First year CE student finishing my first year here. Ive been going back and forth on whether to switch to EE and figured I'd ask people who actually know both programs.
Physics 240, Math 216, and EECS 203 went alright this semester. EECS 280 was boring and horrible (passed it but I HATED every project, lab, and exam). Math and physics clicked more for me than coding ever has; and I don't find coding particularly interesting, at least OOP and C++.
What Im actually interested in is theorizing the math and building the hardware that physically integrates human and machine into something greater than either. Not just/only reading signals and building devices, but actual merging of biological and silicon systems into a unified conscious entity. I feel it may be more of a sci-fi thing, but from a physics, engineering, and hardware perspective I'd love to pursue something like that.
My CE track was already pretty hardware-focused since I wanted to mainly do architecture (312, 373, 470) but I keep wondering if EE makes more sense since it naturally leads into 230, 216, 351 and the signals side of things which feels more directly relevant to what I might do. A few questions for anyone who's been through either program:
- For the BCI/neural engineering direction, does CE or EE make more sense here?
- Is 230 worth taking as a CE student or does it only really make sense in EE?
- How different are the two programs in practice once you're past the 200/300 level?
- Any regrets about choosing one over the other?
- How do salaries and job prospects compare between CE and EE graduates, especially on the hardware side? And which opens more doors industry-wise, whether that's defense, semiconductor, architecture, or newer fields?
Main hesitation with switching is I'd be taking 200, 215, and 230 sophomore fall which feels late/behind. But if EE genuinely fits better I'd rather know now than later.