Computer/Electrical Engineering?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the best Associate of Science (A.S.) degree options for a student planning to transfer to a university to major in Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering. Participants explore the implications of different A.S. degrees offered at the community college level, including Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Technology, and Pre-Engineering.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks advice on which A.S. degree would best prepare them for transferring to a university for engineering.
  • Another participant suggests that the Pre-Engineering degree may offer the most flexibility and emphasizes the importance of taking Differential Equations for Electrical Engineering.
  • A participant expresses skepticism about the value of an A.S. degree, arguing that it may not lead to engineering jobs and that many community college courses may not be relevant.
  • Some participants mention the importance of taking courses that will transfer and satisfy requirements for the intended university.
  • There is a concern that taking time off after obtaining an A.S. degree may result in losing knowledge and making the transition to university more difficult.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the value of obtaining an A.S. degree and the necessity of taking specific courses for transfer. There is no consensus on the best degree path or the implications of taking time off after completing an A.S. degree.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that certain courses may not transfer or may be considered nonessential, which could affect the overall educational trajectory. There are also references to personal experiences that highlight the variability in community college programs and their alignment with university requirements.

musiclover55
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I know there are probably a lot of threads about this, but I want one for my specific situation.

My CC only has A.S. degrees (for computers anyway) for Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Technology, and Pre-Engineering.

Right now I think I want to major in Computer engineering or electrical engineering when I transfer.

Which A.S. degree do you recommend I take so that I can have the credits I need to transfer and be prepared for the major when I do? I would think pre-engineering but I might want to take a year or two off after my A.S. to work and what in the world could I do with a A.S. in pre-engineering?

Thanks in advance!

Here are some links to the programs if you're interested:
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=658
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=659
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=672
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=681
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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musiclover55 said:
I know there are probably a lot of threads about this, but I want one for my specific situation.

My CC only has A.S. degrees (for computers anyway) for Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Technology, and Pre-Engineering.

Right now I think I want to major in Computer engineering or electrical engineering when I transfer.

Which A.S. degree do you recommend I take so that I can have the credits I need to transfer and be prepared for the major when I do? I would think pre-engineering but I might want to take a year or two off after my A.S. to work and what in the world could I do with a A.S. in pre-engineering?

Thanks in advance!

Here are some links to the programs if you're interested:
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=658
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=659
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=672
http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/program...mMajorCode=681

I couldn't view any of the course programs... the browser said "file not found".

I think it's pretty tough to get a technician job these days. A lot of that type of work is overseas now. There are jobs in electronics that require a two-year degree but they are rare.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hmm sorry about that. These should work.

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=672

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=681

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=659

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=658
 
musiclover55 said:
Hmm sorry about that. These should work.

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=672

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=681

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=659

http://ccga.edu/Catalog/2012/programview.asp?mMajorCode=658

I looked at the pre-majors (I used to be an instructor at an ITT campus so I know a bit about AS and BET degrees.

Anyway, if you want to have the most flexibility when you transfer I strongly recommend "Pre-Engineering" 681. The others don't include Differential Equations which is a bedrock course for Electrical Engineering. If I were you, I would go for 681 and be sure to take as many Computer Science courses as well. If you do well you should be able to transfer to Georgia Tech which is a world-class Engineering school. Good luck!
 
I know when I went to CC for EE that I just took the required courses for the school I was going to transfer to. You can end up taking a lot of unneeded music classes and junk like that if you go for a AS in a community college. I'd go get the course flowchart from the University that you plan on attending and take as many of those classes as you can at the CC level. Most of the first two years are wasted time anyway - I had to take Texas history - while interesting - I can't remember anything about the class nor was it valuable to my career.

If you get an associates it's not going to buy you a whole lot IMHO. No engineering firm will hire you with a associates for engineering work, but they might for a technician job. But with a real desire to learn I think you should still be able to score a technician job if you show that you have 2 years of school behind you - regardless of having a AS degree.

I really wouldn't take a year or two off - you'll lose too much knowledge in those two years. Also the step from CC to University can be quite a leap for some (myself, included) and it is best to keep pushing through. I did take two years off to pursue an audio engineering career. Once I discovered that I couldn't feed my wife and myself on $30/week, I went back to EE and had to take some classes over (Calculus).
 
I've never understood why people at community colleges who are planning to transfer get AA or AS degrees. It doesn't help you get in, and as stated above you may need to take nontransferable or "useless" classes. Personally, I'm just taking classes that I know will transfer and that will satisfy distribution requirements for my future school.
 

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