Computer Engineer? Computer Science? Software Engineer?

[Tony]

If it's "Computer Science, option in Software Engineering" then no, you can't.

[Horus]

I have the faculty of math booklet from UW.

it says for computer science:
coop:
System Quality Specialist, Research in Mothin
Software Designer, Microsoft Corporation

Work:
Head of Digital Imagery, National Film Board of Canada
Graphics Software Engineer, Mental Images
Wireless software Developer, Entrust Inc.
Manager, Animation Research and evelopment, Pixar Animation Studios
Research Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Software engineer:
coop:
software Engineering, Google
Technical Advisor, Bereskin & Parr

work:
System Design Engineer, Microsoft Corporation
Software Engineer, IBM Coorporation
Software Engineer, Allied Signal Aerospace Canada
Senior Software Developer, Iris Power Engineering
Software Engineer, Mortice Kern Systems Inc

So it seems comp sci, is more for graphics/animation/network while software engineer is for writing codes. Darn now it's too late for me to switch to software engineer (i don't have chemistry, but i can take it in private school, but UW will deduct marks for private school...)

I'm kinda stuck... maybe going into UT comp sci, software engineer branch is better than going into UW comp sci?

[Zeroth]

Well, I just need to point out one essential factoid for working at Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, etc.
You need to know your algorithms, O(n) efficiencies, and data structures inside and out.
That is a computer science track. For the nitty-gritty code, sure, software engineer. But for those companies, many of the major decisions are made by CoSci grads.

Why I'm saying this is that neither "track" is better or worse than the other. You gain extremely valuable skills that are quite often either similar, or portable across the two divisions. Software engineering is an attempt to make software development predictable. Computer Science is an attempt at solving problems. In both fields you need certain core skills. Just get good grades, learn as much as you can, relax, and enjoy yourself. Don't stress out because you "made a wrong decision." I'm getting sick and tired of people saying that.

[Prabhakar Ragde]

Don't be misled by what the programs choose to put into brochures. CS and SE students at UW compete for the same pool of co-op and permanent jobs. The two programs share a large number of identical or very similar core courses. CS tries to emphasize flexibility and diversity, and SE tries to emphasize adherence to the classic engineering model, hence their selection of job descriptions for the brochures.

The main differences between the two programs are:
(1) the cohort system in SE vs the usual credit system in CS;
(2) more required and constrained courses in SE vs wider choice and more electives in CS;
(3) more technical math in SE vs more conceptual math in CS;
(4) requirements for Engineering accreditation in SE vs none in CS (CS is accredited by CIPS, but CIPS has never dictated requirements as part of this process).

--PR

[wolvefly]

1) What kind of project do Computer Engineers do at universities?

2) Does Electrical Engineering with "Informatique option" from Ecole de technologie superieure would be the equivalent of Computer Engineering?

ETS link : http://www.etsmtl.ca/zone2/programmes/1er_cycle/baccalaureat/7883.html

The link is in french. But I'm sure some of you can manage. I think "Informatique option" would be computer science option in english, I'm not sure.

EDIT: Almost two weeks....still no answer? haha. I'm a patient dude =)

[ali_dada]

Qamar,

if you still have a choice, do Software engineer even if you have to go to Lakehead to do it.

By graduating from Software engineering, you will get an iron ring and will get the title of engineer - a position a worth lot more than you may think right now. You can still do all the IT jobs with it!

[Prabhakar Ragde]

Those IT jobs you can still do with less exposure to core computer science concepts, that is.

[Joel92]

hi sorry for posting here im not OP, but i have a question aswell...


i like to program alot, im learning right now but im not good with math at all


should i go with software engineering or computer science?


if i go with software engineering will i still get to do some programming?



Regards,
Joel92

[ali_dada]

yes Joel, you will learn programming - how else can you be a software engineer? By the time you finish your degree, you will have a solid programming knowledge.

After completing your undergraduate in software engineering, if you feel you are more interested in computer science aspects not covered in software engineering - i.e. data communications or parsing or databases or web programming, you can always do Masters in Computer Science.

[Joel92]

ali_dada @ Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:43 pm wrote:

yes Joel, you will learn programming - how else can you be a software engineer? By the time you finish your degree, you will have a solid programming knowledge.

After completing your undergraduate in software engineering, if you feel you are more interested in computer science aspects not covered in software engineering - i.e. data communications or parsing or databases or web programming, you can always do Masters in Computer Science.

Thanks for the reply ali_dada, if possible could you tell me what kind of programming I'd be doing in software engineeering?

[Qamar]

ali_dada: yeah i'm still not 100% sure so i didn't apply this year, i decided to take a victory lap. (extra year of highschool)

yeah i was considering software engineering since it has both aspects (i persume). would i still be getting the title of an "engineer" (just wondering, word engineering is not changing my opinion) if i take software engineering at university of toronto, they have it under there computer science program ?

http://www.electronicinfo.ca/en/program-details.php?pcode=572224_190206_203_184

[ali_dada]

@Qamar:

I was under the impression that software engineering was a program at UFT accredited by Engineering Board of Canada. Maybe they have changed the program and now it is under computer Science.

If you are really into getting the PEng status, the engineer title and the iron ring,

Try these programs:
Software Engineering at Lakehead University
Software Engineering at UOIT.

If ever you have program specific questions, you can always call the program administrators/co-ordinators. They always have contact numbers on the program website. You can also e-mail them.

@Joel92,

It really depends on which University you are going and their own planning. Usually C is always taught and either Java or C++ or both are thought to introduce Object oriented programming.

But the important thing at University IT/Computer Science/Software engineering programs is not to learn 10s of languages but to be able to analyze the general programming structure and thus be able to work with any programming language with little effort.

[Joel92]

ali_dada @ Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:57 pm wrote:

@Joel92,

It really depends on which University you are going and their own planning. Usually C is always taught and either Java or C++ or both are thought to introduce Object oriented programming.

But the important thing at University IT/Computer Science/Software engineering programs is not to learn 10s of languages but to be able to analyze the general programming structure and thus be able to work with any programming language with little effort.

Thank you very much for the reply ali_dada, it helped alot!


Regards,
Joel92