Masters of Computer Engineering Vs Computer Science

[AndyB]

I've have been working on my masters of computer engineering full time for a year now. With this degree, my goal is to become a machine learning engineer/data scientist. This last semester, my university, Weber State, just came out with a new masters of computer science program that is an entire semester shorter then the computer engineering program. This is because my BS degree is not in electrical engineering, so I would have to take signals and systems, Microelectronics 1, and Digital Systems.

Do people really care if I have a computer engineering masters vs a computer science masters? I really love machine learning and this is my over-all goal.

[ljmetzger]

It probably only matters in your first 1-3 years in the workforce. The engineering degree will get you better access to the industrial world, while either will get you access to the business world.

Whichever you decide, I suggest you network with your peers who are already in the workforce, to find out what they are doing, how they like it, and if they can fast track access for you.

Lewis

[AndyB]

I don't know.

After reading through several redit forums, I found a group of computer engineering graduates who said they wished they got computer science degrees. Apparently they all ended up getting programming jobs that had little to do with computer hardware.

Hill airforce base has computer engineers in the same pay bracket as computer science majors.

After graduating I was thinking of doing an internship with Tesla because I have a BS degree in automotive. From what I can tell, Tesla probably doesn't care if I have a computer engineering or science masters. My bet is that they will be more happy to higher on a programmer who has also been educated in cars.

[wavic]

Consider this...

A semester more is not a waisted time. If you can get both, do it. It's really already here - the internet of things. Every piece of tech will talk with the others machinery and will be full of sensors, microcontrollers, etc. Knowing how all this works will give you a better understanding, view and broad perspective. The programming is not just logic and syntax. I can automate my system better with Python because I know how it works. How it behaves and what is going on in the lower level. Knowing just Python won't be in help much more without this.

[ljmetzger]

Mick Jagger was right - you can't always get what you want. There are very few programming jobs that deal with computer hardware. Those that do exist, are usually taken by very senior people. Contrary to our dreams, most career paths occur by accident, and not by design.

You might want to try working for a company that does testing, a medical device company, a robotics company, a company that makes industrial controllers, a defense contractor, or any company that works with embedded systems (e.g. appliances, etc.).

I was very lucky, I got your dream job 43 years ago. I used computers to test railroad and automotive brakes, to test missile guidance systems, and to write embedded software for medical devices (for three different companies).

Good luck.

[Larz60+]

The degree is important, but you should look for the job that you're interested in, and pursue it even if not exactly qualified. Enthusiasm probably accounts for 70% of what's required to qualify, the particulars of which degree you hold,
less so (providing that it's somewhat related).
If a potential employer is only interested if you possess the exact qualifications is probably
not someone you would want to work for in the first place.

[Ofnuts]

With this degree, my goal is to become a machine learning engineer/data scientist.

I really love machine learning and this is my over-all goal.

Then take whatever cursus has the more ML-related classes (and it is likely to be the CompSci one). You can learn things by yourself, but from the sample I have at home(*), there are many things that you won't re-invent yourself.

Also, read this (I love the quote that says that Data Science is like teenage sex).

(*)my own son got a MS in CompSci last year, and is now a Data Scientist

[Skaperen]

so you are going to design stuff.

at the masters level i think computer engineering can get you better jobs where you design stuff in software or hardware. if you want to do embedded systems, take class(es) in computer architecture if you can.

[AndyB]

Ofnuts you brought up a good point.

I worked as a printer administrator for some time, and everyone in my group hated their job. No one in our group made much more than $40,000 a year. When my best friend in the group, found out I wanted to go into engineering school he told me to do it, I complained about the math and level of difficulty of the classes. He told me something I plan to live by the rest of my life.

"Work is work, and if your going to be working you might as well be paid more than everyone else."

I do agree though, about data science not being my field of choice. Machine learning engineering is where I really want to end up. Mainly because I love the idea of being able to teach a computer how to do things. This can be applied to so many things! Hacking, Games, ebay, the sky's the limit. I could easily make money outside of work, Wahahahahahahahaha.

[Skaperen]

machine learning is not about you teaching a computer how to do things. it's about designing computers to do the learning for themselves.