Engineering classes

[IonizedGears]

I am currently 15 but I just wanted to know. If I was to go to a uni or college for electrical engineering(masters for 4 years but of coarse); and the same for software engineering as I might want to go into that area as well, how much classes would be required for me to take?

[IanB]

I might be a little biased, but I would recommend you choose a "hard" engineering discipline like EE as your primary area of study for your first degree, rather than a "soft" subject like software engineering. To be a good engineer you want to make sure there is a lot of physics, science and mathematics in your learning. After completing your primary degree, then consider taking a Master's in software engineering to complement it.

I may get rotten tomatoes thrown at me for saying this, but software engineering struggles to be recognized as a professional engineering discipline. For example, it has only recently been possible to consider getting a P.E. in software engineering. If you are really interested in the software side above all else, you should study computer science.

Also, good engineering skills transcend boundaries. If you turn out to be really good at engineering electronic systems, you should also be good at engineering software systems. These days in fact, most complex systems consist of both hardware and software (or firmware).

[IonizedGears]

EE is my first and definite choice. I just wanted to know what the classes for EE and SE were like in terms of workload and amount of classes per each profession.

[IanB]

You should expect the workload for an engineering program to be fairly heavy. There's a lot to learn and a relatively short time to try and learn it.

But my comment on software is this: writing good software is hard. Very hard. Of ten people who think they are software engineers, only one of them will actually be any good at it. But also there is a low barrier to entry, so many people try.

If you are going to be good at writing software, you will find out soon enough. If so, you can learn what you need to learn by self study, by reading books, by practice. I don't think it is worth spending expensive tuition fees to be taught how to write software.

If you are going to spend big bucks on learning engineering, spend the money on something that is hard to learn by yourself, something that has a higher barrier to entry. That means electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical engineering, etc.

[c4757p]

I second the comment about software. It's very hard to teach good programming skills. When I was studying CS, most of the coursework was pretty easy, but successfully completing it did not mean you would be a good programmer.

My rule about workload is this: if you're going to go to school to learn how to do something, expect to spend the time working your ass off, otherwise why waste the money? If the coursework is easy that just means you should be finding your own extracurricular ways to learn and improve. If you're in Intro CS and find it easy, go find a hard project to do in between banging out silly intro code.

[IonizedGears]

I second the comment about software. It's very hard to teach good programming skills. When I was studying CS, most of the coursework was pretty easy, but successfully completing it did not mean you would be a good programmer.

My rule about workload is this: if you're going to go to school to learn how to do something, expect to spend the time working your ass off, otherwise why waste the money? If the coursework is easy that just means you should be finding your own extracurricular ways to learn and improve. If you're in Intro CS and find it easy, go find a hard project to do in between banging out silly intro code.

I just wanted to know if i would get a all in one class for electrical engineering or separate classes for math, etc for the most part -_-

[c4757p]

You'll need to take calculus up through differential equations separately plus physics for EE. For CS the requirements do vary - at my school it was calculus through just before diff eq, plus discrete mathematics, linear algebra, probability and stats and a "science" requirement (one of physics, chemistry, etc). I think the software engineering program removed the requirement for linear algebra. I haven't heard of it being "all in one class" before.

[IonizedGears]

You'll need to take calculus up through differential equations separately plus physics for EE. For CS the requirements do vary - at my school it was calculus through just before diff eq, plus discrete mathematics, linear algebra, probability and stats and a "science" requirement (one of physics, chemistry, etc). I think the software engineering program removed the requirement for linear algebra. I haven't heard of it being "all in one class" before.

So wait, if i was to take EE and CS at the same time. Would i have to get two different calculus classes or just the one (if i am taking both at the same uni).

But i am guessing it would be much too much work to go for both at the same time.

Just curious though, what exactly do they teach you in CS apart from the math sciences? Such as computer languages etc.

[c4757p]

You'd have to take the union of the sets. At my school (RIT in Rochester NY) that would have been diff eq, discrete math, linear algebra, probability and statistics as well as the "basic" calculus schedule (the part that can be covered by high school AP credits). I remember taking multivariate calculus as well but can't remember whether that was before or after my switch to mathematics.

CS is more about algorithms and programming techniques than languages. Any good programmer should be able to pick up basic competency in any reasonable programming language (i.e. anything but this one) in a couple days; there's no point in teaching them. RIT's CS program made a point of teaching variety and versatility in languages instead, we used whatever language was most fit to the topic of the individual class. Python for "academic" CS algorithms because it avoids specifics of the architecture, Java for OOP, C and C++ for coding closer to the machine, and MIPS assembly for... well, assembly. And that's just in my short year and a half before I switched.

Both at the same time is closer to Computer Engineering - look at that if you're interested in both fields.

[IonizedGears]

Is computer engineering a good replacement for both EE and CS or does it leave things to be desired.

[c4757p]

The phrase "jack of all trades, master of none" comes to mind, but I wouldn't really know, so I shouldn't sling mud. Anybody else know?

[Fsck]

Is computer engineering a good replacement for both EE and CS or does it leave things to be desired.

it's basically like their child. it'll have traits of both, but not the full depth of its parents.

[IonizedGears]

Well it is EE for me then, it is mandatory for me whilst things like software will be second

[c4757p]

Any electrical engineer these days will do a decent bit of programming as well, whether microcontrollers, FPGAs, test suites for ATE, on and on.... If it's a secondary interest go with EE.

I might be a bit biased based on my experience with CS and SE, but as far as I'm concerned, if you want to build things study EE, if you want to be a code monkey study SE, if you want to be a basement-dwelling code monkey study CS (slightly kidding I still have a soft spot for it...), and if you like searching for jobs study CE.

[IanB]

I just wanted to know if i would get a all in one class for electrical engineering or separate classes for math, etc for the most part -_-

No, when you study at university your study is spread over many different specialized classes in specific subjects. So for EE, in addition to basic math and physics, you take classes in things like: DC circuit analysis, AC circuit analysis, small signal theory, frequency domain analysis, solid state physics, detailed device modeling and behavior (transistor equations etc), power systems and power transfer, control systems theory, analog circuit design, digital circuit design, computers and information processing, etc. There is no such thing as an "EE" class, as such.

To train as an EE you study many different things that are all part of EE, and when you start work you will probably end up specializing in some particular field.

[EEVblog]

I just wanted to know if i would get a all in one class for electrical engineering or separate classes for math, etc for the most part -_-

It's separate classes for everything.
I don't know what the US is like, but it's likely not too dissimilar everywhere. You can expect maybe 3 classes on calculus, and another two or 3 in physics, in addition to all your EE classes.
You usually do all the math and physics up front, with the EE later. That can be incredibly boring for those who are there to do actual electronics (a small number believe it or not)
And it's no uncommon for the physics department to run the physics classes etc, so they have no idea or interest in what you are learning in other EE classes. That means usually no EE spin on it. You can even get mixed in with students from many other disciplines.

[EEVblog]

To train as an EE you study many different things that are all part of EE

And depending upon the university, you can learn other engineering disciplines as well.
For example, the first two years of the UWS EE course include compulsory mechanical and civil engineering classes, "just in case" you want to change disciplines at the end of year two.

[IonizedGears]

[/quote]

It's separate classes for everything.
You can expect maybe 3 classes on calculus, and another two or 3 in physics, in addition to all your EE classes.

[/quote]

3 classes a week for calculus with the same Prof or with different Professors? Same for physics?   

[c4757p]

You usually do all the math and physics up front, with the EE later. That can be incredibly boring for those who are there to do actual electronics (a small number believe it or not)

A lot of schools here are moving away from that. Here's RIT's EE schedule - you start right out with the "EE Freshman Practicum" first term. From the course catalog:

Introduction to the practice of electrical engineering including understanding laboratory practice, identifying electronic components, operating generic electronic instruments, building an electronic circuit (Wein Bridge oscillator), measuring and capturing an electronic waveform, schematic entry, modeling and simulation of an electronic circuit (SPICE or equivalent), analyzing a waveform using a commercial software package (MATLAB), and emulating an electronic instrument in software (C programming). This studio lab course emphasizes a learn-by-doing approach to introduce the student to electrical engineering design practices and tools used throughout the undergraduate program. Each student will prototype and build a functioning electronic circuit. Lab 3, Credit 1 (F, W)

Quite the intro! Nothing in second term, but third term is right to Digital Systems. My current school waits until the second year, though.

Now stop making me look at stuff from RIT, I'm starting to feel bad and wish I could switch back.....

[c4757p]

3 classes a week for calculus with the same Prof or with different Professors? Same for physics?

3 classes total, one per term. How it's split up per week depends on the school. You usually choose the class and section each time, so you can pick a different professor if you get stuck with a dickhead

[IonizedGears]

3 classes a week for calculus with the same Prof or with different Professors? Same for physics?

3 classes total, one per term. How it's split up per week depends on the school. You usually choose the class and section each time, so you can pick a different professor if you get stuck with a dickhead

Thanks for clearing that up, for a second there i thought i would have to handle over 6 different classes a week. 

[c4757p]

I'll put you in contact with my friend studying biochem so he can laugh at your fear.....

[IonizedGears]

...How many classes does he have?

[c4757p]

I think he did have six each term for a year or two straight, and hard ones at that. (RIT has three terms per year, though they call them "quarters" because summer....) He was the busiest, most overworked student I have ever seen. Never saw him without a textbook... I had five my first term but one was some retarded once-per-week "First Year Experience" thing (I think the nitwits renamed it to "Discovery" or some shit), so pretty much four.

Haven't heard much from him since I switched schools though, don't know if his load has lightened any.

[IonizedGears]

I am 15 so i have no idea what hard means from a college students perspective.