Help me choose 8 out of these 14 courses please....

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around selecting courses for a Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MSEE) program, specifically within the "Sensing and Information" and "Signal Processing and Communications" tracks. Participants are sharing insights on course demand, industry relevance, and personal interests in relation to course selection.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses uncertainty about industry demand and seeks advice on which courses might be more valuable in the job market.
  • Another participant suggests considering personal interest alongside job prospects, recommending courses EC504, EC513, EC517, and EC519.
  • A different viewpoint emphasizes the importance of enjoyment in course selection, arguing against choosing based solely on job outlook or salary potential.
  • A participant shares a conversation with their advisor, highlighting a tension between pursuing personal interests and concerns about entering a potentially unpromising field like VLSI.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether to prioritize personal interest or job market considerations in course selection. Multiple competing views remain regarding the best approach to choosing courses.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of knowledge about industry demand and salary expectations, indicating that these factors may depend on regional specifics and personal interests.

Who May Find This Useful

Students in electrical and computer engineering programs, particularly those considering course selection and specialization strategies.

austinmw89
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Hi! I'm just beginning my MSEE program and am planning to do a mix of the "Sensing and Information" track as well as the "Signal Processing and Communications" track at my university. I've narrowed my course possibilities down to 14 courses, but I'll only be able to take 8 or 9 of them. I don't have much knowledge of industry demand, outlook, salaries, etc. beyond what I'm able to google, and I know that these things can be region specific, but I'm hoping someone can give me a general sense of what course knowledge may be higher/lower in demand as well as what specializations pay better than others.

So which of these would you take?

EC505 Stochastic Processes
EC504 Advanced Data Structures
EC535 Introduction to Embedded Systems
EC508 Wireless Communication
EC521 Cybersecurity w/ Intro to Networking co-req
EC544 Networking the Physical World
EC541 Computer Communication Networks
EC516 Digital Signal Processing
EC571 Digital VLSI Circuit Design
EC513 Computer Architecture
EC517 Introduction to Information Theory
EC520 Digital Image Processing and Communication
EC519 Speech Processing by Humans and Machines
EC561 Error Control CodesAny advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!
 
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Bear it mind that you need to consider not only future job prospects, but also which areas are more interesting/motivating for you.
If it were me I think I would include 504,513,517 and 519
 
take classes you enjoy. don't pick a specialization based on what has a better job outlook or better pay.
 
Recent conversation with my advisor went like this:

Me: So I'm interested in a lot of areas and don't know what to specialize in
Advisor: Just do whatever appeals to you
Me: Ok, well I liked electronics and computer architecture, so I'm thinking about VLSI
Advisor: Oh, don't do that. Anything but that.
Me: ...

So while I hear you that I need to take classes I enjoy, I also don't want to go into a dead-end field. I need to pay back all these student loans at some point. o0)
 

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