<p>Hi, I was originally intending to apply as an ME but now the enrollment is reached and I need to change my major choices.</p>
<p>Is it possible to major in CS and EE? I am very interested in optics and EM, but I also would like to major in CS. Is it better to do Computer Engineering? Can you list pros and cons? Last thing, Texas A&M has two Computer Engineering tracks; one for CS and one for EE. Can someone highlight the difference?</p>
<p>Thanks so much</p>
<p>EE and CS can definitely go together. In fact, at UC Berkeley, we have them as a combined major. They have us go through two high level programming classes, one class on how computers work, one class on signal processing, and one class on basic circuit design. And after that we take whatever specialized classes we want.</p>
<p>In general, computer science deals more with the programs themselves. Generally everything from the Operating System up. You learn how to program, how to analyze programs efficiency, how operating systems work, how computer languages are developed, and probably some artificial intelligence. Depending on the school, you might have one class that teaches you the actual hardware of why a computer works, but outside of that it’s abstracted away and you only care about coding.</p>
<p>Computer Engineering deals more with the design of the actual computer, not the programs. Of course, computer engineers know how to program, but they generally learn from the operating system down. They generally cover much more of the digital design techniques that go into making a good computer hardware system than CS majors. In a sense its a cross between EE and CS, but its a very specific field of EE, dealing primarily with digital circuit design.</p>
<p>Electrical Engineering is much more broad. The curriculum can cover EM, optics, analog circuits, digital circuits, semiconductor physics, power transformations, and signal processing (both analog and digital). I’d say more but I’m actually much more on the computer science side of the spectrum</p>
<p>I would look at what kinds of classes Computer Engineers are required to take at Texas A&M. Like I said, CompE deals much more with the principles of digital circuit design, which you didn’t list as an interest, but I don’t know how flexible that school is with its requirements. What part of CS are you interested in? Do you just want to know how to code? Because most Electrical Engineering programs will require you to take a couple programming classes anyway.</p>
<p>It really depends what part of CS you’re interested in. If its the low level stuff about why computers work, I’d recommend Computer Engineering, probably the EE track. If you’re interested in compilers and higher level stuff like artificial intelligence, it might make more sense to double in EE and CS.</p>
<p>Electrical/Computer Engineer focuses on the hardware aspects of the computer. You will have to take more math classes like Differential Equations and Vector Calc II and course load tend to be rigorous and heavy. So you will have to be willing to deal with a lot math and physics.</p>
<p>Computer Science focuses on the software
etworking aspects of the computer. You don’t take as much math classes as EE but you will be taking more theory and algorithm classes. CS is purely coding and programming while EE focus on the electronic circuit theory and design.</p>
<p>In some university CS and EE tend to cross over where you take some classes from each other. Its possible to major in both EE and CS but its preferably to have a CS as a minor degree because pretty much the same thing as EE.</p>
<p>No use in double majoring in both. You should be able to major in one and take the classes you want to take in the other or major in Computer Engineering.</p>
<p>I am interested in the AI/high end stuff in CS. Is it possible to graduate in 4 years with both degrees? Also, how do you choose to double major? I mean wouldn’t CS fill up by the time I get accepted? If so, how do I get in to do the double major?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<ol>
<li>Make sure you have the idea of double major and dual major in your head right. Very often, CS+EE becomes Computer Engineering (CpE). How much EE or CS do you get in CpE varies from school to school. But in general, you should get as many fundamental computer science courses as the CS students do, with a few exceptions. But again, the curriculum is not the same in every school. </li>
</ol>
<p>The only downside of CpE is that you don’t get the full potential of EE. For CS, I think it’s fair and you can be just as good as the CS if you put in effort. In fact, for CS, you just need to be creative, intuitive, and hardworking. </p>
<p>For a very traditional CpE curriculum, you are exposed to both CS and EE at the same time.
<a href=“http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/prospective/gsoe/computer_engr/upload/CpEOv6-Fall09-Spring10-010810.pdf[/url]”>http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/prospective/gsoe/computer_engr/upload/CpEOv6-Fall09-Spring10-010810.pdf</a></p>
<p>I consider CpE as a dual major, rather than double majors. </p>
<ol>
<li>But can I still get a double majors?
Yes. But I find it a waste of time. If you are unsure about your prospect career path, than try CpE now. Some programs begins with engineering classes like “switching / digital system” right away. For CCNY (the pdf above), we don’t start it that early. But the good thing is, it’s pretty easy to switch major and still able to graduate in four years (with summer sessions, of course), because we kill basic math and science in the first year.</li>
</ol>
<p>I see graduate study more important and useful. So if you want CS as a career, get into a one-year graduate program, or EE, or CpE, or whatever.</p>
<ol>
<li>How do I file double majors?
I suspect this applies to most schools. You don’t file double majors until your junior year, but you can inform your advisor about taking classes outside your primary major. Some schools, however, ask for a secondary major on the application. But that isn’t a double major option. It’s use for admission purpose only.</li>
</ol>
<p>My son is doing just that – getting a double major (actually a dual degree) in ECE and CS. He’ll be able to accomplish it in 4 years by getting a BA in ECE and a BS in CS. (If he got a BS in both it would have been difficult to accomplish in 4 years.)</p>