Electrical Engineering or Software Engineering/Computer Science (4 Viewers)

[clementinez]

EE and CS and SE overlap heaps.
At USYD EE, you will have to do a least at least 3 semesters with core programming subjects with the option to do more with stuff ranging to object orientated to data structures and unix.
The MATLAB is mainly integrated into calculation subjects.

keeping in mind that when doing a combined degree there is less room for electives so I'm guessing the program would be more fixed if I were to take it..

 

[clementinez]

In the end, its your decision, we can't decide for you. A guy I know started in SE and transferred to CS. He now works at FB after spending a winter there for an internship.

I know.. it's a difficult one. It's good to hear that SENG = CS when it comes to job prospects so I don't feel forced to take SENG.

 

[anomalousdecay]

Elec eng is very broad and the skills are applicable in many areas of engineering and science.

However, elec eng is completely different. If you want to avoid hardware, avoid comp eng. If you want to avoid circuits and hardware and more physical applications in real life, avoid elec. If you don't think you will find any interest in circuit design, avoid elec.

In saying all this, having a solid understanding in the fundamentals of electronics and circuits is a very great skill and opens you up to many more possibilities in the future. My recommendation is the following. Understand what each program entails and find out if it is something that you consider interesting enough to possibly do in your future career.

In terms of universities, it's best you look at other factors as well (campus life, campus geography, etc). UNSW elec has a lot of great equipment in laboratories (which I can imagine would be found at many universities, especially for elec eng) and the building will be renovated within the next few years. School of computing has a nice building and there is an abundance of computers available for students enrolled in comp courses (but I can imagine this may also be the case at other universities).

Your best bet is visiting the unis and checking them out yourself, or ask those who have directly been at that university doing the programs that you are interested in.

Also, have a look at what interests you enough to think that you may want to make a career out of it.

Or how about you just double degree it and come out with a comp sci degree AND electrical eng degree (people might suggest mechatronics eng, but if you're worried about employers not thinking you have the skills because of your degree, do an extra year and get both)?

This is very very different. Mechatronics is quite different to comp sci or elec eng and is definitely not a combination of both. Make sure you check what each program entails and whether that program consists of what you would like to study.

 

[Silly Sausage]

keeping in mind that when doing a combined degree there is less room for electives so I'm guessing the program would be more fixed if I were to take it..

They're actually 'core electives' that may be counted as core subjects (e.g. you can pick a computing elective or an electromagnetics elective and whichever you choose will count towards your degree as an core-subject), both USYD and UNSW do this.

Generally, just have a look a the course handbooks and you should have a general understanding and outlining of the differences between SE and CS.

 

[anomalousdecay]

If you're doing a double degree go with computer science, you will have a much better time.

Also whoever says EE can be a replacement for CS doesn't know anything about CS.
Just cause they do some MATLAB doesn't mean its anything like computer science.

They're both completely different what.

EE and CS and SE overlap heaps.
At USYD EE, you will have to do a least at least 3 semesters with core programming subjects with the option to do more with stuff ranging to object orientated to data structures and unix.
The MATLAB is mainly integrated into calculation subjects.

That's like saying all engineering programs overlap heaps because first year is common.

Past first year, elec absolutely diverges from all other programs and degrees.

 

[anomalousdecay]

And well there you go, I've said what I have to say. You asked, and I answered.

It's because you made a lot of assumptions and started commanding OP on what to do to the point that OP got confused.

 

[clementinez]

Elec eng is very broad and the skills are applicable in many areas of engineering and science.

However, elec eng is completely different. If you want to avoid hardware, avoid comp eng. If you want to avoid circuits and hardware and more physical applications in real life, avoid elec. If you don't think you will find any interest in circuit design, avoid elec.

In saying all this, having a solid understanding in the fundamentals of electronics and circuits is a very great skill and opens you up to many more possibilities in the future. My recommendation is the following. Understand what each program entails and find out if it is something that you consider interesting enough to possibly do in your future career.

In terms of universities, it's best you look at other factors as well (campus life, campus geography, etc). UNSW elec has a lot of great equipment in laboratories (which I can imagine would be found at many universities, especially for elec eng) and the building will be renovated within the next few years. School of computing has a nice building and there is an abundance of computers available for students enrolled in comp courses (but I can imagine this may also be the case at other universities).

Also, have a look at what interests you enough to think that you may want to make a career out of it.

.

I want to avoid Computer Engineering because I'm not interested in hardware.

I am however interested in circuits and the electronics that's why I'm considering EE. Ideally, if I did choose EE I'd like to work in biomedical engineering or something to do with renewable energy (I know these two are very different). It's nice to hear that the building will be renovated.

I haven't had any experience in these fields so I don't know what the workplace would look like for each. I'd like something technical but I don't want to be glued to a screen all day. I'd like to work with other people and I feel that EE would have more of this but at the same time CS is more flexible with work (I've heard others mention they get to work from home some days).

I like that USYD will be closer to where I'll live but UNSW seems more modern and from what I can tell in some pictures I have from other students there is more natural light inside the building - they seem better lit. Also timetabling at UNSW > USYD.

 

[anomalousdecay]

You'll learn a bit on hardware architectures in elec. Mainly RISC architecture.

With elec, there's a lot more involved in that. If you really want to be involved in biomed or renewable, then it would be a decent idea to consider studying in those areas. UNSW offers dual programs with masters in biomed.

If you study elec, you'll end up studying quite a few things in general. It will involve a lot of circuit theory, electronics design, basics of signal processing, control systems, electromagnetics, embedded systems, energy systems and could even learn about other stuff as well (depends on your electives in later years). What you learn in these is definitely applicable to renewable energy systems and biomedical equipment design, which can also lead you to a career in those fields, however you'll have to learn a lot of other stuff in elec in general which you also need to consider here. If you are certain that you want to go into renewable energy systems, then it may be worth looking into that. In the end, it's up to you.

Also, elec is very heavy on maths, so expect to be applying mathematical skills throughout all of uni.

 

[clementinez]

You'll learn a bit on hardware architectures in elec. Mainly RISC architecture.

With elec, there's a lot more involved in that. If you really want to be involved in biomed or renewable, then it would be a decent idea to consider studying in those areas. UNSW offers dual programs with masters in biomed.

If you study elec, you'll end up studying quite a few things in general. It will involve a lot of circuit theory, electronics design, basics of signal processing, control systems, electromagnetics, embedded systems, energy systems and could even learn about other stuff as well (depends on your electives in later years). What you learn in these is definitely applicable to renewable energy systems and biomedical equipment design, which can also lead you to a career in those fields, however you'll have to learn a lot of other stuff in elec in general which you also need to consider here. If you are certain that you want to go into renewable energy systems, then it may be worth looking into that. In the end, it's up to you.

Also, elec is very heavy on maths, so expect to be applying mathematical skills throughout all of uni.

I've considered the Masters in Biomedical Engineering but I could do that after graduating. I really want to combine my undergrad with Commerce or Arts because of other interests.
As for Renewable Energy Engineering, the program seems to be a lot of everything but I feel I'd narrow my employment prospects down too much.

How much study in general (on a weekly basis outside of class) would it take for someone who is reasonably alright at maths? I'm not a math whiz but I am able to grasp everything eventually (just takes me a bit longer than someone who aced 4u). Would CS be less intense?

 

[anomalousdecay]

Yeah that is ok. Just keep thinking about it. Having the mindset of going into anything related to a certain area is ok and you may even consider other related areas later on.

If you've done 4U then it should be ok. If you only did 3U and end up at UNSW for elec, then I'd recommend putting a considerable amount of effort in first year maths courses to strengthen your abilities in maths.

It's subjective to the individual, how they study, how efficient they are, what they do, other commitments outside of study, etc. It's something you'll have to learn to manage yourself. For a typical student getting above 75 in everything, probably keeping up to date with lab and tutorial work and getting those marks, and possibly even keeping up to date with content learnt in lectures and cramming about 10 hours a day the 2 to 3 week lead up to exams may suffice.

The type of maths involves in comp sci is quite different. I'm not sure how intense it is overall for comp sci but based off the first computing courses at UNSW (COMP1917, COMP1927), critical thinking skills are great, which can also be applied from skills developed through maths, but the maths content itself is not relevant at all.

ps sorry if my reply seems a bit all over the place and incomprehensible.

 

[Silly Sausage]

There is less maths in CS, although you might still have to do discrete mathematics later on.

 

[clementinez]

ps sorry if my reply seems a bit all over the place and incomprehensible.

Your reply is great. Thanks!

I haven't done 4u maths.
That seems like a reasonable amount of study. Regardless of what I choose, keeping up to date with everything is most effective.
Do EE students get to do a lot of practical work while still at uni?

You've definitely given me a lot to think about.

 

[clementinez]

There is less maths in CS, although you might still have to do discrete mathematics later on.

Good to know. I suppose one extra maths course isn't too bad if I decide on CS. Still less than EE.

 

[Silly Sausage]

For pracs generally you'll get assigned computer lab sessions for some subjects throughout the semester for both. Not sure if you'll get some hands on circuits and stuff in CS though.

 

[clementinez]

For pracs generally you'll get assigned computer lab sessions for some subjects throughout the semester for both. Not sure if you'll get some hands on circuits and stuff in CS though.

Does having knowledge of C or Java in advance put you in a better position that others when doing the pracs or is it not a good idea to study this before starting the degree? I read somewhere that learning programming languages without understanding the theory behind it all can make you pick up bad habits? Not sure if this is true or not..

 

[turntaker]

Does having knowledge of C or Java in advance put you in a better position that others when doing the pracs or is it not a good idea to study this before starting the degree? I read somewhere that learning programming languages without understanding the theory behind it all can make you pick up bad habits? Not sure if this is true or not..

Yes, you should take the time to reach yourself programming before starting as it will help you greatly. You will struggle if you have never programmed before.

There is no theory behind programming, you kind of just start doing and solve small challenges / do projects.

But a good teaching resource is a must for not developing bad habits.

 

[clementinez]

Yes, you should take the time to reach yourself programming before starting as it will help you greatly. You will struggle if you have never programmed before.

There is no theory behind programming, you kind of just start doing and solve small challenges / do projects.

But a good teaching resource is a must for not developing bad habits.

Any recommendations?

 

[Flop21]

It's because you made a lot of assumptions and started commanding OP on what to do to the point that OP got confused.

I really only came close to commanding her not to do seng. Maybe if OP outright said, "yeah I like the idea of being forced to do my thesis, those workshops sound awesome, I like a strict program vs a flexible one", then I wouldn't have assumed she didn't know anything about CS vs SENG.

And I don't think you can blame me when just the other day there was someone picking SENG over CS JUST because of the name lol.

And I also don't know how hard it is to look at the UNSW handbook. There are many questions in this thread that could be easily answered by OP by looking at the handbook page. I am commanding you OP to look at it:

http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/plans/2016/ELECAH3707.html

http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/programs/2013/3978.html

 

[clementinez]

I really only came close to commanding her not to do seng. Maybe if OP outright said, "yeah I like the idea of being forced to do my thesis, those workshops sound awesome, I like a strict program vs a flexible one", then I wouldn't have assumed she didn't know anything about CS vs SENG.

And I don't think you can blame me when just the other day there was someone picking SENG over CS JUST because of the name lol.

And I also don't know how hard it is to look at the UNSW handbook. There are many questions in this thread that could be easily answered by OP by looking at the handbook page. I am commanding you OP to look at it:

http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/plans/2016/ELECAH3707.html

http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/programs/2013/3978.html

It's not relevant whether or not I prefer to be "forced" to do the workshops/thesis, I asked whether they were beneficial to a career in software development. My preferences are irrelevant to which program is objectively better. I will do whatever program is better regarded or, in this case (since they seem to be equally well regarded), the one I feel more inclined to do.

So you are making a new assumption that everyone choosing SENG must be doing it for the name based on one person you know choosing it for the name?

Seriously, what part of I know the handbook inside out is beyond you? Believe it or not this is not my first time applying to uni so I know all about the purpose and existence of a handbook.
What a handbook will NOT tell you is are the workshops worth the time they take, are the facilities up to date, what the student experience is like and whether I should take EE or SE... I want to hear from PEOPLE not a handbook. That is what forums are for.

Also, if in the future you plan on "commanding" others to look at handbook pages you may want to make sure that you post the current version and not one from 2013...

 

[Flop21]

It's not relevant whether or not I prefer to be "forced" to do the workshops/thesis, I asked whether they were beneficial to a career in software development. My preferences are irrelevant to which program is objectively better. I will do whatever program is better regarded or, in this case (since they seem to be equally well regarded), the one I feel more inclined to do.

So you are making a new assumption that everyone choosing SENG must be doing it for the name based on one person you know choosing it for the name?

Seriously, what part of I know the handbook inside out is beyond you? Believe it or not this is not my first time applying to uni so I know all about the purpose and existence of a handbook.
What a handbook will NOT tell you is are the workshops worth the time they take, are the facilities up to date, what the student experience is like and whether I should take EE or SE... I want to hear from PEOPLE not a handbook. That is what forums are for.

Also, if in the future you plan on "commanding" others to look at handbook pages you may want to make sure that you post the current version and not one from 2013...

Yeah you keep saying that, yet still keep asking questions easily answered by the handbook. e.g. "should I learn C or Java", maybe check your subjects and see if they use C or Java... then yes!, or "would it be less intense [math in cs vs ee]", maybe check what math subjects there are in each course...

Maybe don't ask "Is Software Engineering a better option than Computer Science?" if you don't want an answer. Not sure why you're being so rude, all I did was answer that question.

And instead of having a fit, just simply ask "are the workshops worth it?", instead of such a broad question.