What should I get my degree in? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Iceclaw
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 05:06:36 am
content: Hi everyone,I'm about to start my sophomore year and am starting think about degrees and careers. I want to work within electrical engineering, more specifically, computer hardware and software. I understand maths and science will be big factor in this field, but don't quite know what I should major in. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks for reading,Rm

author: lapm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 07:54:57 am
content: Computer hardware and software indicate at least two different careers. One as programmer, one as electronics engineer.Programmers usually have very little to do with electricity, unless your embedded systems programmer...So which one interest you more?Just because you choose particular career now, docent prevent you learning more on your own. Don't know about school system in your country but in mine they did allow taking extra courses in things you were interested..And once you graduate and actually start working, don't under estimate power of learning something new by yourself that might come handy at work. Career is about starting with bare basic skill set and then starting to pickup more and more skills needed. Some you learn at work, some you learn at your own time because they interest you...I got started in electronics as hobbyist when i was 12. And it lead to all the way of me studying automation engineering. Turned out to be wrong choice in my life. But skill set has benefited me other ways tremendously.What you do now, might not be what you do in 20-30 years from now. Don't fear change, it happens, its life.So pick now what interest you most, once life gives you more experience, you might change your mind.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 06:45:27 pm
content: I somewhat have a similar dilemma as I am back to school to finish a degree in IT, the 2 year college I'm at now does not have any courses that are electronics related but the university that I will likely transfer to does. But those courses typically have some strict math prerequisites. Where as I have taken the barest minimum of math.Also note that Computer Science and IT are typically under different colleges within the university and may have similar courses but not interchangeable. Where I will be going, the IT classes are under the college of business and management but CS classes are under the college of science and engineering.

author: Bob F.
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 08:04:22 pm
content: Bearing in mind that my higher education experience was mumblemumble-ty years ago, the general idea seems to be that you can get a job as a trainee software engineer with a degree in electronic engineering (assuming you showed interest and some experience), but not the other way around. There will be far more maths in an EE degree. Even 30 years ago, the emphasis had moved to digital systems design which I found a lot easier - less maths. Or, at least, less difficult maths!If I understand correctly, US degrees are more flexible than UK ones and take four years to complete, so it may be possible for you to select modules in your first two years that would allow you to specialise in the final two years depending on where you saw yourself going.<aside>As a general observation, expecting an 18 - 19 year old person to make such important decisions is patently absurd - I didn't start my degree until I was 26, but that was in the days when UK Unis did not charge students for degree courses and full cost-of-living grants were available for adult students so starting a degree in your 20's was not entirely unheard of. Happy days...Good luck, Bob.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 08:40:57 pm
content: Choose options that you like and will therefore be prepared to do "more than the minimum necessary" simply because you like it. Such dedication impresses employers because they can see you aren't a timeserver and will do more for their company.Choose options that don't limit your future choices - i.e. ensure your choices only "close doors" that you definitely won't want to go through. You will specialise naturally during your career; now is too early to limit what you will be allowed to do in 10 years time.Choose options that have a good mix of theory and practical application. Theory without practice is mental masturbation. Practice without theory is blind fumbling.

author: jezsmith41
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 09:30:38 pm
content: Can I suggest, looking at it from an industry insiders viewpoint, software guys are ten a penny, hardware guys are currently in high demand. Software guys who start out as general systems guys then try to do embedded systems programming are a nightmare.Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

author: jezsmith41
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 10:00:05 pm
content: There is also a current obsession within the computer sciences that everything must have an operating system which is partly why people who have a CS degree then move to embedded are difficult to love.Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

author: Daniel_Reyes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 11:35:22 pm
content: Quote from: lapm on August 08, 2015, 07:54:57 amWhy did it turn out to be the wrong choice for you?Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 11:43:55 pm
content: Quote from: Iceclaw on August 08, 2015, 05:06:36 amSimple answer: specialize in hardware and core science/physics as much as possible. Many hardware people have crossed over or extended into software, whereas hardly any software people have crossed over into hardware. When I review resumes for software engineers, many of them have EE degrees. When I review resumes for nuts-and-bolts engineers they don't have CompSci degrees.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 12:01:55 am
content: Quote from: jezsmith41 on August 08, 2015, 09:30:38 pmThe stats shows that in average embedded software engineers are payed higher than electronic engineers and less that software engineers in general.http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Embedded_Software_Engineer/Salaryhttp://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Electronics_Engineer/Salaryhttp://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Software_Engineer/SalaryDave touched on it a few times in the Amp Hour that hardware becomes more and more commodity and the complexity and the differentiation of the design is shifted to the software.Anyway, my suggestion to the OP, learn what you love because you will good at whatever you love.Years a go I faced the same dilemma, was already working in hardware and had to chose a college major. I ended taking the software route, mainly because I got tired with the logistic and cost reduction aspects of hardware design.

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 12:18:09 am
content: Get a degree in something you enjoy. If you hate your work then no money is compensation enough. Do what you enjoy and do it as best as you can and happiness will follow.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 07:37:30 am
content: Quote from: Bob F. on August 08, 2015, 08:04:22 pmWhile I understand why you say that, and have a good deal of sympathy and support for your route, there are disadvantages.On a "theoretical level" the vast majority of fundamental advances are made by people under 25 - that's one reason the UK can claim to be "so good at making fundamental inventions" (note the lack of any statement about turning them into financial advantages).On a "practical level", I've seen HR-droids use "has a standard degree" as a tick-box filter that prevents good CVs from reaching those that are competent to assess a good engineer. More pertinently, I've seen a prejudice against "mature students" that decided to get a degree later on. No, I don't like that, but that's not the point.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 09:06:16 am
content: If you were an Oz, best to get a mining engineering degree.I had a visitor around here last night and he earns $250,000 per year PLUS free accommodation and airfares to an island off WA where they mine LPG. All food paid for. Nothing to spend. And he is only 30 years old and has been in the job for four years. He only works 6 months of the year, ie: 26 days on and 26 days off, repeated.In comparison, electronic engineers here get paid poorly, and get few benefits if any.

author: kosmonooit
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 07:30:18 pm
content: If you have the head for it, general Elec Eng degree will be a great asset no matter which way you turn after graduation. Yes its hard work and commitment and the maths is challenging, but you will never look back. We had electives in out final year, I was more into digital systems h/w & s/w. (it just came easier to me) but I never lost my understanding of heavy current etc.So aim as high as you can! "Reach for the stars, but keep ur feet on the ground"

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 08:28:34 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on August 09, 2015, 09:06:16 amYes, it pays better. I wouldn't expect it.http://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Mining_Engineer/Salarymedian: 112khttp://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Electronics_Engineer/Salarymedian: 68k

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2015, 12:57:33 pm
content: Quote from: zapta on August 09, 2015, 08:28:34 pmAccording to your link for EE's "People in this job generally don't have more than 20 years' experience." And that is in a dying industry.That's because they burn out, get retrenched and can't find a job because of age discrimination or there are no jobs left, have had a gut full, lose the passion, or move to greener pastures that pays better. I have seen it all before.I know one long time friend with whom I went to uni in the 1970's. He was 100% electronics. He was a brilliant analogue design engineer and very smart (a little eccentric though), but he felt he worked long hours for little return and struggled to find decent work. He could see electronics was dying in Australia. He got disillusioned and left the profession forever, literally vowing never to return. Through desperation, he became a home handyman in his local community where a lot of old aged pensioners reside so there is heaps of work. He is booked out 3 months ahead and does not need to advertise. He is now very happy, gets a great deal of satisfaction, and earns more money than he ever did as an EE. No degree required.I stay in the profession for one reason and one reason only... I still have the passion, can still do the work pretty well and I don't think I suffer from the illegal ageism which runs rampant in our country. But I am fortunate, because there are few hands-on EE's left at my age in Australia for the reasons I mentioned. My work is in medical electronics, one of the only electronics industries left in this country. A colleague has a PhD in medical manufacturing. He is brilliant, very experienced, gets along with everyone, and is a little older than me. He travels from Sydney to Melbourne each week (1000 km each way) because age discrimination had made it almost impossible for him to find work.Sometimes I think my mate made the right choice. Certainly for him anyway. In any case, it is bloody shameful on our government and our sick society there are so few electronics engineers at my age in Australia.So, anyone wanting to become an EE here must understand work will never be guaranteed. There is no job for life. You just have to do the best you can, keep learning, go the extra mile, morph with technology and above all, keep the passion of electronics!

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2015, 03:46:14 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on August 10, 2015, 12:57:33 pmI know an chip design engineer, in his mid 40s, that could find a job, even though he lives in silicon valley, that became a RN (a nurse with a diploma), and can now find as much employment as he wants. He also seems to like it.It's not common to see engineers in their 50s and 60s doing actual design. Most transition to do other things, some related to engineering (e.g. eng management or blogging) and some are not (e.g. staying at home).

author: snowmix
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 12, 2015, 12:37:31 am
content: After 14 years in law enforcement I finally figured out this is what I want to do. I'm 35 and about to take my first class in college for electronics. Just because you think you love something when your 16 doesn't mean after a few people try to kill you and you roll around with a few piss covered bums that you're still love it. Life is about taking risk and always learning. You can always start over as long as you don't let fear paralyze you. If your doing something that doesn't make you happy just have the courage to quit.

author: texwitheffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2015, 10:32:36 pm
content: Well for me I'm an electronic engineer. When I apply for jobs companies will love to "looking for an electronic engineer" but then when you're hired they retrain you doing something more along the lines of mechanical engineering so then after time you forget your electronic engineering and can't leave and apply for a different job because you have forgotten a lot of it and haven't stayed current with your craft, so BEWARE! Companies will try to trap you.Now what I think is gonna happen is that there is gonna be a huge need for software guys cus hardware is converting to software, but there will always be the need for hardware guys, but gotta do what you love and I don't think I could convert to softwareSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 07:46:09 am
content: Quote from: texwitheffects on August 16, 2015, 10:32:36 pmDon't be silly. Companies will try to get employees to do the best for the company - whichmay or may notcoincide with the employees long-term interests.They also have a problem that they may hire someone in the belief they are competant at X, only to find that they aren't. In that case they can shunt people sideways or upwards to where they can do less harm (The Peter Principle).I note your other threadhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/frequencies/in which you are either an effective and amusing troll, or...

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 07:48:55 am
content: I would highly recommend going for an embedded systems engineer route. The interface between software and hardware.Simply because the 'internet of things' will take off in the next 20 years. So there will be plenty of work for an embedded engineer.

author: texwitheffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 07:59:10 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on August 17, 2015, 07:46:09 amWhat?... I'm telling this guy my past experiences with the last 3 companies I've been with all of which hired an electronic engineer and then pretty much tricked me into doing mechanical engineering type work which is starting to get pretty annoying.My other thread you think I'm a troll? Frequencies are fun to talk about. I'm having a hard time understanding what is so troll about wanting to learn about frequencies. No one ever talks about them and I feel that is such a big and important subject in electronic engineering

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 08:22:47 am
content: Quote from: texwitheffects on August 17, 2015, 07:59:10 amYou can't possibly start that other thread and repeat the same nonsense here while also being an electronics engineer. The two things are not compatible.

author: texwitheffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 08:26:34 am
content: Quote from: Iceclaw on August 08, 2015, 05:06:36 amOh hey btw, when you graduate with your electronic engineering degree, semiconductor manufacturing companies will try to pick you up super quick. I got with them after I graduate and it was one of the biggest mistakes I've made in my career. I want to be a design engineer and now design companies won't look at my resume because I've wasted time in that industry and lost a lot of my knowledge in designing circuits. So if you want to have an easy job putting "A1" to "A1" and "B1 to "B1" (connecting cables and chemical lines) with cheap pay (I was making 18 an hour and some of my co workers were only making 15 an hour) take the semiconductor road. But if you really want to learn electronic engineering hold out for a better job it will pay off in the long run.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 08:37:55 am
content: Quote from: IanB on August 17, 2015, 08:22:47 amTo use that wonderful phrase spoken by a civil servant to his minister in "Yes, Minister".... "You might think that but I couldn't possibly comment"

author: eas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 11:23:00 pm
content: Quote from: Iceclaw on August 08, 2015, 05:06:36 amSo, to clarify, based on your introductory post in one of the other forums, you are a sophomore in high school, not college, correct?My advice is to take advantage of the next couple of years to dig further into software and hardware. Along the way, talk to lots of people who are further down the road you think you want to take. Talk to people like you, and very different from you. Talk to HS seniors who are choosing colleges, with people finishing up, or in grad school, talk to some people in their first jobs, second jobs, and 10+ years in to their careers. Ask them about what path they took, and why, what they see in their future, what they'd do differently, what they think has changed since they were just getting started out.Take it all in, and consider your options as you do your college applications. Once you have selected a college, familiarize yourself with the requirements in a few majors that interest you and try and choose classes for your first two years that will let you keep your options open. Get relevant work and internship experience as soon as possible.Whatever you do, try to take a range of classes outside your major. Anthroplogy, Psych, Linguistics, Theater, all have things to teach you. Learning to study culture, and human motivation, better understading how people conceptualize and communicate, these are good perspectives to have and they can serve you whether you end up working at a large corporation, or someplace smaller and more entrepreneurial. A lot of engineers find technical solutions to problems, and the problems that attract their interest tend to suggest technical solutions. Often though, understanding the problem and the solution requires more than just technology. For example, look at the responses you received. Some people have asked questions, and some have offered good general advice, but how many have stepped back to consider who you are and what you know and understand?To go beyond general advice, we need more than the very general information about yourself. Why are you interested in computing hardware and software, what is it you imagine yourself doing? Do you know anyone working in the field(s) that interest you? What is it about their work that you identify with?

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 04:09:00 am
content: My two cents:I have a B.S.E.E and have been doing software development on military contracts for over 35 years now. The people I've worked with that have an EE degree make better all round engineers and programmers then people with Computer Science degrees. Although the CS people are better programmers, they don't have the theory that's needed to perform signal processing/analysis/modeling nor the knowledge to communicate and control todays embedded systems.I'm seeing a large demand for software developers to do web based and database applications. Which is why you're probably seeing a demand for Computer Science people. But they are not going to be doing the in-depth engineering applications an EE would be doing.Take a look at the AVR microcontroller lectures from Cornell University and see if you're interested in the things the EE students doing in the labs.

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2015, 12:44:47 pm
content: Quote from: texwitheffects on August 17, 2015, 07:59:10 amThere's nothing fun in talking about frequencies if the opponent is a total nitwit.And even worse if he made up his own definition of what frequencies and energy should mean.

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2015, 12:48:47 pm
content: Quote from: texwitheffects on August 17, 2015, 08:26:34 amWitch isn't always as easy as outsiders might think, and what is still way above your technical level.But if you should start doing that for some months you could eventually learn some things.

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2015, 06:48:58 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on August 18, 2015, 04:09:00 amEvery education has its target, but in your example, a mix of both profiles should be the best choice. They can learn from eachother, and optimise each aspect of the project.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2015, 07:19:46 am
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on August 09, 2015, 09:06:16 amAnd you could end up President of The United States of America!http://blog.perthmint.com.au/2012/07/04/which-united-states-president-dug-for-australian-gold/