Deciding between EE vs CompE: A Freshman's Journey

[Delta31415]

Good day everyone, a few months ago I posted a question regarding physics as a major, well fast forward about 6 months and I am studying engineering(I picked engineering(ECE) because first I get to take physics courses up to QM and second after some further research I found out that one of the main reasons I enjoyed physics so much(especially EM) was due to the math involved more than the physics itself.

so I am currently a freshman in engineering(my school doesn't allow one to pick their field till the second year) and I am looking to go into ECE. However, I do not know if I should pick EE or CompE, overall at my school, there is only a difference of 3-4 required classes between these two degrees( EE have to take advance EM, but CompE have to take a class in data structures, discrete mathematics, and ASIC design). The rest of the degree is electives based(for EE they only have 2- 3 mandatory electives such as a second signals course(both compE and EE take at least one signals course) and a controls course, while CompE have to take courses such as OOP, embedded systems, AI, Computer design and like 1-2 more software engineering courses). Everything else in the degree is electives based(So if I wanted I can take all of the COMPE classes as EE or vise verse and still get out in four years or less).Now that I have talked about the degrees let me state my interests, based on the research I have done the most interesting fields to me seem to be COMM/DSP, controls and machine learning/AI. One of the main reasons I am interested in these fields is that they go well together with my second major in mathematics(one of the major reasons behind my decision for ECE is that people have told me that it has the most math). Now some may say that math double major is a waste of time and I should just do a minor but hear me out I am already done with minor due to advance credit(for example next semester I will be most likely taking either real analysis or Fourier analysis). Now onto the question about hardware vs software, personally I like software more than hardware but I don't really care either way as long as the job involves math. However one of the reasons I choose engineering over a typical CS degree is that I don't wish to become a code monkey. (Even though I am interested in pure CS).

Edit: after talking to some grad students and other people I know they told me that it would be a better idea to drop the double major and just do a minor in math(if I don't double major than I can get my BSEE or BSCE in three years and then easily go for a masters in four years at the same college(The college I go to is one of the best in the world for its stem programs so getting a grad degree from here would be really useful in terms of getting a great job).

If you have read this far,

I would like to say thank you and any comment is welcomed.

 

[Mark44]

based on the research I have done the most interesting fields to me seem to be COMM/DSP, controls and machine learning/AI.

I don't know what COMM is, but digital signal processing would seem to me to be more on the EE side, while machine learning and AI would seem more on the computer engineering side.

Now onto the question about hardware vs software, personally I like software more than hardware

It's hard to say, because you seem to have interests both on the EE side and the CE side.With your interests in mathematics, EE might be the better choice. Digital signal processing relies on a lot of mathematics such as Fourier Transforms and Discrete Fourier Transforms.

 

[Delta31415]

I don't know what COMM is, but digital signal processing would seem to me to be more on the EE side, while machine learning and AI would seem more on the computer engineering side.

It's hard to say, because you seem to have interests both on the EE side and the CE side.With your interests in mathematics, EE might be the better choice. Digital signal processing relies on a lot of mathematics such as Fourier Transforms and Discrete Fourier Transforms.

Comm is communications and DSP involves a lot of math but one of the nice things about my university is that both EE and COMPE have to take a signals class and EE then go on to take 1-2 more courses in the field but I can take all of the DSP courses as COMPE but then my issue is that I have never heard of non EE doing DSP work.