Tryin to go ta college

Guys I'm confused.  When I look at various college websites, I see programs such as:
Computer Programming
Computer Science
Computer Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering Technology
Computer Engineering Technology

That shit confuses me.  You'd think the difference between "Computer Science and Engineering" and "Computer Science and Engineering Technology" would be minute, but they're like totally different programs.  The former seems to be mostly just raw science and includes classes like chemistry, and the latter seems to be a lot of programming classes and - if I had to guess - is easier to complete considering calculus doesn't come up until later semesters.

I want to have a deep knowledge of computers and I want to program shit, and I don't want to be pigeonholed into a single profession for the rest of my life.  Spring semester is comin like what and I don't know what program I'm trying to be in.  Please help me out here.


In before pessimistic and cynical posts about how I'm fucked no matter what.

Go to a different college.  If you can't tell the difference between their programs they probably don't need to teach it.

I see they are not the same but was more so asking for people's opinion on what type of program is right for me, as far as getting jobs in programming go.

P.S. those programs I just listed weren't all on one site, I collected them from several sites.

Computer Science

>>1
Blah Technology courses generally just teach you the practical application of Blah.  they're good if you're just looking for a job in Blah, but they'll usually skimp on the theory behind everything and other useful skills other than Blah itself.  in short, you'll be pigeonholed.

if you want a deep knowledge of computers and a job programming shit, go for computer science (not CS Technology) and extend your programming skills in your off time.  if you get the chance, choose options that are relevant to the field of programming you wish to do, but not actually targetted at programmers.

>>5
What he said.

Also keep in mind that the same programs at different schools aren't going to be identical. You probably won't find any dramatic differences, but definitely enough to warrant scoping out individual programs at specific schools.

If you want a general idea of what each program would cover, and where the emphasis would be, these would be my guesses:

Computer Programming: Sounds like it's just the pragmatic approach. No theory, probably just scratches the surface of useful algorithms and data structures and focuses mostly on teaching popular languages and APIs to make you a "marketable" code rat.

Computer Science: Theory-intensive program with an emphasis on developing problem solving skills. A bunch of discrete math, linear algebra and maybe some graph theory in addition to stuff that's more directly relevant to coding as an applicative skill.

Computer Engineering: Lots of math, probably some electronic engineering stuff. I imagine you would spend a lot of time on computer architecture and digital design, low-level development and that sort of thing.

Computer Science and Engineering: A mixture of the two above, I guess?

Computer Science and Engineering Technology: A mixture of CS and CE without the theory. Lots of time spent in labs doing hands-on stuff. See #5's post on "technology" programs.

Computer Engineering Tech: Again, see #5's post.

It would probably be worth your while to isolate specific schools and send questions to academic advisors representing the programs you're considering. In my experience, high school guidance counselors don't know too much about anything having to do with computers, but yours may be an exception. Ask him if you feel that's the case.

Hope that was helpful. D:

It's most useful to have a proper grounding in theory. I see this time and time again when recruiting IT and programming staff - the best ones are those that know WHY as well as HOW.

It's most useful to have a proper grounding in theory. I see this time and time again when recruiting IT and programming staff - the best ones are those that know WHY as well as HOW.
Unfortunately, most that come out of college don't know either.

I was like the only guy in my classes, in my last two semesters of college, who seemed to know any C.  All my university classmates asked me the simplest of questions that they should've figured out like FOUR FUCKING YEARS AGO.

Computer Engineering: Lots of math, probably some electronic engineering stuff. I imagine you would spend a lot of time on computer architecture and digital design, low-level development and that sort of thing.

Yes. On the up side, at least I know how to handle myself around circuit components. On the downside, a lot of it feels totally irrelevant, and the majority of the elec eng isn't fun on any level.

If you don't like fiddling with wires and messing with integral calculus, this is not for you.

Based on the answers, it seems like I should do Computer Science and learn random programming languages of goodness on da side.  I do not like messing around with wires and I've never fucked with any form of calculus so I have no idea how much I would like it.  On the other hand for some gay reason I enjoy math.

My question is that it seems like Computer Engineering and Computer Science both offer a deep technical knowledge, but is one in any way superior to the other?  I guess that I want to know how computers tick, so that when I'm programming I have a decent idea of what's going on behind the scenes.  Computer Engineering sounds more boring, but I'd go through the trouble of learning it if it were necessary to do so.

>>11

Computer Science if you want to program

I'd prefer it if you didn't go to university. My drain is backed up and I lack the skills to fix that.

>>13
Look it up on the internet.

>>13

Ring a plumber, dickhead

>>15
Fail

LISP

Bringing /prog/ back to its people
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy