Electrical vs Computer Engineering

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the distinctions and overlaps between Electrical Engineering (EE) and Computer Engineering (CompE), particularly in the context of a high school student's decision-making process for university applications. Participants explore the focus areas of each discipline, including hardware and software aspects, and consider career interests related to electrical devices.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that Electrical Engineering is more focused on telecommunications and hardware, while Computer Engineering is seen as more software-oriented.
  • Others argue that both fields can cover hardware design, with Electrical Engineering being broader and encompassing more areas than Computer Engineering.
  • A participant questions the definition of "hardware," suggesting that if the interest lies in designing circuit boards or electronics, either discipline could be suitable.
  • There is a viewpoint that Computer Engineering is a subset of Electrical Engineering, implying that skills from EE can apply to CompE, but CompE is more specialized.
  • Another participant notes that Computer Engineering incorporates elements of Computer Science, further complicating the distinction.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the relationship between Electrical and Computer Engineering, with some asserting that one is a subset of the other, while others maintain that both fields have distinct focuses. The discussion remains unresolved regarding which discipline is definitively better for specific interests in hardware.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully clarified the definitions of "hardware" and "software" in this context, leading to potential misunderstandings. The discussion also reflects varying interpretations of the scope and applications of each engineering discipline.

dougouk
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Hi, I am a grade 12 student, applying for uni for the coming September.
And yet, I'm still having trouble with deciding my course.

Electrical and Computer Engineering, I am confused with the two.

From wiki and other places I see that Electrical is more concerned with telecommunications and computer is concerned about just computer. But then there are ppl around me that say electrical eng is more concerned with the hardware of electrical devices where computer eng is more concerned with software. Is that true?

I'm looking to work with electrical devices like Ipad, tablets, mp3, laptops... and I want to focus on mainly the HARDWARE. If my interest lies in the hardware of modern-day electrical devices, is it right to choose computer eng?
 
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dougouk said:
From wiki and other places I see that Electrical is more concerned with telecommunications and computer is concerned about just computer. But then there are ppl around me that say electrical eng is more concerned with the hardware of electrical devices where computer eng is more concerned with software. Is that true?

Both are true, depending on what you want to get into.

I'm looking to work with electrical devices like Ipad, tablets, mp3, laptops... and I want to focus on mainly the HARDWARE. If my interest lies in the hardware of modern-day electrical devices, is it right to choose computer eng?

What do you mean by "hardware" ? If you want to design the exterior case, you'd be better served with mechanical engineering. If you want to design the circuit board or electronics, either electrical or computer engineering would probably serve you well.
 
fss said:
Both are true, depending on what you want to get into.



What do you mean by "hardware" ? If you want to design the exterior case, you'd be better served with mechanical engineering. If you want to design the circuit board or electronics, either electrical or computer engineering would probably serve you well.

Either computer or electrical? Wouldn't one be better than the other?
 
Electrical > computer cause electrical can also do computer. From what I've heard, computer engineering is just a subset of electrical engineering. So anything computer engineering can do, electrical engineering can also do but electrical is broader. Computer is more specialized though. Do electrical engineering. It does seem more marketbale.
 
I think you should do electrical engineering...
Computer is engineering is part of electrical engineering or you can say its sub branch of it...
 
More accurately, computer engineering is a subset of electrical engineering mixed with a subset of computer science.

So when the EEs start working on power transmission and three-phase motors, the CompEs start reading about compiler design and operating systems.

(If CompE was a strict subset of EE, there would be very little point to it.)
 

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