<p>All I know is that Computer Science is offered at the college of letters and science and the other is at the college of engineering.</p>
<p>If Computer Science and Engineering is Computer Science & Computer Engineering, then Computer Science and Engineering would be CS + (some) hardware/physics or the option to choose from either software or hardware/physics focus or a combination of those.</p>
<p>Computer Science is software and math, generally leaving out the concerns of hardware design and focusing on what builds on top of that / mostly high-level applications, algorithmics and complex software systems.</p>
<p>CS in the college of letters and science is probably a more of a “liberal arts” type program in the sense that you’ll take a somewhat broader base of courses and then narrowly focus on specialized CS material - most probably more mathematical aspects - later in the program. Once you complete the distribution requirements, you’ll probably have fairly wide latitude in choosing electives. You may be required to write a thesis.</p>
<p>By contrast, CSE in the college of engineering is probably going to be a more typical engineering style of program. You’ll have relatively few distribution requirements, but will not focus as narrowly on the technical aspects of CS. Instead, you’ll learn about some hardware, some software, as well as applied mathematics and professional ethics relevant to all engineering disciplines. It’s possible you won’t be able to go as deeply into some areas as in the liberal arts CS program, but you’ll probably find you have a much more solid technical foundation in the areas you do study.</p>
<p>If you imagine a graph of level of competence versus subject, my way of thinking is that the CS program might have a generally higher level for non-technical things, then some spikes in technical areas related to CS. On the other hand, the CSE graph might have a somewhat lower level for non-technical areas, but a more consistent plateau shape for technical areas (lower total height, but much greater area under the graph for the technical areas; of courses, this is holding total area under the graph equal for both CS and CSE).</p>
<p>At my school CSE is through the college of engineering and is a hybrid of computer science curriculum and computer engineering curriculum. You take foundational courses in both disciplines, but you have significant leeway on how much emphasis you want to put on hardware or software or networking or other tracks.</p>
<p>Are you thinking about UCLA?</p>