What's the difference?

Electrical Engineering: This program is tailored to students who want to understand and participate in the ever-growing world of electronics technology. Students learn the fundamental concepts related to the design, development, testing and modeling of a wide range of electrical systems. By gaining skills and technological expertise, students leave this program prepared to succeed in graduate studies or a variety of career fields.

Computer Engineering: This program is tailored to students who want to understand and participate in the engineering discipline that merges electronics systems with software. Students learn the fundamental concepts of electrical circuits and how those circuits can be controlled by software, gaining skills and technological expertise needed to succeed in graduate studies or a variety of career fields.

When exploring what department to declare prospective students often ask, “What is the difference between Computer Science and Computer Engineering?”  For most students this distinction is not clear, and in some cases, students will get enrolled in a department only to find out much too late that they are in a major in which they are not that interested.  I periodically hear such statements as, “Had I known then what I know now….”  This handout is meant to provide you with some distinctions between Computer Science and Computer Engineering of which you may not be aware. 

CE vs CS Flyer

For more questions please contact the ECE Undergraduate Coordinator

Computer Engineering: This program is tailored to students who want to understand and participate in the engineering discipline that merges electronics systems with software. Students learn the fundamental concepts of electrical circuits and how those circuits can be controlled by software, gaining skills and technological expertise needed to succeed in graduate studies or a variety of career fields.

Computer Science (CS): This program is tailored to students who want to focus on problem solving, with an emphasis on the design of computer-efficient solutions. The curriculum is rooted in fundamentals; students gain the skills and knowledge necessary to enter this ever-changing field with confidence. With a solid foundation in science and mathematics, students also develop strong problem-solving skills and abstract thinking, and many work in laboratories to get hands-on experience building software systems. Graduates of this program pursue advanced degrees or join the professional world in a wide range of positions.

EE or CE biomedical engineering (BME): option is intended to provide the core of knowledge expected of a computer and/or electrical engineer to provide engineering services in the biomedical field. Electrical and/or computer engineers with this option in biomedical engineering combine engineering principles with medical and biological sciences to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software used in healthcare.The BME option is embedded in both the electrical engineering (EE) and the computer engineering (CE) programs.

Bioengineering: This program is tailored to students who want to use engineering principles to analyze problems and design solutions in the fields of healthcare, medicine and biology. It’s a truly interdisciplinary program, with courses in both the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. Graduates from the bioengineering program solve problems at the interface of biology and engineering in the fields of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, as well as medicine and biofuels. You’ll gain a solid foundation of biology and engineering principles through challenging courses and hands-on learning opportunities in our state-of-the-art laboratories. Our faculty have a broad background in modeling physiological and biochemical processes, enzyme kinetics, synthetic biology, biomaterials and biosensor development and related topics such as tissue engineering. Electives let you adapt your program to prepare for medical school, other graduate studies or careers in biomanufacturing, biotechnology or biomedical engineering.