Computer vs. Mechanical Engineering

[Lordbob75]

So I got accepted to my college of choice for Computer Engineering (CPE).
My issue is that I also am really interested in Mechanical Engineering, and I think that I like it a lot more.

My question goes out to both Mechanical and Computer Engineers:
What exactly do you do, and do you enjoy it?

I know that computer engineers work with circuitry and electronics, such as designing the guidance systems of a rocket or spaceship or the control systems on a robot, but I am just not sure.
I took a mechanical engineering 101 course at a local college through my high school, and got to design and build some robots and other things. I really (really really really really) enjoyed doing that.

So I am considering switching majors to Mechanical Engineering, which might be rather difficult and confusing, but I think it will be worth it.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

~Lordbob

 

[not so gray matter]

Do whatever you love, you'll be much happier in the end.

 

[Phone Man]

See if they off a Major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Engineering. In other words a lot of your elective courses would be in Computer Engineering. You need to talk to a school consular or someone in the Deans office.

Jim

 

[Lordbob75]

See if they off a Major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Engineering. In other words a lot of your elective courses would be in Computer Engineering. You need to talk to a school consular or someone in the Deans office.

Jim

Thats not a bad idea at all.

Notsogreymatter, that is why I am asking. I really like working with computers, but I am not sure that Computer engineering is what I should do.
I am not sure what I would do as a computer engineer, but I know a bit more about mechanical engineering.

~Lordbob

 

[not so gray matter]

See if they off a Major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Engineering. In other words a lot of your elective courses would be in Computer Engineering. You need to talk to a school consular or someone in the Deans office.

Jim

Thats not a bad idea at all.

Notsogreymatter, that is why I am asking. I really like working with computers, but I am not sure that Computer engineering is what I should do.
I am not sure what I would do as a computer engineer, but I know a bit more about mechanical engineering.

~Lordbob

I thought the same thing, I figured I shouldn't go to school for web design & e-commerce so I switched over to business finance. 4 years later I'm taking an extra 2 years to finish my e-commerce and web design majors.

 

[smarteyeball]

I really like working with computers, but I am not sure that Computer engineering is what I should do.

After reading your posts - it seems your heart has already answered your own question - mechanical engineering

 

[Everlong]

It seems you'd have more fun with Mechanical Engineering, and it does indeed seem interesting. They do it here at my University, and they do such things as the Forumla Student racing team as a project in which students design and build race cars to drive.

Though both are just as interesting, like I touch on Computer Engineering slightly doing Computer Science, and it can still be just as interesting like trying to program a chunk of silicon to do basic math problems.

 

[CommonTater]

So I got accepted to my college of choice for Computer Engineering (CPE).
My issue is that I also am really interested in Mechanical Engineering, and I think that I like it a lot more.

My question goes out to both Mechanical and Computer Engineers:
What exactly do you do, and do you enjoy it?

I know that computer engineers work with circuitry and electronics, such as designing the guidance systems of a rocket or spaceship or the control systems on a robot, but I am just not sure.
I took a mechanical engineering 101 course at a local college through my high school, and got to design and build some robots and other things. I really (really really really really) enjoyed doing that.

So I am considering switching majors to Mechanical Engineering, which might be rather difficult and confusing, but I think it will be worth it.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

~Lordbob

Mechanics and electronics are no longer totally separate disiplines. Many of today's mechanical devices would not function without the computers that control them... The stealth bomber would be unflyable without it's computers...

So... He who does both, has it all.

 

[Lordbob75]

Well, I talked with some of the professors today (both ME and CPE), and got a better feel as to what I would be doing in either field.

After this, it seems that Computer Engineering is more than just designing circuits and programming, but that also works with computer networks (like a campus network) and computer archetecture.
I cannot switch majors until the school year starts, and then after at least 1 quarter. So for now I will try to take the introductory course for both majors and see which really suits me.
I will talk with my teacher when I get back home monday, and also with the professors here once college starts in the fall.

~Lordbob

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
Do whatever you enjoy most.

IMO Mechanical Engineering is actually a better choice these days -- we still need HUGE projects -- Green Energy, renewables -- like Wind Turbines, Solar / Electric power etc etc. apart from a lot of civil engineering projects -- constructing Social Housing etc etc.

The need for decent mechanical engineers is endless -- and you will naturally get to use computers etc in your coursework. Engineers still need to know about things like feedback systems, neural networks etc etc as well as a bit of Psychology-- remember USERS will be using your products too - and loads of other skills too -- even having to be a bit of a Salesman -you might have to "Push" your idea or change in a design.

(Note also these jobs CAN'T be off shored either) -- the engineers are always ON SITE.

I graduated in Electrical Engineering rather than Computer Science and never regretted it.

I spent a lot of my Younger days as an Oil Engineer (Electrical Systems) in various parts of the world and really enjoyed it.

I only started in Computer contacting a few years ago -- Money was good and engineering jobs were on the wane --. I'm a bit fed up with IT now -- contract rates forever nudging downwards, you rarely get a contract unless you go via one of the "Useless consultancies" such as Accenture ("Accidenture") and you have to conform to THEIR standards rather than that of the end client -- and of course shedloads of IT jobs are all being outsourced (wrongly IMO) to India etc.

Engineering has picked up a LOT again -- Green projects are HUGE business as well as more conventional projects too. Any country that gives up its Engineering base will inevitably suffer SEVERE consequencies as typified by the recent Banking problems'

If I had young children NOW I certainly wouldn't advise them these days to pick IT as a career path unless they really were in the top 5%.

BTW the first computers were all conceived of by Mechanical Engineers -- the legendary Babbage for example.

The Babbage Engine | Computer History Museum

Enjpy.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[windows7user]

I'm majoring in computer engineering and I'd say it's pretty awesome. It's more hands on than computer science. CPE majors work on both hardware and software. Almost every device or thing today probably has a chip in it (embedded systems) that need to be designed (hardware) and programmed (software): cars, MP3 players, cellphones, game consoles, etc. CPE is like EE with analog/power stuff removed with more focus on digital systems (hardware logic, FPGAs) and CS with less emphasize on algorithms with more focus on lower level programming combined (assembly language, memory controllers,etc.)

That being said, I don't think CPE is an easy major. You get all the math from EE (calculus, differential equations, etc.) and all the math from CS (linear algebra and discrete mathematics). Plus, for projects you end up spending a lot of time debugging both the hardware and software that you both had to design from scratch. Right now it's my first year in college and we are designing a 16-bit computer and trying to program it.

EDIT: I know that you shouldn't just pick a major just because of the money, but computer engineers on average have a higher salary than mechanical and electrical engineers: http://www.cnbc.com/id/29408064/Highest_Paid_Bachelor_s_Degrees_2010?slide=7

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-best_paying_degrees_in_2010-1173

http://www.darwinsfinance.com/top-10-college-degrees-2010-best-majors/

Either way you can't go wrong between mechanical or computer engineering. They're both pretty important and can make an impact on society and do good things for the world. At least you're not picking a silly major like phrenology or food science.

 

[Lordbob75]

At my school CPE is a combination of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, just with a little less coding.

Anyways, I am locked in to CPE for now, but I think I will like it. Worst case I can switch majors with some effort later.

~Lordbob

 

[shekhar123]

I am Vikram and working currently with Vriti Infocom. This company is part of education industry and the laptop they ahve issued has windows7. I am in product development so would like to know how helpful this OS will be in terms of designing.