What Are the Hardware Design Roles of Computer vs. Electrical Engineers?

[sandy.bridge]

Hello all,

I am current enrolled in a Computer Engineering program. Despite its title, I am not super interested in the programming aspect, however, I am interested in the design of computer hardware, and the integration of computer parts to the software. Can anyone here provide me with information regarding the types of hardware design a computer engineer will do, and the types that a electrical engineer would do (formal naming)?

 

[wukunlin]

in most universities I've looked at, electrical and computer are usually in the same department (ECE), take my university for example, the ECE department provides specialisation of electrical, software, and computer systems (what I believe to be half way between the previous 2), and (not sure about this one) information systems.

software engineers to pretty much exactly what the name implies so I won't explain that.

Electrical and electronics engineers do comtrol systems, PCB, transmission lines, circuit theories. basically you can think of it like from the most basic building blocks of electrical or electronic hardware. (actually you can go down another level, dealing with the materials of your transistor and stuff but that is the territory of chemical and material engineers).

Computer system engineers deals with the logic design (good chunks of boolean algebra), assembly codes, compilers, and for some reason. multiple user applications (database, digital contact list, management software etc).

From what I've seen on undergrad courses, computer systems and electrical & electronic do more or less the same, electrical heavier on the hardware side and CS heavier on the software side but both have the option to do something irrelevant to computer hardware.

If things are like that in other universities, doing either in undergrade won't have too much affect, switching over to a different specialisation in grad school projects should be simple.

hope this makes sense