SRL Archive - News and General

I have been searching the internet, have talked to friends/family, and finally down to two decisions for college.

1. Software Engineering
-I believe this is the same as Computer Software Engineering?

2. Electrical Engineering


I have the basis of Electrical Engineering down, but I would like to know more about Software Engineering, because I believe if I go with Electrical Engineering, my career will turn in a different direction than on computers; where as Software Engineering sounds like it would keep my career in close with computers.

I know that is going to be my personal choice, but if anyone can add some important say, I'd really appreciate it. If you think I am confused on majors, just provide another to maybe look at!

Thanks !!

choosing your major because you like it can prove troublesome down the road.

you may be really interested in one major, but prove difficult to find a job later on.

I know that in west US, its really competitive in the area of computers and technology.

In the end, its really all a gamble if you think about it.

and software engineering should be the same but it may include software engineering for other things such as appliances.

Don't Pick Electrical and computer engineering, they are really down right now.
Same with life science

In The Netherlands, they have a shortage of 12.000 I(C)T peoples…

General Engineering ;)

I think the EE program has high 90's% placement rank

Electrical Engineering graduates benefit from 100% placement and average starting salaries between $55,000 and $60,000

So if you graduate (and go here, like you said you were) you'll almost for sure get a job.

The general engineering department has had 100% placement for the past some odd years

Architecture! ;)

I found multiple things at school saying that Software Engineering was going to increase up to 2014 by 35%; Electrical Engineering/other Engineering was at around 7%.

I think that is the best option for Engineering wise, which is my major field of interest.

General Engineering sounds too broad..

that's why it's great, you get some mechanical and civil. plus you can go into different options, that emphasize different fields.

edit: I looked through the curriculum for SE, looks like you get to take physics I-III, with both labs, so that's cool. A couple other of the same classes as general engineering, but then it goes more into programming and less into physics and mechanical reactions.

go with chemical engineering. Lots of money =}. With any type of engineering you're going to be close with computers, and even then, you can take electives that are more in the line of thing you want to learn about.

All Engineering options. yOur killing me.

lol

if you go chemical you most likely won't stay in MT. Where do you want to live when you're older? that can make a huge difference in major choice.
The general department can keep you in MT if you look hard enough for a job, and civil can take you literally anywhere, since roads/dams/buildings need to be built anywhere there are people.

Ya, throw civil in their brain :bart:

The united states.

Not sure where EE will take ya, but I know every power plant has a few. More at a power company, more where there is a higher population. I know there is a laboratory in idaho that looks for lots of EEs, Idaho national laboratory or something? They do lots of nuke stuff. That'd be a sweet place to work.

edit: and I really dunno where software will take ya.

I think I'm moving into Biochem myself, but software will most likely prove boring to you.

Its not like SCAR scripting ;)

From: Nava2
I think I'm moving into Biochem myself, but software will most likely prove boring to you.

Its not like SCAR scripting ;)

I'm doing biochem as well :) [/offtopic]

I don't suggest doing software engineering. I Interned at a software engineering company last summer and it was miserable! I was only there for 5 weeks and I believe that I went insane. Now I'm going to be fucked in the head for the rest of my life.

In short, software engineering is crazy boring :p

Your mileage may vary, but from what my dad tells me as a programmer you probably spend <50% of the time actually programming, and most of the time in meetings, client support, writing TPS reports to 8 bosses, and other bureaucratic BS. Just had to throw that office space ref in there!

From: Boreas
Your mileage may vary, but from what my dad tells me as a programmer you probably spend <50% of the time actually programming, and most of the time in meetings, client support, writing TPS reports to 8 bosses, and other bureaucratic BS. Just had to throw that office space ref in there!

Now what does your dad say on Electrical Engineering?

Well, thanks for all the inputs. I have a feeling any career in my field of interest will be boring (sigh)

From: Ejjman1
I have a feeling any career in my field of interest will be boring (sigh)

not if you choose to interest in civil ;) lol, you get to move around, and work on tons of different kind of projects if that's what you desire.

You can go to berkeley for chemical engineer, its quite easy to get in, yet it offers EXCELLENT education (chemistry mostly).


Here is a great site for chemical engineering books
http://villavu.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51233

From: Main_Ftw
You can go to berkeley for chemical engineer, its quite easy to get in, yet it offers EXCELLENT education (chemistry mostly).


Here is a great site for chemical engineering books
http://villavu.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51233

I've googled around, and I really don't understand the whole chemical engineering thing. I've been told it would fit my skills very well, but I don't understand it.

Don't you just make things for holding chemicals or something?

afaik depending on where you are, you can do anything from making things to hold chemicals to making the chemicals to do whatever it is you're doing, to making the different materials needed to do certain things. For example, Any company that makes things made of plastic would afaik have chemical engineers for making it and finding better ways to make it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgWNQVdhE9A
NUff said

From: Main_Ftw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgWNQVdhE9A
NUff said

48 minutes? It better be nuff said..

You seem to be doing this for no particular reason? If you enjoy it it doesnt matter what others say.

You want to do a job that you are going to enjoy long term, so dont just do something for the sake of.

From: Main_Ftw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgWNQVdhE9A
NUff said

Ah, I was watching the MIT ones :).

From: Main_Ftw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgWNQVdhE9A
NUff said

I watched most of it.

I've now decided that I will officially become the smartest kid in the world, and I will get accepted there. Out of 1700 accepted kids.

I remembered some pictures my buddy sent me. He is a CS major in Bozeman (CS and SE are similar). They don't have an SE major, but they have a few classes in it.

This is his attempt at making a 16 bit processor, took him 9 hours to build, and it didn't work…but he still got 19/20 points for it….

http://www.cs.montana.edu/~grantn/images/cs330/Picture07.jpg
http://www.cs.montana.edu/~grantn/images/cs330/Picture05.jpg

So if that gives you an erection, SE is for you.

uhuhuhhuh. now im all wet :(

From: Main_Ftw
Don't Pick Electrical and computer engineering, they are really down right now.
Same with life science

Says who? the Computer/Electrical engineering markets are very solid routes to go. Very few people actually get the degree, and most companies need someone with the degree.

As an added bonus, if you go with Computer engineering over electrical, you'll basically have all the required skills of a mid-level programmer. The programming market in the US is strong.

<– currently studying Computer engineering.

From: Brain
I remembered some pictures my buddy sent me. He is a CS major in Bozeman (CS and SE are similar). They don't have an SE major, but they have a few classes in it.

This is his attempt at making a 16 bit processor, took him 9 hours to build, and it didn't work…but he still got 19/20 points for it….

http://www.cs.montana.edu/~grantn/images/cs330/Picture07.jpg
http://www.cs.montana.edu/~grantn/images/cs330/Picture05.jpg

So if that gives you an erection, SE is for you.

Wow, what kind of junky college doesn't spring for FPGA's. An exercise like that is completely pointless. Verilog FTW

don't do chemical engineering unless you are GOOD at science, i dont mean good like you got A's in your high school classes…I man extremely good because its not easy

From: boberman

Wow, what kind of junky college doesn't spring for FPGA's. An exercise like that is completely pointless. Verilog FTW

bread boards are sweet……