Computer engineering and computer science have many overlapping characteristics, but the main difference is in how the acquired skills are used. While computer engineering focuses more on hardware and electronics, computer science focuses on computer programming and software design. Both areas involve the study of advanced mathematics, physics, and programming, but computer engineers are more likely to use these skills to build hardware than to build programs. Therefore, computer scientists use their knowledge to understand how programs and operating systems work and how to create better software solutions for hardware.
A computer engineer may be tasked with setting up a server system.
Students in computer engineering and computer science bachelor’s programs take several courses that overlap between programs. Both programs typically require multiple classes in calculus, linear algebra, physics, computer architecture, networks, and programming. The main difference is that computer science majors take far more classes in software design, data algorithms, and operating systems than computer engineering majors. Computer engineering students take a variety of courses in electronics, artificial intelligence, digital logic circuits, and digital hardware, and tend to study physical concepts more. Computer engineering and computer science students often finish their studies by completing a major project that demonstrates the skills learned.
A computer engineer must understand the hardware and software of a computer.
Computer engineering involves a much more physical approach than computer science. Computer engineers build computer networks, assemble hardware, and integrate computer systems into many types of objects. They may assemble circuit boards or even work in a lab to find a way to make computers more efficient or portable. Computer engineers may also work with computer scientists when the scientists are creating the programs to be used with the systems created by the computer engineers. A small difference between the programming used in computer engineering and computer science is that engineers can create the program that makes the system work properly and allow computer scientists to create various programs for the main operating system.
Computer science majors tend to study more software design and operating systems than computer engineering majors.
A computer scientist focuses more on the abstract details of software engineering, but also has much of the hardware knowledge that computer engineers do. They know how hardware and software work together and how to design programs that take advantage of hardware resources. When creating their programs, computer scientists use their knowledge of numerical analysis and algorithms to get a program to correctly calculate their values. They create software patches, entire programs, and even entire operating systems, and often work in a team within a company that includes software engineers and other computer scientists.
Computer engineering and computer science students will likely take classes that overlap with each other.
Understanding the basic components of hardware is part of the computer science and computer engineering disciplines.
