No.</p>

<p>10 char.</p>

6

<p>What about political science?</p>

7

<p>Will, it depends on the university. Usually, yes; however, some schools don’t put the applied sciences in the engineering school.</p>

8

<p>No, it’s not engineering.</p>

<p>:::cough:::</p>

<p>But, that doesn’t “diss” CS. Math and physics aren’t engineering majors and nobody considers it insulting to point it out.</p>

<p>People usually want CS to be considered an engineering major because they think it gives their already darn respectable degree more respect. What-ev. And CS is often taught in engineering colleges, and they often have the same prerequisites.</p>

<p>Now, is actual software engineering, engineering? You can certainly make that case, although a lot of software development is pretty Mickey Mouse stuff compared to designing bridges or microprocessors. CS is applied math, software engineering is not exactly the same thing. And you don’t really see degrees in “software engineering,” it’s just assumed that most CS majors will be hired as software engineers, aka developers.</p>

<p>And if software engineering isn’t really engineering, and it may not, then so what? Who is the worse off because of it? Whether something is engineering or not doesn’t necessarily make it a more or less worthwhile degree than other degrees.</p>

<p>I’m excluding all humanities majors of course. :-D</p>

9

<p>I agree that CS isn’t engineering, it’s science, and for those people who know enough about it to make the distinction, that’s enough.</p>

<p>As far as SE… I disagree that it’s “Mickey Mouse” stuff. I think SE has a long way to go before it becomes less of “an art and a science”, so to speak, but… SE is not an old field at all. Give it, what, a thousand years or so, and then we can talk.</p>