Three Paths in Computing: Looking Into CS, CE and CSE
From coding software to building circuits, computer science, computer engineering and computer science and engineering might seem interchangeable. In practice, however, each major takes its own shape. We asked three undergraduate students in the University of California, Davis, College of Engineering to walk us through their experiences.
Flexibility is what drew Ria Rajput to CS
Computer science, or CS, bridges the gap between people and computers, with programming and software development leading the charge. For fourth-year computer science student Ria Rajput, that's just what captivated her. Here at UC Davis, CS students establish a clear foundation through the major's curriculum, with detailed instruction in software design, programming and operating systems.
After taking lower-division courses like "Programming and Problem Solving," an introduction to programming designed for CS students, Rajput found what she was looking for. Computer science allows her to maintain a technical foundation while exploring different options within the major.
With the freedom she has experienced throughout the program, Rajput is able to structure her coursework around what truly fascinates her. She had the opportunity to not only identify her interests within the major but to completely concentrate on them.
“I really like coding,” she said. “I’m taking operating systems now, and we get to learn about parallelism and how to make multithreaded programs. That’s just all really interesting to me. It’s a really fun major to be in.”
During this course, Rajput composed a simple Linux thread library capable of allowing several lines of code, or threads, to function efficiently in tandem. To prevent the threads from malfunctioning, she applied concepts from her coursework to address potential complications as she developed her work.
CS faculty members, like Associate Professor of Teaching Joël Porquet-Lupine, have supported Rajput throughout her studies. Porquet-Lupine’s lectures present intricate concepts and are notably catered toward student learning. She was able to interact with demanding material through Porquet-Lupine's instructional focus, where once complex topics became intuitive rather than daunting. Porquet-Lupine utilized references and examples familiar to her and her peers, cultivating a sense of understanding.
For Rajput, her progressing curiosity made the difference, underpinning her commitment to CS. Her coursework offered more than just programming syntax; it revealed the sweeping possibilities within everyday technology.
“I liked having the freedom to choose what parts [of CS] I want to learn more about,” she said.
CS students must take seven elective courses from the over 40 options offered at UC Davis. The ample flexibility that defines her studies shapes her future goals. The wide range of electives enabled Rajput to explore different corners of CS, from software production to programming languages, and she faces the future with a broad skill set.
“I'm looking into software engineering roles, DevOps roles, system engineering roles and networking engineering roles,” Rajput said.
As she progresses through her major, upper-division coursework also acts as a gateway to her future. The projects and assignments Rajput encounters allow her to acquire transferable skills immediately applicable to professional work.
“There are a lot of things that I'm learning now that I could apply straight into projects that I'm working on, or straight into industry,” said Rajput.
Creativity is the best part of CE for Jia Mohan
During “Introduction to Digital and Analog Systems,” third-year computer engineering student Jia Mohan and her peers were tasked with constructing a machine capable of following auditory commands, a "sound-following robot." Confronting the core of her major, computer engineering, or CE, Mohan undertook both hardware construction and formulating low-level code.
For her, CE spans beyond the technical into a wide scope of creativity and innovation. The expansive dialogue between hardware and software is what pulled her in. Mohan witnessed communication take place instantaneously through assembling similar projects; circuitry responded to the signals; written code produced the movement.
“All these computers are made out of millions, if not billions, of different parts," she said. “Getting to learn about them individually and seeing how you can implement code and change different circuitry in different ways to make it the most optimized."
Recognizing how those elements aren’t stagnant, constantly being refined and developed, drove her to seek more. Her fascination with the integration of hardware and circuitry grew as Mohan began tackling projects in upper-division courses like “Introduction to Computer Architecture."
Variation from student to student, even with matching assignments and goals, is integral within the engineering process. Even when assigned the same project, Mohan found that she and her peers naturally diverged in their approaches. Computer engineering fosters an interpretive analysis; while some are calibrated for precision, others focus on modeling and building.
"That's the part of the field that keeps growing,” she said. “You cannot have invention and things like engineering if people don’t think creatively."
Mohan explained that experimenting and refining are fundamental, deeply embedded in her projects, coursework and, subsequently, her major. The technical is CE’s backdrop, but exploration is what anchors it.
Computer engineering is a diverse undertaking, and Mohan has been encouraged to engage in critical problem-solving through her own distinct designs while also receiving abundant support. Backed by instructors like Jeremy Munday, professor of electrical and computer engineering, she has been able to explore what she’s drawn to within a guided setting. Mohan described the quantum computing research she has engaged in.
“One of the most impactful things about [Professor Munday’s] teaching method is a strong emphasis on being able to explain what I am working on to different audiences,” she said.
As she continues through the major, Mohan has been narrowing in on areas of CE that she finds most intriguing and is considering pursuing a graduate degree.
For Angela Zhou, CSE is all about balance
Computer science and engineering, or CSE, combines the core disciplines of computer science and computer engineering to form a unique field of study. Fourth-year computer science and engineering student Angela Zhou finds her balance in that crossing. Programming concepts are supplemented by the study of relevant physical systems, allowing students to work with a distinct CSE combination. Students are encouraged to factor in hardware, considering these systems within software production.
Through CSE, Zhou has explored the engineering side of computing systems while retaining an emphasis on software production. Her major allows for these focuses to intersect. Immersed in rigorous learning, Zhou delves into the different facets of CSE with coursework related to embedded systems and firmware design and development. Whether it be courses like “Computer Architecture II” or “Programming on Parallel Architectures," Zhou has openings into CSE’s various layers.
“I think I would describe CE as hardware with a touch of coding and CSE as software with a touch of hardware,” she said.
Zhou explained that her major delves into the fundamentals of computer science while also allowing her to investigate and implement the complexities of engineering through a structured lens. CSE deliberately blends the circuitry and the software, allowing students to evaluate how design echoes across the physical system.
For Zhou, that sweeping base made way for opportunities in her own distinct interests. Through her research in Professor of Biomedical Engineering Karen Moxon’s lab, she watched theoretical concepts translate into practical applications, culminating in a paper she submitted as part of her work. Moxon, Zhou noted, helped facilitate her development and navigation of research.
“She's really helped me gain confidence as a student researcher and is a wonderful person," Zhou explained. “Making things and seeing how they work is very rewarding. I really like knowing how everything works.”
Whether leaning toward more software-based work or taking on more of the engineering, Zhou believes the CSE major prepares students to be in the best position to attain both.
“It all depends on what career path you want to pursue. I think since you're taking such a wide breadth, you kind of take what you want to take from it," Zhou said, alluding to her own career aspirations. “I'm planning on staying [at UC Davis] for a Ph.D. in computer graphics.”
