Electronics > Beginners
Electrical Engineering vs Electronics Engineering vs Computer Engineering
rstofer:
I break it down like this:
Electrical: Power from generation up to, but not necessarily including, utilization. This includes the design of utility systems, industrial plants, commercial building/lighting and all the way down to residential branch circuits. In other words, 'mains'. electrical and mechanical engineers work together to design a dam and the electrical engineers get the power to your cell phone wall wart. Sure, they will have to include other branches of engineering to keep the power poles from falling down.
Electronic: A type of utilization equipment. Networking, wifi, applying microcontrollers, radios, TVs and all the gadgets we use daily including GPS and cell phones. Circuit design and PCB layout fall into this category.
Computer Engineering: Design of the internals of processors. The stuff inside that microcontroller and how it all ties together. Logic design, floating point hardware, all the peripherals inside the chip but not necessarily including how to apply the chip or even how to lay it out. Back in the day, this included design of mainframes but there is less of that going on these days.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mobile/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm
Computer Science: Design of algorithms for computer simulation/solution of classes of problems. This will often include designing algorithms to take advantage of specific processors designed by computer engineers and implemented by electronic engineers using power provided by electrical engineers.
As to the degree programs themselves, I have no idea how it breaks down but there is very much a difference in focus. Power engineers have little in common with circuit designers.
When selecting a major in the US, look through the BLS site above to find out what it pays where you want to live. Look especially at the number of jobs in the field and the expected growth. Then throw out electrical/electronic engineering (BLS lumps them) as low growth and focus on computer science.
ejeffrey:
--- Quote from: tggzzz on April 04, 2019, 11:05:30 am ---From this question we can tell that you haven't bothered to read the link I gave you...
--- Quote from: 42Bits on April 04, 2019, 09:26:05 am -----Electrical Engineering (Main Degree)
------ Electronics Engineering (Discipline of Main Degree)
------------- Computer Engineering (Sub-field of Discipline)
What I mean above ^ is that more you move down the list it get more specialised in your degree.
So, that are all related by the main degree of somewhat ?
--- End quote ---
No. (And the wackypedia article on "electrical engineering" is pretty much rubbish)
If you want an overly simple distinction between electrical and electronic engineering, then:
* electrical engineering deals with 0.1-400kV, and >10A, and with getting electric power to your home and desk
* electronic engineering deals with <50V, <10A, and with using electricity to do things
--- End quote ---
That isn't right in most of the US. In the US, "electrical engineering" is the broader term and you can specialize in "electronics" or "power", which are roughly the two things you described. But every university divides these things up differently and has different sets of required courses. In the US there is no mandatory licensing of electrical engineers (although some jobs would require a Professional Engineer certification) so there is no enforced curriculum to match a licensing exam. Other countries will do things differently.
--- Quote ---Computer engineering deals with the theory of what can be done with computation,
--- End quote ---
That is almost completely wrong, at least in the US, and I suspect elsewhere, or at least your wording is quite ambiguous and sounds like the conventional description of computer science or even theoretical computer science. Computer engineering generally deals with the hardware design of computers. So things like cache hierarchy, interconnect interfaces, and a whole host of other things. But again, there is substantial overlap with EE and CS, and the division will depend on university and country.
Which reinforces the point many people have made: There is no universal definition of these terms, and there is no point in trying to describe exactly what they are in a context free environment. It is also not important. What is important is what you actually do or want to do.
tggzzz:
--- Quote from: ejeffrey on April 04, 2019, 04:03:11 pm ---
--- Quote from: tggzzz on April 04, 2019, 11:05:30 am ---Computer engineering deals with the theory of what can be done with computation,
--- End quote ---
That is almost completely wrong, at least in the US, and I suspect elsewhere, or at least your wording is quite ambiguous and sounds like the conventional description of computer science or even theoretical computer science. Computer engineering generally deals with the hardware design of computers. So things like cache hierarchy, interconnect interfaces, and a whole host of other things. But again, there is substantial overlap with EE and CS, and the division will depend on university and country.
--- End quote ---
Actually... you're right about "computer science". Brain fart.
I can't remember ever seeing a "computer engineering" course. Sounds far too specialised to be useful as a first degree - I would expect there to be as many people employed doing what you describe as there are writing compilers (to avoid ambiguity, that's not many!).
--- Quote ---Which reinforces the point many people have made: There is no universal definition of these terms, and there is no point in trying to describe exactly what they are in a context free environment. It is also not important. What is important is what you actually do or want to do.
--- End quote ---
Yes, especially the last part!
EEVblog:
--- Quote from: frogg on April 04, 2019, 02:05:08 pm ---In the US, there are multiple degree accreditation bodies.
--- End quote ---
Here we have Engineers Australia, and they don't distinguish between disciplines, you are either a graduate member or not.
I don't believe there is any engineering degree program in Australia that is not accredited with them.
EEVblog:
--- Quote from: rstofer on April 04, 2019, 02:53:33 pm ---When selecting a major in the US, look through the BLS site above to find out what it pays where you want to live. Look especially at the number of jobs in the field and the expected growth.
--- End quote ---
I think that can be a mistake trying to "chase" or predict the market. First priority should be to do what interests you.
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