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Guide to College Majors in Computer Engineering
--Farmers' Almanac
What is Computer Engineering?
Of the 14 branches of engineering tracked by the United States
Department of Labor,
computer engineering has grown the fastest over the past two
decades.
Once confined to university laboratories and big companies,
computers have permeated our everyday lives over the last two
decades. Computer engineers create objects and services that
today's consumers often take for granted. Specifically, they
design, construct, and test the computer systems that keep us
going. It's not unusual to find a computer engineer involved in
everything from cars to toasters.
What do Computer Engineers Do?
Computer engineers enjoy tremendous freedom in choosing the
types of projects they want to work on. He may decide to work on a
project that he finds fascinating, or one that he has a personal
connection to. For example, a computer engineer who suffered a loss
in his family due to illness might invest his energy on developing
medical devices to treat that illness.
Often working on teams with engineers and designers from other
disciplines, computer engineers can contribute to a wide variety of
compelling projects. From designing new microchips to developing
industrial robots, computer engineers use their skills to help
businesses and consumers solve all kinds of problems. .
In many cases, computer engineers' contributions aren't so obvious.
For example, a computer engineer may team up with civil engineers
on a river dam. Her input can result in an automated system that
manages consistent water levels in reservoirs or in local streams.
Or she might collaborate with automotive designers to create
internal systems that regulate fuel efficiency and tire pressure.
With computers integrated in more and more products around the
world, a computer engineer's career choices are nearly limitless.
.
Career Education in Computer Engineering
Planning for your career as a computer engineer
Students who wish to pursue a career in computer engineering
need a strong foundation in both
math and science,
particularly
chemistry and physics.
Students who wish to pursue
bachelor's degrees in computer engineering should try to enroll
in more advanced math classes like trigonometry and precalculus
while still in high school.
High school students who want to pursue a degree in computer
engineering can take advantage of membership in the Junior Engineering Technical Society,
which offers students numerous opportunities to test their skills
through competitions and scholarship programs. For students
attempting to gain entrance to some of the country's most
prestigious schools, these extracurricular activities can provide
an important edge during admissions reviews.
On-Campus and Online Degree Programs in Computer Engineering
Colleges and universities offer several levels of engineering
programs. Note that there are two different types of college degree
programs in computer engineering. One is specifically in
engineering, and the other is engineering
technology (a more vocationally oriented specialty). While the
two degrees are very similar, students who study engineering
technology may not register as certified professional engineers.
Despite that distinction, students in either discipline will often
find work in similar types of jobs.
Because so many professional computer engineers work online, many
colleges and universities can use the same technology to offer
their degree programs via distance learning.
Online computer engineering degrees allow working professionals
the chance to balance their studies with their personal and
professional obligations, and have become increasingly popular
among adults seeking additional career training.
Associate's Degrees in Computer Engineering Technology
Colleges and universities typically restrict their associate's
degree offerings to
computer engineering technology, where the coursework covers
circuitry, networking and electronic devices. Computer engineering
majors who enroll in this degree program will participate in a
significant amount of hands-on work. They learn high-demand skills
that will allow them to enter the work force in as little as 18
months.
Along with core computer engineering courses, associate's degree
candidates must enroll in math and physics courses. Upon receiving
their degrees, students who want to go straight into the work force
may be able to transfer their credits into a part-time
bachelor's degree program, which they can pursue while they
gain work experience. Many computer engineering companies offer
generous tuition reimbursement packages that encourage students to
grow their skills while earning a salary.
Bachelor's Degrees in Computer Engineering
Though a handful of programs focus solely on tasks like
programming and networking, many
computer engineering bachelor's degree programs emphasize the
core fundamentals of engineering. First-year students participate
in a combination of computer engineering electives and electrical
engineering requirements. After completing the core courses for
their degree program, students can begin to customize their
programs. For example, many students choose to explore classes in
computer architecture and design, in order to pursue lucrative
careers in the manufacturing industry.
Building on the kind of basic coursework shared with associate's
degree candidates, bachelor's degree students use their education
to deepen their knowledge of key principles of engineering.
Required liberal arts courses help computer engineering majors
develop important critical thinking skills.
Beyond the challenges of completing rigorous classroom assignments,
computer engineering majors also pursue a series of essential
internships and cooperative learning experiences. These programs
allow students to apply their coursework to real-world problems. As
an added benefit, many computer engineering majors seize the
opportunity to forge strong relationships with working
professionals as potential future employers.
Master's Degrees in Computer Engineering
Having achieved success in the private sector after earning
their
bachelor's degrees, many computer engineers return to school so
they can explore topics of deeper interest.
Master's degree candidates often work on research teams with
tenured faculty members, hoping to solve complex problems faced by
consumers and businesses. Pooling funding resources from corporate
and government sources, graduate students apply their skills to
exciting tasks that can make a difference in our everyday
lives.
Many working professionals pursue their
computer engineering master's degrees online. In their
fast-paced careers, it can be extremely difficult to drop out of
the commercial sector for the two to three years it might take a
full-time student to earn his degree. Instead, many graduate
students take advantage of funding and other resources provided by
their employers, who hope to retain ambitious computer engineers on
their staffs for decades to come.
Doctorate Degrees in Computer Engineering
For advanced computer engineers who wish to make a permanent and
lasting impact on their profession, a
doctorate in computer engineering offers the chance to
innovate, research, and teach. As with master's degree programs,
universities open up their highest learning opportunities to
working professionals who want to carve a path to a career in
academia and/or research without sacrificing their current jobs or
incomes.
Because of the significant research expected of doctoral
candidates, many students combine distance learning with frequent
visits to a campus where they can perform research in a lab or on
expensive supercomputers. Some innovative universities have
developed reciprocal agreements with other schools, so that
participants in their distance learning programs can earn credit
for experiments and research conducted at other facilities.
Continuing Education in Computer Engineering
The field of computer engineering constantly changes to
accommodate new technologies, new inventions, and new consumer
demands. To keep up with the frequent expansion of their field,
many professional computer engineers participate in continuing
education programs.
Computer engineering is a constantly changing field. Therefore,
engineers are constantly updating their skills, expanding on older
achievements and learning new tricks. Also, engineers frequently
need to learn a little bit about related fields they may work with,
especially in ancillary industries. For example, a computer
engineer who starts a career with a large bank may find it
advantageous to pursue
continuing education in finance or business, so she can make
engineering decisions in an appropriate context.
Internships and Co-ops
Since becoming an engineer requires experience in the field,
many colleges and universities now offer internships and co-op
opportunities to students. These programs allow students the chance
to gain experience and apply knowledge from their classrooms to
real-life situations. Often, completing an internship or co-op
requires students to invest a little more time in their education.
Because successful college interns often find quality jobs more
quickly after graduation, the extra work is often worth it.
Computer engineering majors may complete internships over the
course of a semester or during a concentrated summer placement.
Internships are traditionally unpaid, but in the fast-growing and
highly lucrative world of information technology, paid internships
are rapidly becoming the norm. In addition, participants gain
intimate understandings of the inner workings of real businesses.
In the most prestigious internship programs, computer engineering
students can work alongside seasoned experts at well-known
companies.
Instead of studying the work and the culture of a company from a
distant classroom, interns work at company facilities. There, they
immerse themselves in a company's day to day routines, contributing
as they learn. Many companies allow their interns to work on small
projects and sit in on important development meetings. Many
companies use their internship programs as opportunities to train
potential future employees. By doing so, they assure themselves a
loyal work force that already understands the nuances of their role
and their company.
Whether or not an intern moves onto a formal paid position at their
company, experienced computer engineering professionals understand
the real importance of those early internship placements. In
addition to absorbing real-life lessons from working companies,
interns build relationships with key professionals at all levels of
an organization. Some very lucky interns get to connect with top
executives and decision makers. Many interns work more closely with
junior team members and other recent graduates, who will soon be
hiring teams of their own.
Along with building a valuable set of credentials, a computer
engineering intern may be able to round out her course requirements
by earning credit hours. Typically, the student's mentor or the
departmental head will analyze the internship experience to
determine how much credit to assign. Students who only visited an
internship site a few hours per week might only earn the equivalent
of one-third of a regular semester-long course.
On the other hand, students who can show significant commitment to
their internship placement by putting in consistent appearances and
working hard on company projects can often earn up to two courses'
worth of credit. For online degree participants, distance learners,
and mid-career job shifters, this extra credit can accelerate
graduation from school and elevation to a higher pay scale.
Along the same lines, many computer engineering majors pursue
cooperative learning experiences in lieu of internships. Because of
the high demand for entry-level computer engineers, many students
prefer these paid programs because they allow students to earn
money while learning new skills. In most cases, students spend a
full work week at the placement site, working with experienced
professionals on critical projects. In the cases of internships and
co-op experiences, a student can maximize the amount of credit they
earn by documenting their learning process diligently. Many
professors can justify awarding more credit hours when a student
keeps a log of the hours spent at a company facility along with a
journal of their specific tasks and insights. Many colleges and
universities also require an intern to make a formal presentation
to their peers to highlight specific lessons learned from their
time with a company.
What Can You Do with a College Major in Computer Engineering?
Career options for aspiring computer engineers
Computer engineering majors enjoy the opportunity to build a set of core skills that businesses from many industries look for when hiring new staff members. With slight changes in electives or concentrations, computer engineers from the same graduating class could wind up in very different kinds of careers:
- Design engineers set the
stage for the development of innovative new products and services.
Working in conjunction with specialist designers, a computer
engineer may be called upon to build the hot new product dreamed up
by marketers or managers. Taking current trends and emerging
technologies into account, a design engineer must solve problems in
a way that can be easily replicated on a factory floor.
With software pervading just about every kind of consumer product, design engineers with a computer engineering background could find themselves developing everything from toaster ovens to trucks. Students who enjoy living and working on the cutting edge of trends will love the opportunity to shape new generations of consumer goods. - For computer engineering graduates who want
a little more predictability in their daily routines, large
companies need quality control engineers. In this
capacity, a computer engineer must use his or her keen
observational skills to quickly analyze the output of a factory or
an assembly line. They must quickly pull defective items from the
distribution chain, to prevent malfunctions that could cause
inconvenience, injury, or even death.
In addition, quality control engineers must be able to identify consistent problems in a manufacturing process. By providing constructive solutions to ongoing problems, quality control engineers can improve the efficiency of a production facility. Their diligent work can produce a tremendously positive impact on a company's bottom line. - Development engineers take
responsibility for a product after its initial production run.
Unlike a design engineer, who dreams up new ideas from scratch, a
development engineer examines ways to improve unpopular products
and reinvigorate proven hits. In many cases, a development
engineer's job can prove even tougher than that of a design
engineer, since a development engineer must produce results that
meet the existing expectations of diverse customer bases.
Constant improvement and innovation are hallmarks of the development engineering field. Fierce competition between companies produces stronger and faster equipment, along with groundbreaking new software applications. Many development engineers with computer engineering degrees work on advanced artificial intelligence projects designed to automate more and more of our mundane, everyday chores. Likewise, teams of designers integrate computing breakthroughs into medical research by developing intelligent pacemakers that alert authorities to a pending heart attack. - Just as a commercial architect must figure
out how to get more use from limited space, a computer
architect examines new ways to make computers smaller
while increasing their efficiency. Fueled by constant demand from
businesses and consumers for lighter, cheaper, more powerful
systems, computer architects work in highly competitive companies
who want to gain market advantage by releasing the hottest and most
popular systems.
With computers appearing inside all kinds of other devices, today's computer architects have their work cut out for them. Computer engineering graduates have managed to insert fully functioning computers into automobile engines, into traffic lights, and even into batteries. Computer architects helped to shepherd global consumers from using film cameras to operating sophisticated digital imaging equipment.
Salary Expectations for Computer Engineers
In a 2006 study conducted by the United States Department of
Labor, computer software engineers reported a median annual salary
of $79,780 (one of the highest in the country). Starting salaries
average $56,201.
Certification and Licensure
Any person who wishes to be considered a certified engineer must pass a licensure exam given through the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. In order to ensure public safety, engineers must complete a rigorous set of tasks before earning their credentials. A typical engineer must:
- Complete a four-year degree through an accredited college or university
- Earn four years of qualifying experience
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
- Pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam
Meanwhile, each U.S. state sets its own requirements for
licensure. Computer engineering majors can contact their school's
career counseling office to learn the specific demands of their
home state. Fortunately, state oversight boards understand the
difficulty and the time commitment required to achieve licensure.
Therefore, most states have signed reciprocal agreements that
permit engineers licensed in one state to practice their work in
other states without having to repeat the licensure process.
Some states have a provision in place for students who do not have
four years of experience. They allow recent computer engineering
graduates to register for a prelicensure certificate. The title
varies by state, but anyone earning the certificate becomes an EIT,
or engineer in training, until he acquires enough experience to
apply for the FE and PE exams.
Many computer engineers may choose to limit themselves to a
particular specialty and avoid licensure requirements altogether.
Though many other disciplines of engineering require state
licensure in order to meet public safety guidelines, computer
engineers can limit the scope of their work and team up with
licensed mentors in order to pass muster with regulators, depending
on industry and product. Companies that handle federal and state
manufacturing projects, however, must generally restrict their
hiring to licensed engineers or recent graduates who have
registered for pre-licensure status.
Professional and Licensure Organizations
- The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- Junior Engineer Technical Society
- The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- The National Society of Professional Engineers
- National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveying
- American Society for Engineering Education
- Online Degrees in Computer Engineering
- Online Degrees in Software Engineering
- Online Degrees in Technology Management
