Computer Engineering vs Electrical Engineering
This article is for students who are interested in careers in Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering, but are not sure which of the two fields to choose. This article discusses the differences between these two engineering disciplines, as well as how they can help you decide which career path to take.
Computer Engineering vs Electrical Engineering
Computer engineers design and package the computer components while electrical engineers focus on the integrated circuits and electronic circuits. It is important to gain a comprehensive understanding of both fields because there are differences in how each one approaches their work. Electrical engineers use both analog and digital circuits, while computer engineers mostly design digital systems
Why Study Electrical Engineering?
Electrical engineering is the study of electrical systems. It focuses on power, energy, control, communications, and digital electronics. Computer engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with information technology. Electronics is a broad field that includes computers engineering and computer science. Electrical Engineering
Going through academic curriculum of electrical engineering
Computer engineering entails the study of how computers are built while electrical engineering focuses on the operations of electrical systems. Electrical engineers build circuit boards while computer engineers design computers, increasing their speed and power. Computer engineering is typically divided into software engineering, hardware design, and computer networking.
Why specialization in computer engineering?
Computer engineers take a broad approach to designing and building computers. They use their skills in programming, hardware design, and electronic engineering to move towards new computer architectures and ideas which can be broadly applied in any number of fields. The best example of this was the Apple Macintosh personal computer that became the ground breaking product for personal computing sales. Electrical engineers specialize in power systems which includes inverters, transformers, and generators. They use their knowledge to generate electricity and provide power to the world’s largest electric grids.
How to choose your degree’s major?
Computer Engineer vs Electrical Engineer: While Computer Engineers create software and electrical engineers build systems, both career paths have their own specific set of skills. Additionally, while each field has its own benefits, the job opportunities for Electrical Engineers are far greater.
Grad Schools for EEs
Computer Engineering is a field that typically requires a Masters degree to enter the career path. Electrical Engineering can be pursued with a Bachelor’s degree. Both degrees typically require 4 years of study and at the end, you will receive your degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering. In addition, with most schools you can apply for internships or co-ops during your studies with most EE schools only requiring a Bachelor’s degree.
Conclusion
Computer Engineering is a field that combines skills in computer science and electrical engineering. Electrical engineers use computer technology to develop and test designs for power systems, communications networks, and other applications. Electrical engineers work closely with computer engineers to design and test these products. This creates a demand for both electrical and computer engineering graduates.