Computer engineering?

[xnoobftw]

Anyone has studied in that course before? How is it like?

Would someone who really loves hard ware like graphics card etc enjoy working as a computer engineer? (me)

The reason why im asking it's because im currently studying in chemical engineering and i dont think my results can land me into the chem eng course for university

Computer engineering is easier to get into in a university and since i really do have a passion in PC i was thinking about it.

Any advise for me? Im completely clueless about my future....

 

[DudeWazap]

I took Electrical Engineering which does touch on computers when it comes to building the motherboard and learning about the transistors, MOSFET's, resistors, etc. and actually creating a circuit that works.

 

You do have to have a true passion to be in a course like that because it is hard to understand everything but it is fun when you know it. 

[xnoobftw]

I took Electrical Engineering which does touch on computers when it comes to building the motherboard and learning about the transistors, MOSFET's, resistors, etc. and actually creating a circuit that works.

 

You do have to have a true passion to be in a course like that because it is hard to understand everything but it is fun when you know it. 

How's the job prospect for electrical engineer then?

What's the diff btwn comp eng and elec eng LOL

[RezidentSeagull]

Hey there! I'm currently doing my undergraduate in Computer Engineering at UBC, so maybe I can offer some input. The courses I did for the first year of actual computer engineering (and not the general first year that UBC engineering students do) involved a mix of coding (in C and Java for my courses) as well as circuit building and programming (similiar to the Electrical Eng. that DudeWazap above did).

 

DudeWazap's right; you have to be REALLY interested in this sort of stuff to succeed. I love computers, but I'm just not passionate enough to want to continue this path, so I'm aiming to transfer out soon for something more IT-related

 

As for the differences, Computer Engineering blends Computer Science and Electrical Engineering together to make a mix of the two.

[DudeWazap]

How's the job prospect for electrical engineer then?

What's the diff btwn comp eng and elec eng LOL

My school didn't offer a degree called "Computer Engineering" It was called Electrical Engineering which touched on everything electronic which I prefer.

 

With an electrical engineering degree you can get almost any job that requires knowledge on PC's because you learn how everything on the inside works and why.

Also we touched a bit in C and C++ but focused on hardware rather than software some networking.

 

I currently repair automated robots at a hospital.

[TheMechEngineer]

Engineering in general is really awesome if you enjoy pulling apart old appliances to see how they work, but if you're looking to study it, choose your major very carefully.

Personally I chose mechanical engineering and it's a great major. Very challenging, plenty of maths and physics, a wide scope for employment and even the job prospects are decent compared to civil or environmental.

It depends on what kind of engineer you're likely to be: Do you see yourself powering machines with gears and pulleys, or would you rather slap on an electric motor and use programmable electronics to tell it what to do?

I've talked to quite a few electrical engineers, and the general message I get is that it's quite....how do I say this, a bit nightmarish. I found the same thing when I studied the Electrical Engineering course for my degree.

Hey if you're the kind of person who loves anything electrical (not just computers), then definitely consider it. But think real carefully about it if you're not totally commited to electronics.

[xnoobftw]

Hey there! I'm currently doing my undergraduate in Computer Engineering at UBC, so maybe I can offer some input. The courses I did for the first year of actual computer engineering (and not the general first year that UBC engineering students do) involved a mix of coding (in C and Java for my courses) as well as circuit building and programming (similiar to the Electrical Eng. that DudeWazap above did).

 

DudeWazap's right; you have to be REALLY interested in this sort of stuff to succeed. I love computers, but I'm just not passionate enough to want to continue this path, so I'm aiming to transfer out soon for something more IT-related

 

As for the differences, Computer Engineering blends Computer Science and Electrical Engineering together to make a mix of the two.

Hm.... What course would land me a job at nvidia or amd or any of that sorts? 

So computer engineering is more of programming etc?

hmmm....

Thanks for your input!

 

My school didn't offer a degree called "Computer Engineering" It was called Electrical Engineering which touched on everything electronic which I prefer.

 

With an electrical engineering degree you can get almost any job that requires knowledge on PC's because you learn how everything on the inside works and why.

Also we touched a bit in C and C++ but focused on hardware rather than software some networking.

 

I currently repair automated robots at a hospital.

EE focuses more on hard ware? That sounds really nice...

Maybe i'll look into that when im choosing my uni route...

Would writing something like im passionate in PC help with getting a spot for uni or even a job? 

TBH I've sold my services for fixing PCs with knowledge only from the web (mostly from LTT) (and yes i've earned from it LOL) and even building custom systems for people... And i really do enjoy it...

Would you recommend me with going for a course like yours or stick to mine? (Chem eng pays REALLY well in singapore)

[xnoobftw]

Engineering in general is really awesome if you enjoy pulling apart old appliances to see how they work, but if you're looking to study it, choose your major very carefully.

Personally I chose mechanical engineering and it's a great major. Very challenging, plenty of maths and physics, a wide scope for employment and even the job prospects are decent compared to civil or environmental.

It depends on what kind of engineer you're likely to be: Do you see yourself powering machines with gears and pulleys, or would you rather slap on an electric motor and use programmable electronics to tell it what to do?

I've talked to quite a few electrical engineers, and the general message I get is that it's quite....how do I say this, a bit nightmarish. I found the same thing when I studied the Electrical Engineering course for my degree.

Hey if you're the kind of person who loves anything electrical (not just computers), then definitely consider it. But think real carefully about it if you're not totally commited to electronics.

That's why im quite uncertain whether to continue with chem eng.... (it pays really well once i get a job with it)

How about smth like major in chem eng and minor in EE?

[Sauron]

I'm about to finish the first year. It's pretty good if you like programming and software design. Don't expect them to teach you anything specific about hardware though, that changes too quickly for any course to make sense.

[Theguywhobea]

Just graduated with a four year degree in Computer Engineering. Honestly it has little to do with actual off the shelf PC hardware. Most of what I did was digital circuits, studying and writing programs for micro-controllers. Then the other side was learning several different languages (C, Java, Perl, ASM, Ada) and a LOT of math, at least at the school I went to (Vermont Tech) the computers engineers and electrical engineers took the most math classes out of all the majors. I'd say if you'd prefer to work with off the shelf PC hardware and fixing or building computers you maybe should look into IT. If you don't care much for programming I'd go with EE. I'm currently working as a software engineer at a building automation company even though my degree is in Computer Engineering, I wasn't really able to find much for jobs specifically for Computer Engineers (and surprisingly a lot of companies had never even heard of Computer Engineers)

[DudeWazap]

Hm.... What course would land me a job at nvidia or amd or any of that sorts? 

So computer engineering is more of programming etc?

hmmm....

Thanks for your input!

 

EE focuses more on hard ware? That sounds really nice...

Maybe i'll look into that when im choosing my uni route...

Would writing something like im passionate in PC help with getting a spot for uni or even a job? 

TBH I've sold my services for fixing PCs with knowledge only from the web (mostly from LTT) (and yes i've earned from it LOL) and even building custom systems for people... And i really do enjoy it...

Would you recommend me with going for a course like yours or stick to mine? (Chem eng pays REALLY well in singapore)

If you want my honest opinion Don't go with something that "pays more". Because you will only be going to work for the money on not because you love your job. Go with something you have a true passion for and would love to do every day. That's my opinion though.

[TheMechEngineer]

That's why im quite uncertain whether to continue with chem eng.... (it pays really well once i get a job with it)

How about smth like major in chem eng and minor in EE?

 

I did hear something about Mechatronics engineering being the big thing for employment, it's an engineering major and mixes traditional engineering with modern day electronic stuff.

If you end up not liking it, you could still transfer majors in the first year, because first year courses are common across all engineering majors.

[RezidentSeagull]

Just graduated with a four year degree in Computer Engineering. Honestly it has little to do with actual off the shelf PC hardware. Most of what I did was digital circuits, studying and writing programs for micro-controllers. Then the other side was learning several different languages (C, Java, Perl, ASM, Ada) and a LOT of math, at least at the school I went to (Vermont Tech) the computers engineers and electrical engineers took the most math classes out of all the majors. I'd say if you'd prefer to work with off the shelf PC hardware and fixing or building computers you maybe should look into IT. If you don't care much for programming I'd go with EE. I'm currently working as a software engineer at a building automation company even though my degree is in Computer Engineering, I wasn't really able to find much for jobs specifically for Computer Engineers (and surprisingly a lot of companies had never even heard of Computer Engineers)

 

Exactly this. You do quite a bit of math (my program has a total of 5-6 calculus courses between 2nd-4th year I think, not including the 2 calculus courses in the general first year).  As for computer technologies, they covered it in one course, but it was more like an overview of technology rather than an in-depth study (like a brief overview of storage media, for example).

 

Hm.... What course would land me a job at nvidia or amd or any of that sorts? 

So computer engineering is more of programming etc?

hmmm....

Thanks for your input!

 

EE focuses more on hard ware? That sounds really nice...

Maybe i'll look into that when im choosing my uni route...

Would writing something like im passionate in PC help with getting a spot for uni or even a job? 

TBH I've sold my services for fixing PCs with knowledge only from the web (mostly from LTT) (and yes i've earned from it LOL) and even building custom systems for people... And i really do enjoy it...

Would you recommend me with going for a course like yours or stick to mine? (Chem eng pays REALLY well in singapore)

 

In terms of jobs, I'm fairly certain Computer Engineers are largely aimed at programming and designing integrated circuits. The best example I can think of is designing an router. Depending on what you wanted to do at Nvidia or AMD, you could conceivably write driver software (closer to CompSci) or design hardware (probably closer to Electrical Eng.) as a Computer Engineer.

 

If you like designing circuits, experimenting with kits like Arduinos, or programming in languages like Java/C++/C, Computer Engineering just may be for you. There is a pretty tough math barrier in my opinion, but if you're passionate for the field, you might be able to succeed there.

 

Also, the good news is that Computer Engineers, since they're a mix of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, they can tackle jobs in those fields with a bit of extra work.

[xnoobftw]

I'm about to finish the first year. It's pretty good if you like programming and software design. Don't expect them to teach you anything specific about hardware though, that changes too quickly for any course to make sense.

I've never tried any programming before tho... D:

 

Just graduated with a four year degree in Computer Engineering. Honestly it has little to do with actual off the shelf PC hardware. Most of what I did was digital circuits, studying and writing programs for micro-controllers. Then the other side was learning several different languages (C, Java, Perl, ASM, Ada) and a LOT of math, at least at the school I went to (Vermont Tech) the computers engineers and electrical engineers took the most math classes out of all the majors. I'd say if you'd prefer to work with off the shelf PC hardware and fixing or building computers you maybe should look into IT. If you don't care much for programming I'd go with EE. I'm currently working as a software engineer at a building automation company even though my degree is in Computer Engineering, I wasn't really able to find much for jobs specifically for Computer Engineers (and surprisingly a lot of companies had never even heard of Computer Engineers)

Aw D: Which course do touch on PC hardware then? I honestly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life fixing/building PCs even tho it doesnt pay much (much like linus)

A graphics card/ CPU/ motherboard excites me more than anything else in the world

 

If you want my honest opinion Don't go with something that "pays more". Because you will only be going to work for the money on not because you love your job. Go with something you have a true passion for and would love to do every day. That's my opinion though.

True!

 

I did hear something about Mechatronics engineering being the big thing for employment, it's an engineering major and mixes traditional engineering with modern day electronic stuff.

If you end up not liking it, you could still transfer majors in the first year, because first year courses are common across all engineering majors.

Problem is courses in my country are insanely hard to get in... I need a near perfect score to even dream about enrolling into a university (basically straight As with a few Bs) and so far I've already gotten 1 B (which isnt looking too good) 2 years into my study for chemical engineering (it takes 3 years)

 

Exactly this. You do quite a bit of math (my program has a total of 5-6 calculus courses between 2nd-4th year I think, not including the 2 calculus courses in the general first year).  As for computer technologies, they covered it in one course, but it was more like an overview of technology rather than an in-depth study (like a brief overview of storage media, for example).

 

 

In terms of jobs, I'm fairly certain Computer Engineers are largely aimed at programming and designing integrated circuits. The best example I can think of is designing an router. Depending on what you wanted to do at Nvidia or AMD, you could conceivably write driver software (closer to CompSci) or design hardware (probably closer to Electrical Eng.) as a Computer Engineer.

 

If you like designing circuits, experimenting with kits like Arduinos, or programming in languages like Java/C++/C, Computer Engineering just may be for you. There is a pretty tough math barrier in my opinion, but if you're passionate for the field, you might be able to succeed there.

 

Also, the good news is that Computer Engineers, since they're a mix of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, they can tackle jobs in those fields with a bit of extra work.

Funny thing is i have a arduino kit right on my table LOL (my dad's a electrical eng lecturer) But i didnt get any time to screw ard with.

My math is pretty bad tbh

So if i wanna design hardware EE is the way to go? 

[RezidentSeagull]

Aw D: Which course do touch on PC hardware then? I honestly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life fixing/building PCs even tho it doesnt pay much (much like linus)

A graphics card/ CPU/ motherboard excites me more than anything else in the world

 

...

 

Funny thing is i have a arduino kit right on my table LOL (my dad's a electrical eng lecturer) But i didnt get any time to screw ard with.

My math is pretty bad tbh

So if i wanna design hardware EE is the way to go? 

 

If you want to design hardware, like designing circuits from something as simple as a TV remote to as complex as a high-end graphics card, Electrical Engineering sounds like the way to go.

 

If you want to build, troubleshoot and generally handle computers and the associated hardware, go for I.T. instead.

[Sauron]

I've never tried any programming before tho... D:

 

They're there to teach you ^^ they don't require you to have any previous knowledge in the matter. You need to like it a lot though, otherwise you won't make it; programming is not the sort of thing you can study your way out of. You either understand it, or you don't, and if you don't you'll have a very hard time passing any exams on it. Of course there are other subjects too, a decent amount of math and physics are also involved.

[xnoobftw]

If you want to design hardware, like designing circuits from something as simple as a TV remote to as complex as a high-end graphics card, Electrical Engineering sounds like the way to go.

 

If you want to build, troubleshoot and generally handle computers and the associated hardware, go for I.T. instead.

I really wanna go to the IT sector but my parents (well generally asian parents) would advise me not to because of how low paying it is... 

D:

What should i do D:

[xnoobftw]

They're there to teach you ^^ they don't require you to have any previous knowledge in the matter. You need to like it a lot though, otherwise you won't make it; programming is not the sort of thing you can study your way out of. You either understand it, or you don't, and if you don't you'll have a very hard time passing any exams on it. Of course there are other subjects too, a decent amount of math and physics are also involved.

LTT is like a second family

I'll screw ard with my arduino during the weekends and try it out then

[RezidentSeagull]

I really wanna go to the IT sector but my parents (well generally asian parents) would advise me not to because of how low paying it is... 

D:

What should i do D:

 

Ultimately, you should do what excites you and makes you feel satisfied with your work. Also, I.T isn't THAT low-paying... Granted, the average salary of a computer engineer seems to be higher on average, with a quick google search placing the mid-level average at ~$100,000 vs I.T's $75,000 and up.

 

Something to note, however, is that job opportunities in the I.T sector seem to be much more substantial than that of Computer Engineering, which theguywhobea noted earlier on.

 

That said, Computer Engineers are versatile enough that they can probably tap into CompSci and ElecEng jobs with a bit of work.

[xnoobftw]

Ultimately, you should do what excites you and makes you feel satisfied with your work. Also, I.T isn't THAT low-paying... Granted, the average salary of a computer engineer seems to be higher on average, with a quick google search placing the mid-level average at ~$100,000 vs I.T's $75,000 and up.

 

Something to note, however, is that job opportunities in the I.T sector seem to be much more substantial than that of Computer Engineering, which theguywhobea noted earlier on.

 

That said, Computer Engineers are versatile enough that they can probably tap into CompSci and ElecEng jobs with a bit of work.

The boss of the retail PC stall i always go to is willing to hire me even tho i do not have any diplomas / degrees on PC! (Because i always build my client's PC at his shop)

Should i work from there? Like during my holidays so i can build my experience up and work up the ranks after I graduated?

[RezidentSeagull]

The boss of the retail PC stall i always go to is willing to hire me even tho i do not have any diplomas / degrees on PC! (Because i always build my client's PC at his shop)

Should i work from there? Like during my holidays so i can build my experience up and work up the ranks after I graduated?

 

Sure, why not! Having a job and experience is the best way to a.) test the waters and see if you might want a career in the field, and b.) actually work your way up to a more substantial job later on. You'll likely need some sort of degree or certification for higher level jobs in the future (which makes sense), but having job experience, especially in your desired field, will make you look good when employers think about hiring you in the future.

 

Plus, you can make some money from your work, which is also useful!

[xnoobftw]

Sure, why not! Having a job and experience is the best way to a.) test the waters and see if you might want a career in the field, and b.) actually work your way up to a more substantial job later on. You'll likely need some sort of degree or certification for higher level jobs in the future (which makes sense), but having job experience, especially in your desired field, will make you look good when employers think about hiring you in the future.

 

Plus, you can make some money from your work, which is also useful!

True!

Thank you for your advice