Computer Engineering and Computer Science for Hardware/Software Interaction

[exequor]

I want to be in a position where I can design hardware, then write low level codes on chips (firmware) to make the hardware adaptable to software. Let's take a dvd player for example, I am thinking that if I have to write firmware so that the hardware and software can interact, I think that I would need to understand how both hardware and software works.

So what would be the better thing to do electronic and computer engineering or computer science?

 

[devious_]

I vote ECE.

 

[Brad Barker]

make sure to ask this question to advisors in the engineering departments!

 

[leright]

CS is mostly purely software, whereas ECE is both hardware and software. Go with ECE.

Plus, the things you learn in ECE are less transient than the things you learn in CS. In CS, everything you learn will be outdated by the time you graduate.

Plus, you'll likely make more money with an ECE degree than with a CS degree, and you'll have an easier to finding a job.

 

[exequor]

thank you guys so much for the advice, I am now more confident that i will be going with ECE (99% so)..

 

[leright]

thank you guys so much for the advice, I am now more confident that i will be going with ECE (99% so)..

Don't be confident just because some people on an online message board told you to go with ECE. TALK TO AN ADVISOR!

 

[Brad Barker]

Don't be confident just because some people on an online message board told you to go with ECE. TALK TO AN ADVISOR!

yeah, this is too important to bungle!

 

[exequor]

no well it is not just because some people people said that I should go with ECE. I did take their "Academic and career guidance" into account. I will talk to an advisor though. Also I have done mathematics, physics, geography and communications at the advanced level and all my computer sci. knowledge is from self-study.

 

[leright]

Plus, when going through a computer science degree program, you don't really "understand" the big picture of how computers work...not even close...

However, with computer engineering, you understand software, hardware, and the connections between the two, which gives you a much better big picture understanding of how computers work.

 

[exequor]

Right now I have started the ECE journey. And you are right leright (le"right" because in ECE you work on everything from circuit theory to operating systems. In CS you do go into java, c++ in detail but those are things that you can learn easier on your own.