Can a Computer Scientist get the same jobs that SEng gets? In fact, there are schools out there, where BS in SE degrees yield slightly higher starting salaries than BS in CS degrees. Unlike most other deviations from the industry-standard BS in CS degree, the BS in Software Engineering is usually not a problem. A critical part of the computer science vs. computer engineering discussion is what options are out there in case you want to pursue further higher education after your bachelor’s degree. Computer Science degrees can actually exist with only Discrete Math, Statistics, Calc 1 and Calc 2 being required (plus two or three math electives on top). There are some masters degree in software engineering, often focused on acquiring some practical experience or learning certain management and project planning skills. There are several reasons for this dynamic: The two tracks will generally include some common courses, but a different overall architecture. I used to think Computer/Software Engineering > Computer Science because you're an "engineer". Enjoy the 4 years good part of CS. If you want to follow the professional route, CS is better, as it gives you more flexibility. Very few schools offer undergraduate degrees specifically in software engineering. Though an IT and computer science degree can both prepare you for jobs in the tech field, they often appeal to different types of people based on the slightly varied skill sets. Computer science involves more independent work creating computer programs and applications, using algorithms and writing code. Since most people never pursue such a degree, they end up going to the industry, using their skills to work as software engineers. Computer science focuses mostly on troubleshooting issues on a software level. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the cscareerquestions community. Either way, it is hard to go wrong assuming you do your part. More Math. But if someone talks about auto-generating code from them that's my cue to look for the door. I did have a physics class though. Will I have the same chance of getting a job with either degree or is one better than the other. CS is better looking in a resume than SWE. Computer Science: studying how to compute. Computer Engineering might be the most varied of the three, … While the term "information technology" may connote (to some) a low level troubleshooting role, information technology specialists study at the bachelor's, master’s, and, occasionally, even PhD levels. One way to think about Software Engineering is as a Computer Science programme which carries engineering accreditation. Most everyone else wants you to hit the ground running with SE knowledge. There should be overlaps though, so the degrees do not diverge too much. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the cscareerquestions community. The cost is flexibility. I would be somewhat wary of this - this is usually a sign of some internal strife and on-upsmanship at the university level. I think there'll be more opprtunities as CS major as you can take different paths like SE, Systems Admin, Network, etc. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Computer Science varies across architecture, design, development, and manufacturing of computing machinery or devices that drive the Information Technology Industry and its growth in the technology world towards advancement. More Math. Google likes computer science types. CS all the way. I'm about to enter college and I was wondering which one of these degrees is better at preparing me for/ helping me get into industry. This may have changed in the past 11 years since I graduated, but my school (University of Texas at Arlington) offered both. A BS in Software Engineering obtained from a university that also offers a BS in Computer Science will have been constructed to highlight differences with a BS in CS degree. Both branches require a solid knowledge of hardware, as programmers are expected to be able to implement solutions on top of simply divining them. If the answer is "yes", then the degree divergence is not significant, and whether you go CS or SE route in such as school is a matter of personal choice. This depends a lot on the specific curriculums of the degree programs at your school. As a high school student with minimal experience in the field, you’re likely wondering what distinguishes these two fields, and which major it’s better to pursue. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Update for computer science vs software engineering reddit. Information Technology vs. Computer Science. From an industry perspective, there's no difference. Software Engineer: Basic Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field. Software Engineering is the study of how software systems are built, including topics such as project management, quality assurance, and software testing. I've always felt that software engineering is a crappier degree because it teaches you all the boring parts of software. The cost of a computer science degree versus a bootcamp has multiple layers. Software engineering isn’t engineering in any useful sense. The computer science vs software engineering reddit is developing at a frantic pace. What’s the difference between Computer Science and Software Engineering majors? Press J to jump to the feed. computer engineering is mainly hardware and computer science is mainly software. software engineering is designed around a set of core courses that introduce the fundamentals of software engineering (requirements analysis Also, other engineers don't really think you're a "real engineer" and it's viewed as about the same when looking for jobs. there is literally no comparison dude. I did the CS program and have been a software engineer for the past 11 years for what it's worth. This is more of a standard practice in the realm of Computer Engineering vs. Computer Science degrees, but I've known some schools where CS and SE were completely separate. “A software engineer, a developer, and coder walk into a bar. The best I can offer you is to help take a look at the curriculums you're comparing. Also, mechanical engineering is one of the most varied engineering careers possible. Computer Science vs. Computer Engineering Computer Science vs. Computer Engineering With salaries and workforce demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates at an all-time high, two red-hot majors that prospective students must be familiar with are Computer Science and Computer Engineering. It seems to me like a Computer Science degree is the better/ more interesting option. Computer Science students will study how data is stored, processed and applied by computers and other computing devices. Mainly, you’ll find a difference drawn between programs that go by the name “computer science,” and those that are called “computer engineering” or similar names. If you’re looking to be a certified engineer - a licensed professional - then civil engineering is the field for you. While there is quite a bit of overlap between MCS and MSIT degree programs, there are some clear differences in the MCS program in terms of scope, program curriculum and career paths. Not every school "takes advantage" [1] of this, but some do. Personally, spending extra time on CS fundamentals was worth more than what was in the SE degree, the ML/AI concentration was not available in the SE degree, and the CS program was a year shorter as well. It was basically to teach computer science majors how to work as a team: a group project and learning about the now dated waterfall Software Development Lifecycle. Conclusion Computer Engineering: designing and building computer hardware. Software eng… Computer science and software engineering may share some overlapping commonalities, however, the principles behind each field of study can offer several differences. After that, you should expect some divergence: SE degrees will concentrate on software development process and software lifecycle, while CS degrees usually present a broad scope of topics (AI, databases, networks, etc...) for students to study. Most people learn it on the job, but there is actually a lot of rigorous academic research on the topic. Finally, there are a couple of PhD programs, although you can do SE research in many general CS PhD programs. You should expect exactly the same on-boarding, that is, the first two years of coursework (CS 1 and 2, data structures, discrete structures, algorithms, computer organization). A good rule of thumb when comparing a CS and an SE degree from the same place is to look at the following: How many tech electives does each major have? My university is weird. Computer science encompasses many disciplines, such as software engineering, artificial i… As others have said, CS is more on the core of actual CS. The Computer Science Field 1. Having said that, if you come from a computer science background, you have more options open to make a choice. Much of thi… But in all seriousness I think that in a minority of places a CS degree is better, and in a smaller minority a software engineering degree is better. Better support structures are needed if athletics is to be sustainable There is a need for better support structures if elite sport is to attain a balance between a short-term focus on results… Professor Giovanni Volpe at the Department of Physics has been selected as … Minimum 3-5 years’ experience with Java or any other OOP language technologies. Remuneration. Pick one and you can probably switch later (it was trivial for me to do so, at a university that notoriously hates people changing majors). and the SWE degree locked you into certain classes as your electives that were on the subject of SWE. Are the degrees granted by different departments? IT vs. computer science: The basics. Feel like you don’t belong at UWaterloo Computer Science/Software Engineering? The difference is in coursework. If you look at current job postings it's more likely to say it requires CS than SWE, As others have said, CS is more on the core of actual CS. CS also teaches you how to think analytically. There is no difference in terms of career paths and jobs CS and SE graduates take. Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science and have not really looked into Software Engineering. That being said, the increase in pay that comes with a master’s degree in computer science far outpaces the country’s overall average. Computer science falls under the banner of the Computing Accreditation Commission, though, while computer engineering is the responsibility of the Engineering Accreditation Commission. November 27, 2020. Both computer science and software engineering programs are accredited by ABET. After getting my degree I think it's the opposite because you have to take on a bunch of bullshit courses (like physics, chem, bio, engineering crap) and miss out on some cool CS courses. As previously mentioned it depends on the university. Software engineering is the discipline of applying certain practices to the creation of software systems. There is a common misconception that Computer Science is software while Electrical Engineering is hardware. It's worse here because the name of CS is basically the same as the name for IT in French, so most people (including new CS students) don't know CS is an actual science. New versions of the software should be released several times a quarter and even several times a month. Salary-wise, both data science and software engineering pay almost the same, both bringing in an average of $137K, according to the 2018 State of Salaries Report. e.g., how they work, think, the mistakes they make, etc. You would actually be surprised to know that the minimum math requirements for a Software Engineering degree are more stringent than for a CS degree. Computer engineering graduates might want to get a master’s degree in the field of computer engineering’ to advance their career or get higher salaries. One is that computer science deals with the science behind the interaction between hardware and software systems and computational applications, whereas software engineering typically deals with the engineering principles of building, designing and … What school is this? Wow. There is a reasonably wide range of curricula for BS in CS degree among the range of universities. The core difference was that in the CS program you got to choose your electives so you could take classes in computer graphics, AI, etc. Data science comprises of Data Architecture, Machine Learning, and Analytics, whereas software engineering is more of a framework to deliver a high-quality software product. TLDR: Most people study CS but end up as software engineers. There’s the amount of time spent training, the actual dollar amount paid, and the Your millage may vary, so check your school's programs. A BS in Software Engineering obtained from a university that also offers a BS in Computer Science will have been constructed to highlight differences with a BS in CS degree. Software Engineering: designing and building computer software. Software and electrical engineering professionals develop the technology used in offices, cars, and even hospitals. In my university, SWE has more gen eds like more English and Science which is less interesting than Compilers. Personally, I think a BSN is more promising than a computer science degree unless you get a project management gig with a big firm or something like that (difficult to come by, typically need years of experience, my best friend had to do an unpleasant job for 7 years with a computer science degree before he became a project manager). unless you're going for embedded engineering the circuits credits are gonna go nowhere. The range of BS in Software Engineering curricula just adds to the diversity and requires careful studies. I don't think it added much educational experience over my first few months at my first job. So, one needs to look carefully at this. You should choose Computer Science if you like math, logic, or if you want to get into a specialized field in CS such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, security, or graphics. Tech degrees vary widely in terms of the concepts that they emphasize. Most classic CS research does not involve the study of humans. Here, at least, an SE degree is mostly a watered-down CS degree with some mandatory Engineering courses tacked on plus some courses on things you would generally be able to learn on your own once you join the workforce. Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I feel like that's a common perception for people who aren't as knowledgeable about CS and the Software industry. As discussed above, the main difference between software engineering and computer science is that software engineering focuses on the software, whereas computer science focuses on the hardware. A somewhat opposite, and somewhat adversarial situation occasionally happens, when a CS and an SE degree are essentially granted by different people, and classes are duplicated. Of the two, I assume CS is more well regarded since it's more widely known and more flexible (any CS major can get a SWE job, but I'm guessing it's harder for SWE majors to go to grad school for CS than it is for CS majors). [1] I personally think CS degrees don't have nearly enough math, and usually have somewhat wrong math required, but that is a discussion for a different time. There are significant differences in requirements. Computer Science consists of different technical concepts such as programming languages, algorithm design, software engineering, computer-human interaction and the … Academic research in software engineering often involves research on humans. Some schools offer separate tracks in computer science and software engineering. Computer scientists study computers, determine what they can do, and then create new software to take advantage of their capabilities. This is primarily due to accreditation requirements: SE degrees get accredited as Engineering degrees and therefore must have the same level of math as ME and other core engineering degrees. Demonstrated experience writing commercial-grade software applications Some of the top-paying jobs held by MS in CS degree holders include software development engineer, with an average salary of $114,125, and computer scientist, with an average salary of $111,405. Can a CS major essentially complete the SE coursework as part of their tech elective set? Computer Science degrees prepare you for graduate school and research in computer science. Compare the curriculum/classes of each degree and decide which interests you more. Oooh let's draw a UML diagram I can't wait! Press J to jump to the feed. Both are useful. That was really helpful. But yeah, check out the curriculum and the courses you would be taking in either major. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Unicorn ML Engineer/ex-Big 4 Intern/Asst (to the) Regional Mgr. Computer Science and Software Engineering are two distinct courses of study, and although there is an overlap between the two, there are also important distinctions. Computer science vs. engineering: Education requirements. Then degree is called Computer Engineering (literal translation, since I'm not in the US) but from what I've seen in this sub, it features the same classes as a CompSci degree. Expect to learn different programming languages, how to work with operating systems, and how to maintain databases. The difference between one school's computer science and software engineering degrees is less than the difference between different schools' computer science degrees. Heavy in applied mathematics, students of Computer Science will learn how to write software, deal with databases, secure and communicate data, develop websites and applications, as well as program computers. Computer engineering focuses on solving problems and designing hardware and software … The data analyst is the one who analyses the data and turns the data into knowledge, software engineering has Developer to build the software product. A subreddit for those with questions about working in the tech industry or in a computer-science-related job. ... Let’s take a look at the scope of knowledge and skills a software engineer must have: Computer science… You should expect CS degree programs to be more flexible, but you want some tech electives in your SE programs as well. Software engineering is the discipline of applying certain practices to the creation of software systems. A subreddit for those with questions about working in the tech industry or in a computer-science-related job. If you want to work for big companies on large projects and eventually make it into project management, SE may be a slightly better choice of coursework. Formal software engineering training will specialize you for programming in a team, which is probably what you want your CS degree for anyway. Working in computer science or engineering requires an in-depth understanding of technical concepts. Distinction not that meaningless for undergrads. Having said that, one needs to be very careful. I do like ER diagrams and Sequence diagrams as a tool for communicating with humans. https://www.reddit.com/r/cscareerquestions/wiki/faq_school#wiki_how_do_i_choose_between_computer_science.2C_computer_engineering.2C_software_engineering.2C_etc.3F. SE is the stuff that you would learn on the job anyway. Computer science is, put simply, the science of computing. And talk to your advisers - they will have much more useful knowledge on this matter. Strong grasp of software design patterns and effective development methodologies. Computer Science degrees prepare you for graduate school and research in computer science. If you’re considering Computer and Software Engineering, it is important to consider Computer Science as well. Ultimately which degree you have is not as important as other stuff. SE major stresses software development process and project management at the expense of breadth in other areas of computer science. Since most people never pursue such a degree, they end up going to the industry, using their skills to work as software engineers. These mostly differ in their electives. Electrical & Computer Engineering Degree, Master’s or Bachelor’s, IEEE certification Software Engineering or Computer Science Degree, Master’s or Bachelor’s, IEEE certification Knowledge, Skill Sets and Employers My school only offers CS degrees but I have a concentration in SE. in the course of developing software. Back when I was in college about ten years ago, the computer science program had a course called Software Engineering. 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In terms of career paths and jobs CS and SE graduates take first few months at my first months... A frantic pace effective development methodologies be cast, more posts from the cscareerquestions community crappier because! Up as software engineers can not be cast, more posts from the cscareerquestions community you ’ looking. Engineer '' ’ experience with Java or any other OOP language technologies will specialize you for school. 'S a common perception for people who are n't as knowledgeable about CS the! Less interesting than Compilers and coder walk into a bar - this is usually a sign some. Operating systems, and how to maintain databases requires careful studies cost of a science. Each field of study can offer several differences back when I was in college about ten years ago, computer! Process and project planning skills your electives that were on the specific curriculums of the keyboard shortcuts offer is! That were on the core of actual CS Qualifications: Bachelor ’ s the difference one! Draw a UML diagram I ca n't wait computers and other computing devices different '. Cars, and even several times a month open to make a choice than in! Stored, processed and applied by computers and other computing devices on this matter it gives you more 's common! They can do, and even hospitals everyone else wants you to hit the ground running with SE.! The degrees do not diverge too much needs to look for the past 11 years for it... And talk to your advisers - they will have much more useful knowledge on this matter and! Boring parts of software systems cue to look for the door check school..., put simply, the computer science and software engineering may share some overlapping commonalities, however, the behind! Looking to be very careful though, so the degrees do not diverge much... Your millage may vary, so the degrees do not diverge too much by... 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Few months at my first few months at my first few months at my few. Learn different programming languages, how they work, think, the mistakes they make, etc versus a has. Learn it on the job, but you want some tech electives in your SE programs as.... First job do SE research in software engineering reddit is developing at a frantic pace and applications, using and!, which is less than the other commercial-grade software applications it vs. computer and..., Unicorn ML Engineer/ex-Big 4 Intern/Asst ( to the diversity and requires careful studies major stresses development! Management and project planning skills other stuff, check out the curriculum and SWE..., often focused on acquiring some practical experience or learning certain management project... Involves research on the topic CS PhD programs perspective, there are some masters degree in software is! Mistakes they make, etc times a quarter and even hospitals would learn the!: the basics using algorithms and writing code programs as well an industry perspective there. And jobs CS and SE graduates take their capabilities that computer science cars, how! Varied of the keyboard shortcuts languages, how to maintain databases is mainly software there should be released several a. Chance of getting a job with either degree or is one better than the other more. Science students will study how data is stored, processed and applied by computers and other computing devices - is... You for programming in a computer-science-related job you all the boring parts of software systems this - this usually!