Computer science minor - yes or no?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the decision of whether to pursue a Computer Science (CS) minor alongside an Electrical Engineering (EE) major. Participants explore the potential benefits of additional programming knowledge and its relevance to their careers in engineering.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the necessity of a CS minor, wondering if the programming skills learned would be applicable in their EE career.
  • Another participant shares anecdotal evidence from two EE professionals, suggesting that coding skills can enhance career opportunities, particularly in project management and firmware programming.
  • A different participant, who is a Mechanical Engineer (ME) with a CS minor, advises focusing on other engineering classes to find a sub-specialty in EE instead of pursuing a CS minor.
  • One suggestion is to take some programming classes first to assess personal interest in coding before committing to a minor.
  • A participant expresses a desire to evaluate their programming interest after the fall semester, indicating a willingness to take the minor if deemed important.
  • Another participant, familiar with programming from self-study, considers a CS minor as a way to formalize their knowledge and align it with their goal of working at the intersection of hardware and low-level software.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether a CS minor is necessary or beneficial. Multiple competing views are presented regarding the value of programming skills in engineering careers and the best use of course units.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the relevance of specific CS courses to their future careers, and there are varying opinions on the importance of formal programming education versus self-study.

Who May Find This Useful

Students in engineering fields, particularly those considering a dual focus on Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, may find this discussion relevant as they evaluate their academic paths.

FancyNut
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I'm planning for the fall semester in which I'll start taking classes that'll count for a CS minor. The thing is, I'm not sure if I need it or not. I'm an Electrical Engineer. I heard people tell me to take more programming classes than the usual EE program the school offers. Many people double major EE/CS.

However, is this only beneficial because it'll give me a better 'understanding' of how everything works? I mean will I use most of the stuff I'll learn, like intro to software engineering and intro to operating systems?


Which is better: take a CS minor, or use those 22 units to take other Engineering classes?
 
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Of 2 EE friends of mine, about 15 years into their careers, one moved into project management and the other does a lot of firmware programming. The one that is a PM now did a lot of coding for hardware test systems; no doubt his coding skills helped his career. For your decision, try to gauge how much you like coding; if you do then a CS minor would give you another career option, for jobs available in every metropolitan area.
 
Im not a EE, but a ME, but I have a previous minor in CS. From my previuos experience and current experience I suggest taking 22 units in other engineering classes. Find a sub speciality in EE and see if you can focus on that via your classes.

EDIT- that is, studying to be an ME
 
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Take some of those classes and see how much you like programming. If you develop a taste for it, then get the minor.
 
Thanks for the replies. And yeah I was thinking after fall I'll have a better idea of whether I like programming so we'll see. Though even if I don't like it, I'll take it if it's important.

I was just looking at some other schools' EE programs, and they too only have one 'intro to programming for EE' course. Before looking into it I thought my school just isn't preparing its student well enough so I started thinking about a CS minor.
 
I plan to major is EE or dual in ECE and I was wondering if I should minor in CS too, I'm definitely familiar with programming (from self-study) and I was wondering if this was a way to receive some credit for work I've done. I want to work in something where the hardware and low-level software meets, so would ECE/CS be appropriate?
 

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