I was looking through these, since I want to go into Computer Science, but they seem almost identical. What’s the difference? Are salaries the same? I’m interested in getting a masters, but I want to be careful with which one I choose in case I decide to go the Ohio State.
CSE is ABET accredited, while CIS is not. CSE also takes more math classes, so one could argue it is “harder” than CIS. CSE also has a fantastic career services department that CIS doesn’t have.
OK - the remark about one having fantastic career services and another not having one is not correct.
Let me explain the differences. The same department runs both the programs. CIS is a degree through college of art and science whereas CSE is the degree through college of engineering. The major requirements are identical and students from both the programs take the same classes together. The non-major requirements are different, however, College of engineering requires 24 credits of GECs, i.e., credits outside of engineering, science, or Maths. The corresponding number for art and science is 36, and it includes 12 (?) credits of foreign languages. Engineering degree requires additional credits in engineering and Maths, I believe 2 general engineering classes in first year, one more electrical engineering class, and one Maths electives.
Put another way, the difference is foreign language vs. the 12 additional credits of engineering/Maths.
It is correct that the engineering degree is ABET accredited whereas art and science degree is not. The extent to which employers care about this is unclear. In some engineering areas like Civil engineering, a non-accredited degree is a huge red flag. This is not true in computer science (or for the software field). Many (good) schools offer computer science only exclusively through art and science, and the degrees are not accredited – Purdue and Maryland are examples I can think of right away, I am sure there are others. Graduates from these places do fine.
It is also true that engineering has good career service, college of art and science – not so much. However, CIS students have access to the engineering career service. So, there is no difference between CIS and CSE in this regard.
Add Stanford and Carnegie Mellon to the schools where CS is non-ABET accredited. It really doesn’t matter in the slightest.
I’d say the biggest disadvantage to CIS is that a lot of schools offer what is essentially an IT degree under the name “Computer and Information Science”. You’ll need to make sure that people understand you do in fact have a real computer science degree.