From EECS

Contents 1 CS vs. EECS vs. ECE - What should I choose? 1.1 The EECS major has the following properties: 1.2 The CS major has the following properties: 1.3 The ECE major has the following properties: 1.4 General Recommendation:

CS vs. EECS vs. ECE - What should I choose?

Many students ask this question and we would like to give some guidance. Lets first look at the EECS major.

The EECS major has the following properties:

1. In the first year, it is mandatory to take the General CS and General EE lectures plus the associated natural science labs.
2. In the second year, it is mandatory to take both CS and EE fundamental courses and labs. There is a first option for specialization into either CS or EE by dropping one of the advanced courses.
3. In the third year, students typically specialize by taking either more CS or more EE courses and doing their BSc project in one of the two specialization areas.
4. The number of home school electives that can count towards the 185 credits is somewhat limited in the EECS program compared to all other majors at IUB.
5. The EECS program gives you a broad background; students not only learn to understand the algorithmic and software part of computing and communication systems, but also all aspects related to hardware and the relationships to physical world.

The CS major has the following properties:

1. In the first year, it is mandatory to take the General CS lectures plus the associated natural science labs. In particular, the General EE lectures plus the associated natural science labs is optional.
2. In the second year, it is mandatory to take only fundamental and advanced CS courses and labs. Compared to the CS specialization area within EECS, the EE courses are now optional. Instead students have to take a course on Java programming, a Java programming lab plus a course on complexity theory.
3. In the third year, students have to take a number of CS specialization courses and do their BSc project in CS.
4. Compared to the EECS program, the CS program is less regulated and allows students to take more choices since there are more home school electives that count for the 180 credits.
5. The CS program aims at providing a solid standard education in computer science. Students should have good changes to apply at CS graduate schools around the world and they should be well prepared to pass CS GRE subject test.
6. The focus of CS is on the high-level aspects of Information Technology. This includes its theoretic and algorithmic foundations, software in general and the hardware aspects of computers above the level of semiconductors and electronics.

The ECE major has the following properties:

1. In the first year, it is mandatory to take the General EE lectures plus the associated natural science labs plus the CS natural science labs. In particular, the General CS lectures are optional. The general CS labs are mandatory, since they will provide programming basics.
2. In the second year, it is mandatory to take fundamental and advanced EE courses and labs. Compared to the EE specialization area within EECS, only a CS course on "Computer Architecture and Operating Systems" has to be taken. Furthermore, a course on Digital Signal Processing (DSP) plus a DSP lab and a course on probability and random signals are mandatory.
3. In the third year, students have to take a number of ECE specialization courses that lead the student close to the frontier of research. Especially, there will be a specialization lab, which allows students to have hand's on experiences with high-end measurement equipment and systems. Finally, students have to do their BSc project in the area of ECE.
4. Compared to the EECS program, the ECE program is less regulated and allows students to take more choices since there are more home school electives that count for the 180 credits.
5. Students of Electrical and Computer Engineering at IUB will receive an education in modern fields of ECE focusing on digital signal processing, communications, control, electronics, and computer architecture.
6. The ECE program aims at providing a broad education in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Students should be able to pursue a career in industry or continue at a graduate school anywhere in the world.

General Recommendation:

The general recommendation for first year students who are undecided is to take both the General CS lectures, the General EE lectures plus the associated natural science labs. This leaves all options open during the first year and thus enables students to take the final decision which program they want to follow by the end of the first year.