With less than 18 months to go on a double major in Computer Science and Software Programming, a friend asked me a question yesterday that I couldn't really answer. "Know what you want to do afterward?" Other than "nothing boring and stodgy", I don't really know what field to aim for.

Suggestions? Thoughts?

First off, wrong forum. Should be in the lounge. Second of all, having a double major in Computer Science and Software Programming doesn't make any sense. Lastly, if you are half way through a computer science degree and haven't decide to be a programmer or computer scientist... I would say at this point you need to re evaluate your situation. Unless you are referring to which industry, and if that's the case, few graduates can select the industry of their choice. Initially you take what you can get to earn some experience.

I apologize first for posting in the wrong section of this forum. I was tossing it between this sub-field and the Lounge. Obviously, I made the wrong choice.

Second, I apologize for the confusion in my hasty writing. What I meant to say was CS and Software Engineering - not CS and Software 'Programming'. That is a fallacy that I should well have known better than to allow slip.

There is an important distinction between the CS and SE. Computer Science is study of computers, including both hardware and software design. Whereas Software Engineering is the application of engineering discipline to the creation of software. There's more physics and engineering involved with the 2nd. Essentially, when I signed up for the double Mjr, I wanted to be able to effectively create and code various software packages for whatever industry I went into.

And while I understand and agree that at 1st I will not have the experience to dictate which industry I go into, it will still be a focus for the future.

I appreciate your feedback.

mommabear wrote:
There is an important distinction between the CS and SE. Computer Science is study of computers, including both hardware and software design. Whereas Software Engineering is the application of engineering discipline to the creation of software. There's more physics and engineering involved with the 2nd.

I disagree with this statement. Software Engineering is part of Computer Science and should be part of any decent CS curriculum. Software Engineering degrees typically don't even require physics. SE programs mainly focus on variety in programming languages and their applications and that's really it. The true educational hierarchy for the programs are:

Computer Science
Software Engineering
Computer Information Systems (programming analysis) yes there is a difference.

Note that a computer science bachelors is really supposed to set you up for a masters.

You have really 3 choices where you may apply your education:

Business Applications (all corporate systems)
Scientific Research (computer scientist stuff) This includes military/scientific applications... aka DARPA, Raytheon, Boston Dynamics, etc.... even google in some cases.
Game Programming (a mix of the two really)

I think the combination is a great choice.

FWIW, my understanding of these terms are in-line with Return 0's definitions

if you want to avoid becoming a code-monkey, I'd advise you to find a field of specialization that you think you'd enjoy

other choices along the line of what Return 0 listed include (in other words, applied software engineering):
Hospital Administration
Bioinformatics
Quantitative Finance
Scientific Simulations
Network Engineering
Data Mining
Computer-Aided Design Applications
Software for Embedded Systems
OS Design
Computer Language Research
Human-Machine Interface
Robotics
Database Engines
Mobile Applications

I'm sure the list is endless, but those are just right off the top of my head...