<p>I've been a long time lurker of this forum, but my question has come to the point where I figured I would ask for your help. I will be attending UW-Madison next fall and I hope to have my major planned out by then in order to avoid wasting time and money switching. I definitely have it narrowed down between EE or CS. I already know the fundamental differences between these majors from the hundreds of posts asking about them, and I truly like each one in its own way. I have built robots and tinkered with Arduino throughout the last two years, and I like the whole build it, program it process. This is what originally got me thinking EE was right for me. However, I have been programming and writing apps with Java for awhile now and enjoy that equally as much. I'm really stuck here because from what I've heard here, double majoring CS and EE is not a good idea? Salaries, job outlook, all of that really doesn't matter to me. As for my future goals, the field that I am most interested is human-computer interface research. Bridging electronics with the human body has always fascinated me, and I would enjoy working in that field. Eventually, I hope to start my own business in the tech industry. I know that picking one major or the other won't necessarily hamper me from reaching my goals, but I would like gain the most applicable knowledge I can with my degree. I guess I'm really just looking for someone to convince me on one or the other. Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The degrees are close enough that you shouldn’t be wasting any time in your freshman year. My son was a business/music major and switched in his Junior year to CS/music major and still graduated on time.</p>
<p>First year is Calc, Physics, Chem, humanities, and communications. You will need that for either degree. After that, the basic CS/EE classes will be helpful in other major. So no waste there.</p>
<p>Now, if you have a lot of AP’s and want to graduate in 3 years, then you might need to do a lot of planning.</p>
<p>It really depends on your university. When I did my degree in ee, you are only allowed to take max of 2 cs electives. In our first year, we are allowed to take 1 humanities elective, 1 general chem and 1 calculus course, the rest is general engineering courses (even the programming courses are incompatible).</p>
<p>Both r really useful degrees and both interfaces with what you want to do quite well. The only thing is would you want to focus software only or do you want to do hardware as well? If both then ee seems the better choice.</p>
<p>Sounds like you should find a EECS program, which is very flexible with the courses you take. If they don’t have that, then look for computer engineering(not as flexible as the EECS but good enough)</p>
<p>A double major with EE and CS is brutal, and even if you are a genius, you ain’t graduating in four years. Find the EECS dual major which removes some classes to let you graduate in four years</p>
<p>
If you’re serious about this, you want CS. Another possibility is industrial engineering, or human factors engineering, something like that.</p>
<p>Consider a program in computer engineering or EECS, as these may be more flexible in letting you take courses that you’re interested in. Good luck!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>True. For maximum karma I’d say an undergrad in EECS with heavy doses of creative electives (design related) or experimental / cognitive psychology, or graphics, followed by grad school in IE / CS / CogSci / HF. It’s a lot of things to learn but fairly entertaining overall. </p>
<p>A lot of HF research and development work focuses on itty bitty gadgets, and as good as my EE’s and ECE’s are to design and build the lab benches and keep them running, there will come a time when they’re all out partying and you need to improvise. I’m speaking from experience here.</p>
<p>@OperaDad - That’s true, I glanced over the course plans for the three majors and they all seem fairly similar first year with the exception of an intro course. I might have to just network with the professors when I get down there and get there insight on the programs.</p>
<p>@BEngineer - The course paths for EE and CE look pretty strict on keeping the CS courses to a minimum. There are a few programming courses in there but they look mostly like intros or assembly programming which I doubt would really help with my specific goals. I really wish I could say I like one or the other but I truly enjoy both software and hardware.</p>
<p>@lightnin - I looked into EECS and it seems perfect, but due to money concerns I am forced to stay instate and UW-Madison is by far the best option. They do have CE but it looks pretty limiting as far as freedom with CS electives. I have heard of kids doing a CE CS double at UW but from what I’ve read on here that is fairly useless?</p>
<p>@aegrisomnia - Thanks for the recommendation on CS. Do you think it would be limiting at all just knowing the software side? At least with EE or CE you have some software background, but I’m not sure it goes the other way with CS? I’d imagine at least have of human-computer interface research would involve creating a physical device?</p>
<p>@turbo93 - Unfortunately there is no EECS at Madison. Would you recommend a double major in CS and either CE or EE? Or should I just do CS and leave open the elective slots for the topics you mentioned?</p>
<p>Thanks for the help guys.</p>
<p>CS and CE sure or just CS and a few CS electives in CE. I’m not talking heavy duty EE hardware classes, more hands on microprocessor applications, an extra architecture or digital design type class and the like.</p>
<p>@TStark For modern HCI research, as far as I’m aware, you’re either talking almost purely software (touchscreen, terminal, etc.) or industrial design/ergonomics… neither of which are areas where having in-depth knowledge of electronics would be of great use. That’s not to say that knowing that sort of thing isn’t important, just that your time might be better spent with things like psychology, graphic design, etc.</p>
<p>If you really want something cool for HCI research, do a CS with minor in linguistics. We GUI types are beginning to notice with some discomfort that the voice team is now larger than the GUI team for our new R&D project (12 vs 10). But they’re working to out-Siri Siri, if you get my drift…</p>
<p>Now if only the dude in the next cubicle will get Arabic text to speech working properly. I’m about ready to take the AP Placement Test for Arabic and shout corrections back I if he does not use headphones…</p>
<p>I think I may have worded it wrong with HCI. My interests are more along the lines of physically connecting human life with computers, similar to what is known as the singularity. I guess its more where neuroscience and engineering collide, like the robotic arms that are controlled by brain signals. Isn’t HCI more concerned with UIs for people to interact with?</p>
<p>I know someone who did research just like what you said… But his credential is mechanical engineer with biomed minor. The programming aspect he learned it while working, so I dont know if he is a good example…</p>
<p>^ The OP already knows how to program. If an ME, EE, or ChE is doing a programming job. It is not a job that requires CS knowledge at all.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Like the way the CIA puts chips in peoples’ heads?</p>
<p>My AI professor has done some cool stuff with brain-computer interfaces; there are definitely huge CS components here. Once you have extracted brain signal data, everything you do with it is rooted in AI/machine learning/statistics.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Haha yes in a way I suppose, although I’m unaware of the CIA doing anything like that. </p>
<p>@sumzup - Interesting stuff. I know the CS department at Madison has some cool AI research going on. Wouldn’t there also be devices needed that interpret and apply those brain signals, like CE/EE?</p>
<p>@TStark If you’re really interested in interfacing with biological things, especially big expensive biological things like people, the high-order bit is going to be biology, not electricity. You should go for biology or some related area and get into electrical stuff through interdisciplinary research initiatives (probably easier than finding a place to do electrical work and get into biological interfaces).</p>