Where do Computer Engineering/Science differ

I'm currently a sophomore CS major(a semester behind because I decided I hated chemistry and was only doing pharmacy for money) and still unsure of where I should be in terms of focus. My interest is primarily in low level software like Operating Systems and embedded systems. Am I right in choosing to pursue a CS degree? I have no interest in hardware and my ideal job would be writing low level software for embedded devices like cell phones or consoles. If CS isn't the ideal choice how far off is it? Is someone with a masters degree in CS able to jump into an embedded systems job depending on the focus?

Computer science is not a science. Computer engineering is an engineering. Hope that helps.

Can you just answer this, who is more likely to get hired to help code a hypervisor for the PS4?

>>3
Randall.^[1]

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^[1] http://xkcd.com/221/

int getRandomNumber()
You mean GetRandomNumber(). Pig disgusting method capitalization.

OP here, will reading SICP tell me?

Yes.

>>7
Will I reach satori?

>>8
If your soul isn't too much corrupted by the evilness of the imperative paradigm, Yes.

>>1
You want to get a degree in counterstrike? Duuuuuude

>>10
Why not? He asks:

Is someone with a masters degree in CS able to jump into an embedded systems job depending on the focus?

Of course with a master's degree in CS you can jump very well and have great focus.

CS curricula highly depend on what school you're going to, so you'll just have to check what courses will be available.
I've had several courses relevant to OS and embedded, but you could get much more focused by taking a more specialized education.

Op here,

curriculum includes the classes: Discrete Structures, Operating Systems, Computer Organization and Assembly, Principles of Programming Languages, Software Design and Development, Data Structures, and Algorithms.

Then I have to take 2 classes in electives where I can do: Compiler Design, Principles of Computer Security, Software Engineering, Automata Theory, Numerical Computations, Symbolic Computation, Database Management Systems, AI, Computer Networks, and Distributed Processing.

and 3 more electives that can either be from the previous or(I've selected the seemingly most relevant of senior level classes): Compiler Design, OOP Languages and Systems, Data Visualization, Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Cryptology, Software Engineering, (Applied, Numerical, Symbolic, or Quantum) Computation, Mobile Telephony Communications, or Intro to Machine Learning.

Am I right in choosing to pursue a CS degree?

Obviously not, for you can acquire the same knowledge by reading books and programming stuff on your own computer.


Now if you wanted to get a degree in chemistry, that's different, since you likely don't have a chemistry laboratory in your basement.

>>14

Smartass, you can teach yourself math too but that doesn't mean its going to get you anywhere.

If you don't have that piece of paper saying you went through a CS curriculum you're going to have a hard time getting more than 45k a year.

At the University that I'm attending, this is how it breaks down, essentially: Computer Engineering is an Electrical Engineering minor mashed with a Computer Science minor. You do a little of both, and such at both. That's my experience, though. Universities differ.

>>16
That is what I take from my school's CE curriculum when I look at it and why I'm avoiding it, it seems to me like its good for nothing unless you want to build RF transmitters and receivers.

>>13
Compiler design is an elective? Your university is bullshit.

>>18
Calm down, even Stanford has Compiler Design as an elective.

>>19
Stanford is bullshit.