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Online Education Guide - What is a College Major? View College Majors - Aerospace Engineering - Bioengineering - Chemical Engineering - Civil Engineering - Computer Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Engineering Management - Environmental Engineering - Industrial Engineering - Manufacturing Engineering - Materials Science - Mechanical Engineering - Petroleum Engineering - Software Engineering - Systems Engineering |
Home | Career Pathways | Online Education Guide | Engineering Majors | Computer Engineering Online Education GuideGuide to College Majors in Computer EngineeringWhat is Computer Engineering?Of the fourteen branches of engineering tracked by the United States Department of Labor, computer engineering has grown the fastest over the past two decades. Computer engineers have designed systems that let them work on projects with colleagues throughout the world. Distance learning and research systems have created tremendous opportunities for computer engineers to advance their academic careers without sacrificing full time jobs or family commitments. Once confined to university laboratories and international businesses, computers have permeated our everyday lives. Computer engineers create objects and services that today's consumers often take for granted. Specifically, computer engineers 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. Computer engineering branched off from the larger specialty of electrical engineering, since early computers required engineers to physically install tubes and solder connections. In the past few decades, with electrical engineers staying focused on the skills of building actual computing devices, computer engineering has emerged as a unique specialty. Computer engineers now focus more of their skills on designing useful software applications that take advantage of widely available hardware tools. What do Computer Engineers do?Computer engineers enjoy tremendous freedom in choosing the types of projects they want to work on. In many cases, a computer engineer may decide to focus on building a tool or a product that meets a need they feel passionate about. For example, a computer engineer who suffered a loss in his or her family due to illness might invest their energy on developing software that manages medical equipment. Often working on teams with engineers and designers from other disciplines, computer engineers can contribute to a myriad 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. Computer engineers contribute to many solutions where their work is less than obvious. For example, a computer engineer may team up with civil engineers on a river dam project. Their input can result in an automated system that manages consistent water levels in reservoirs or in local streams. Also, computer engineers can collaborate with automotive designers to create internal systems that regulate fuel efficiency and tire pressure. Career Education in Computer EngineeringPlanning for your career as a computer engineerStudents 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 level degree programs should try to enroll in more advanced math classes like trigonometry and precalculus while still in high school. Students should also have a strong grasp of written and spoken English and knowledge of current events. High school students who already know they want to pursue a career in computer engineering can take advantage of membership in the Junior Engineering Technical Society. The society 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. Engineering Degree ProgramsColleges and universities offer several levels of engineering programs for you to choose from, depending on your interests. Note that there are two different types of college degree programs. One type of program is specifically in Engineering, while other programs provide degrees in Engineering Technology. 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 communicate with each other online, many colleges and universities can use the same technology to offer their degree programs in distance learning format. Advanced computer engineering programs offer students the opportunity to conduct research on campus during short residency programs. These in person learning experiences provide added learning benefits while allowing professional learners the chance to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Associate Degree Along with core computer engineering courses, associate degree candidates must enroll in higher level courses in mathematics and physics. Upon receiving their degrees, students who want to leap into the work force can transition their credits into a longer term bachelor degree program, which they can pursue part time. Many computer engineering companies offer generous tuition reimbursement packages that encourage students to grow their skills while earning a salary. Bachelor Degree Building on the kind of basic coursework shared with associate degree candidates, bachelor degree students use their credit hours to deepen their knowledge of key principles of engineering. Exposure to liberal arts courses often helps computer engineering majors develop crucial 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 at potential future employers. Master Degree Many working professionals enjoy pursuing their Master's Degrees using distance learning and online computer engineering programs. 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 their degree. Instead, many graduate students enjoy funding and other resources provided by their employers, who hope to retain ambitious computer engineers on their staffs for decades to come. Doctorate Level Programs Because of the significant research commitments expected of Doctorate 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 participants in their distance learning programs can earn credit for experiments and research conducted at other facilities. Continuing Education Computer engineering is a constantly changing field. Therefore, computer engineers are constantly updating their skills, expanding on older achievements and learning new tricks. Also, engineers frequently need to learn a little bit about the field they are working with, especially when working 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 in business, so they can make computer engineering decisions in an appropriate context. Universities offering online computer engineering degree programs:
Walden University - Online Master's Degree in Computer Engineering What can you do with a College Major in Computer EngineeringCareer options for aspiring computer engineersComputer 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.
Salary Expectations for Computer EngineersIn a 2002 study conducted by the United States Department of Labor, full-time computer engineers reported a median annual salary of $72,150. Many industry newcomers reported earning only $46,190 in their first year, while most experienced computer engineers earning between $56,490 and $91,730. Students who had completed only a bachelor's degree reported their average starting salary to be $51,343, while students who had master's degrees reported starting salaries averaging $64,200. Certification and LicensureAny 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 assure public safety, engineers must complete a rigorous set of tasks before earning their credentials. A typical engineer must:
Some states also have a provision in place for students who do not have four years of experience. Those states 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 they acquire enough experience to apply for the FE and PE exams. Each state sets its own exact requirements for licensure. Computer engineering majors can contact their school's career counseling office to learn the specific demands from 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. Many computer engineers can limit their scope to a particular specialty and avoid licensure altogether. Though many other disciplines of engineering require state licensure in order to meet state public safety guidelines, companies that employ computer engineers can limit the scope of those engineers' work and team them up with licensed mentors in order to mass muster with regulators. Companies that handle federal and state manufacturing projects often must restrict their hiring to licensed engineers or recent graduates who have registered for pre-licensure status. Internships and Co-opsSince 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 earn 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 educations. Because successful college interns often find quality jobs more quickly after graduation, the trade off is often worth it. Computer engineering majors may complete internships over the course of a semester or during a concentrated summer placement. Though the majority of internships do not pay students for their time, 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, an internship can offer a computer engineering major the opportunity to round out their course requirements by earning credit hours. Awarded in lieu of classroom experience, professors analyze a student's internship experience to determine the appropriate amount of 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 internships placement by putting in consistent appearances and working hard on company projects can often earn up to two courses worth of credit. For online program 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, more 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. Professional and Licensure Organizations
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