<p>Hey guys like the title says I want to know the difference between a software engineering and cs major. I'm an entering student in Cal Poly SLO and I chose my major as computer science, but I'm not entirely sure that is what I want now. From what I know software engineering is toned more for the practical aspects of the job (and according to info from cal poly training around working a group and etc along with the programming knowledge) while a computer science major is more into the theoretical points. Since I'm more focused at finding a job after college should I go into software engineering instead of cs or am I wrong and that is not the difference between the two majors. If this is the difference I want to contact Cal Poly and try to change my major from cs to software engineering. What is your input on this matter?</p>
<p>The SE major includes a two quarter introduction to SE topics (CSC 308-309) and four additional quarter courses on SE topics. The CS major requires either a one quarter introduction (CSC 307) or the two quarter introduction (CSC 308-309) to SE topics. CSC 307 or 308-309 is probably a sufficient base of concepts in SE to be able to adapt to whatever specific methodology you find in an industry software job.</p>
<p>The CS major has additional required courses in areas like like digital design (CPE 129-169) and programming languages II (CSC 431).</p>
<p>With either major, you can use technical electives to basically duplicate the other major for courses that are not the same in the requirements list.</p>
<p>For applicability to industry software jobs, it is likely that the following electives with either major will be helpful: networks (CSC 464), databases (CS 365-468), security (CSC 456). Other important topics like operating systems (CSC 453) and algorithms (CSC 349) are required by both majors.</p>
<p>[B.S</a>. Computer Science - Program and Course Information - Computer Science Department - Cal Poly](<a href=“http://users.csc.calpoly.edu/programs/bs_csc/]B.S”>http://users.csc.calpoly.edu/programs/bs_csc/)
[B.S</a>. Software Engineering - Program and Course Information - Computer Science Department - Cal Poly](<a href=“http://users.csc.calpoly.edu/programs/bs_se/]B.S”>http://users.csc.calpoly.edu/programs/bs_se/)</p>
<p>Overall, I’d say that the CS major is somewhat preferable to the SE major.</p>
<p>for undergrad, I’d corroborate that CS > SE</p>
<p>We may have to make this topic a sticky.</p>
<p>Always take the CS degree (with one software engineering concepts course) over the Software Engineering degree.</p>
<p>“Always take the CS degree (with one software engineering concepts course) over the Software Engineering degree.”</p>
<p>With the caveat that this only applies to BS, but not always MS. </p>
<p>GT - I’ve noticed we may be clashing on this idea in regards to grad school, but it seems we’re on the same page for undergrad.</p>
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<p>If everything else is equal… in some universities, an admissions arbitrage situation exists so that a student may be able to get into the SE major but not the CS major, so doing the SE major may be preferable to not being able to do CS/SE at all.</p>