computer engineering
Q. Can anyone tell me what do computer engineers do. And what do computer
engieering major study. By the way which one is easier to get a job after
BS,MS,or Phd in computer science and computer engineering...
And as a computer science major what degree is easier to get a job with good
pay (MS or Phd or BS)
And as a computer engineering major what degree is easier to get job with good
pay.
Overall, can anyone tell me which one has more job opportunity computer
science, computer engineering or EE, and also which degree among
them(Bs,MS,Phd)
A. It varies from school to school. There is no fixed definition.
I have a B.S. in Computer Engineering. When I went back to grad
school, the program name changed to be Computer Science, except that
you get a B.S. The current Computer Engineering is much more
E.E. oriented but with some CS classes tossed in (mine was like a CS
with an EE and science background).
Neither of these match what I think C.E. should/could be. In my
opinion, C.E. should cover a broad range from computer architecture,
vlsi, microprocessor lab, OS design, etc. Basically, design classes,
covering hardware and low level software. Basic E.E. only, no need
for indepth stuff. (this is sort of what I did, except I took a lot
of electives rather than having them required) I'd like to see a
C.E. grad as someone who could design part of a computer at a
functional level, the intermediary between pure hardware and pure
software.
B.S., in my experience. An M.S. maybe if you don't take time off
in between to get a job. PhD's are definately very hard to get
a job with (today anyway).
PhD's get by far the best pay - but then compare to a BS or BA
in computer science that didn't take 5-7 years off to work for
$10K/year. MS is slightly above a BS in pay (and no diff between
a BS/BA that I know of).
If you want to go into academia - you pretty much have to have a PhD.
If you want to do research, you pretty much have to have a PhD; though
you can get into juicy stuff with just an MS or BS along with good
contacts.
A PhD can hurt if you want a non-research job (I spent 4 years in grad
school but left without the phd, and many interviewers explicitly
expressed concern that I would want too much money or would spend too
much time doing research, etc).
As far as the difference between CS and CE, ignore it - look at the
curriculum directly and base your decision on that. There's usually
enough leeway with electives to turn one into the other.
My advice - if you can get a good 4 year program (hard to do nowdays),
extend that to 5 years and get an MS as well.