Electrical Engineering vs. Electronic Engineering: What's the Best Degree?

If your goal is to work for a semiconductor manufacturer, then I don't think I would recommend DeVry, if it's the same outfit that teaches via mail order.

You need a very good understanding of chemistry and physics, as well as electronics, in order to design new products. You'll really need at least a master's degree in electrical engineering.

The difference in electrical engineering and electrical engineering technology is the depth of knowledge and understanding of the subjects. For example, ee technology was taught here for several years, and physics courses were taught without calculus to make it easier for those without the wherewithall to understand calculus. Get my point?

Electrical engineering encompasses all fields. Electronics engineering covers part of the whole.

"and physics courses were taught without calculus to make it easier for those without the wherewithall to understand calculus. Get my point?"

Sadly, that seems more the norm these days. Teachers are required to dumb down the class so that the proverbial "bottom of the barrel" student doesn't get his/her feelings hurt.

SO SAD!

To the seeker of knowledge, find the toughest school you can and work your butt off!

If you want to be a designer, I would suggest staying away from the "technology" degrees. As stated by others, they tend to "dumb down" the math & physics. Many don't touch on broader topics (chemistry, materials, fabrication, etc.) Some schools offer a Computer Engineering Technology degree, but this is nothing more than their EET with some programming electives. Also, if you plan to get your 2 yr and 4 yr at different schools, beware you don't wind up rehashing the same material. This happened to me, when I asked why I had to retake essentially the same courses, I was told "not all students come in at the same level" (in other words, they were pandering to the lowest common denominator and making the rest of us pay).

I have a Bachelors in CET, but if I had to do it again, I would go straight EE. In the long run, you'll go farther and earn more this way.

I am an alumni of the University of Illinois, and would highly recomend the electrical and computer engineering department and EE program. The program is intensive and difficult with it's core being a rock solid foundation in math and science. They even have a clean room if you "think" semi-conductors is your thing and you'll be interested to know that the grand daddy of the Transistor John Bardeen won his noble prize while at Illinios after coming from Bell Labs. If you complete the program you can work as an electrical engineer in the concentration you have selected anywhere in the world. Litterally anywhere in the world, I grew up in NJ and I'm writing this emal from the UK.

That was my plug for my alma mater.

Honestly I would recommend a 4 year undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. Wether you pick Illinois or a similar program you want to look for ABET accredited programs. Your goal as corny as it sounds is start by installing a foundation down to bedrock that you could build a skyscraper on.

Sould you ever desire to persue your prefessional engineering license if you have graduated from a non accredited program understand that the requirements are different.

The other key point is that advances in semi-conductor technology are not made by undergraduates. Your pursuit will take you well past your undergraduate degree. The solid foundation will pay dividends and allow you to keep your options open for graduate schools.

Start by taking your standardized tests, even if you haven't taken them you probably have an idea of where you think you will be. Do some research and find the top 50 engineering schools in the field you think your intersted in. Find out what part of the list represent realistic options for you. Put a little star by the schools that offer a wide range of options should you find that the rigorous studies in theoretical physics required for specialization in semi-conductor design isn't your thing so you have options. When you narrow down the field go check them out.

All this being said, you probably have a lot to think about. Don't get me wrong DeVry will provide you good training that will lead to employment but if you want to work for Motorolla doing what you are saying I can tell you that DeVry won't get you there. A friend of mine does the work you are talking about at Motorolla and their recruiting progam is extremely selective, developing the pedigree is part of the game.

Hopefully this helps you make an informed decision. Take my insight as an opinion.

I chose to go to a technical school and get a degree in EET. Mainly, I didn't have the money to afford a more expensive school and I wanted to get into the technical feild quicker like stated before. It got my "foot in the door" and from there I have gradually moved up. I now run an R&D lab for an OEM making good money. It took ten years of experience alot of hard work and the degree to get to this point for me. If I could do it over, I would have gone to a 4 year for electrical engineering, but it worked out well for me personally. Whatever you decide, make sure you give it all you've got.

i think electrical engineering is the best.

EdMoney:

Electrical vs. Electronic? Go Mechanical. EE's are a dime a dozen.

Go to school to become a petroleum geologist. Upon receipt of your degree, you will find that you are in the highest of demand. Do you know any geologists? Six figure salaries and world travel guaranteed.

Just a couple of points to remember here.

1) Devry, ITT, etc.. are first and formost...A BUSINESS! they are not institutions of higher learning.

2) NOBODY will hire you out of school for a design position with a EET degree. Trust me I know.

Now being one of the thousands of people these places rip off each year. I can tell you, with out reservation, that i if could do it all again. I would have followed a traditional education plan, i.e. State College or University.

I work in a R&D Department has the head of the Electronics area. But has mentioned above I have been in this for some 15 years now and I started has a TV Technician while I was in school. It is only with the grace of God, a great wife and kids, and a couple of super smart EE's that I have got this far.

Technically, I work as a EE. But the truth is there are alot of holes in my education, fewer and fewer has time goes by, but I have to work twice as hard as any other EE just to keep up.

Stay away from these diploma mills, Stay away from student loans! Get a job in the field your wanting to work in at the ground level and work, work, work!

And most of all....Dont come on to CR4 and ask people to do your homework for you (it pisses almost everyone here off!) Everyone here will help you if you ask specific questions that its obvious you have done the legwork on and you just don't get it or need some further explination on.

Good luck my friend with your education. For me, it was the best of times and the worst of times, if you know what I mean!

Bill12780

Just to add on to Bills comments... ITT Tech had an advertisement on TV the other evening. My wife pointed out to me that the small print said "Many of our credits are non-transferable". This means that they are worthless outside of ITT. Also a friend of mine got a job with them teaching. This lasted less than a year because as he put it... "I was not allowed to teach anything of any value!! All they do is take your money, feed you garbage, and give you a piece of paper." Go to an accredited school, get your BSEE and study all the math you can get your hands on. I discovered after graduating that I actually needed to use things like calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, etc.

Also, I started out in production test where I picked up great amounts of real world knowledge. After about three years, I transferred into Engineering and R&D where I really got into the fun stuff. I do not regret the time I spent downstairs in the production area though.

Best of luck in your ventures...

The other Bill

There really isn't a right answer for this.

Much of what you are going to get is opinion based.

You have to decide what aspects you like the best and go with it.

For those of you that don't really know Devry or Pheonix or AIU, they are some of the earliest to get involved with using the internet for getting an advanced education and because of them many popular Universities are also taking to the online vehicle. They are have both campass classes and online classes. Online has gained much respect from the hardline campass universities because in the online classes they require active participation from everybody. No one is allowed to just do the book work and turn in the assignment to get by. In the actual classroom you have wall flowers that are afraid to speak up and contribute or ask questions.

Most of you already know that even after you've obtained a degree you have to go for certification in a specific field.

A college degree is used as a screening tool for employment. He can get a drama degree and pass a certification test for a technical field.

No matter what your credentials you still receive training for each new place of employment.

Some of you might think a person like that won't get hired at your place of employment, but some places do hire people like that.

The United States Navy is proof of that.

I've had an officer that was a drama major, rotc graduate as an engineering officer.

Forestry major was the navigation officer.

Former pilots becoming deck officers.

Exceptions aside it's not an opinion that a BS in engineering from an ABET accredited school will afford you more options in all fields then a technology degree it is a fact.

Successful people find ways to succeed regardless, you'll find that is true as you meet people in your life. Careful planning and making informed decisions will dictate how long it takes you to get the opportunities to get where you want to go.

Unfortunately for most this decision on choice of education and career path is one of the most important in your life and it comes at a time when you are least prepared to make it.

I concur.

This is the so true...I wish I had listened when I was starting. I kick myself almost everday because of this decision.

And if nothing else once a month when I write my Student Loan Check (400 a month basically tell I retire!)

There are always exceptions to every rule. If I have learned nothing working in the engineering field its that. And hard work will always pay off---eventually. But almost everyday I have to go to the internet to solve issues that most "classically" trained and educated engineers would not have to do. i.e. math, general science, etc...

If i was in a different position I would go back and do it right. Maybe one day after the kids are gone (Two more years! whoo hoo!) I will go back..But again, your BSEET will NOT transfer to most schools. Don't belive them when the tell you it will cause it don't.

My BSEET from ITT--only 1 credit hour of transfers to only ONE of the three universities here in town. So I will have to start all over. 40K down the drain...

Think young padwan! Think!

bill12780

After viewing the first 10 comments, I see virtually no one has addressed your original question: Electrical vs Electronic Engineering. Unfortunately, there is no universal understanding of the meaning of those terms - there was a thread here on CR4 a few months or maybe a year ago, and there was no agreement, You might search for that thread.

At my school (Cal Poly SLO, which prepared me in a really excellent manner!) nearly 50 years ago, Electrical meant power transmission and utilization, and Electronic meant information handling and control. At other institutions there will be other interpretations, and at some there is only one EE.

In addition to the science and math that others have recommended, the most significant thing Cal Poly did for me was to require several classes in machining. This has enabled me not only to design automated machines, but to actually build them from scratch. A couple of the machines I built as prototypes have actually been in use as production machines for around eight years - that's very satisfying!

You are wise to be investigating this while you are still (I assume) very young! The best of luck to you, and a special thanks for registering. I most likely would not have read your question if you had used 'Guest'.

Dick

"After viewing the first 10 comments, I see virtually no one has addressed your original question: Electrical vs Electronic Engineering."

I beg your pardon!

You did answer the question. The person above you probably felt that it could have been explained a little better. It's all a matter of perception.

Pardon granted! I DID say 'virtually'.

I certainly never thought of Electronic Engineering as a subset of Electrical Engineering, as you apparently do. I have always considered them totally different specializations. In fact I always considered Electronic a lot more complex than Electrical, and felt it would be a lot easier for an Electronic Engineer to learn about handling high power devices than it would be for an Electrical Engineer to learn about designing electronic circuits. But this is all based on my personal understanding of the two terms - and clearly different universities have different definitions...

Bill, you got me to thinking about this...

I had never, that I recall, thought about it, but in any institution where there are both Electrical and Electronic Engineering departments, the staff of each department is almost bound to think (and engender their students with the idea), unconsciously if not consciously, that their field is somehow superior to the other one. Therefore logically the other one is somehow inferior! Even though I switched to Physical Science before graduating, I have always had an attitude with those roots. (I switched, because in my summer jobs during college, I observed that in that company at least, the engineers decided what to do and the technicians actually did it - I'm more of a doer than a decider...). Fortunately, a dozen years ago a small startup company found me, and now I'm at the point where I can have others do it if I wish, but I can also design, machine, assemble, wire, design custom circuits, put it all together, program the controller, etc. and enjoy doing nearly all of it!

Dick

Hey Dick,

You looking for any help? HAHAHA! Sounds like a dream job!

Anyway, I am not saying that Electrical vs Electronics is any different its like comparing apples to oranges Both are fruit but taste way different. Both have merit and both take a damn lot of hard work to get profiecent at.

What I am saying is that if you want to do design work. If you want to be on the cutting edge. Then a BSEET degree is NOT the way to go. A EE or MSEE is more of a direct path to his goals. (at least it sounds like it to me)

My other point is that if you want a BSEET then get it from a community college or state institution. Privately held companies like DeVry and ITT etc... are Businesses first and formost. They don't care that you can not hold a job AFTER you graduate. All they care about is turning as many people through the doors as possible and getting them that first job in the field. Once that happens they have their money, and their statistics to BS the next batch of unsuspecting souls...They are truly evil in my opinion! I could tell you real horror stories!

I too have been really lucky! I got to work with some real smart people from a real early age. So even though I felt my degree was basically useless it got me in the door and I was able to work my way through.

"Now I am lookin괱ᄃg to work with leading companies (On Semiconductors, Motorola, ect. . .) and hopefully develop new technology"

The typical project environment which I've seen for 20 years has been that an engineer with a BSEE degree will be teamed up with a Technician with an EET degree. The BSEE performs the analysis and design and the EET performs the soldering and testing. I've worked with bright EET's who eventually get a job title as Design Engineer but it's a long road with less pay.

"I've worked with bright EET's who eventually get a job title as Design Engineer but it's a long road with less pay."

Yep, this is how I got were I am. And your correct its a much harder, bumper, longer, road!

This is something I feel real strong about. Unless you want to do that kind of work (BSEET) you should seriously look into a traditional school.

That's where I am right now. After 24 years in the Navy as a missile & gun fire control radar guy, I found that every job that I was fully qualified to do required a degree. I got lucky, though and found a job through some Navy contacts and now I'm working with Ebeam sterilization and crosslinking.

I went this direction because I got out of High School (barely) and after two years decided I didn't want to spend my life as a welder/machinist. Neither my parents or I could afford a university, and the Navy had the most well rounded electronics education, so... I have since enrolled in National University for a Manufacturing/Design Engineering degree, but after 3 classes decided that I want most to work with 'trons, and I didn't feel that NU was running a very good program. We were basically guarenteed at least a C, and that everyone would pass. What put me out, though, was the complete disregard of the foundation (couldn't even build a sandcastle). The view on pre-requisites was that we could take those any time. We had a Linear Algebra class that had a prereq of Calculus. My last math class was high school algebra! I shouldn't have been allowed to take the class! But, pay your money, get a "C", get tuition assistance. Sad but true.

So now I am trying to find another way. Like many of you out there that started life as techs, I have done a lot of self education through the years, and it is definitely a hard road. I am proud of my technical background, though, and have worked with way too many Engineers through the years that would have benefitted from some technical experience. Glad to see that there aren't to many of that type on CR4!

DO NOT (If at all possible) attend DEVRY or any other Technical Institute. As has been said above, they are all diploma mills, and their degrees are not helpful at all in getting jobs in Engineering. I have interviewed many candidates that have been from these schools and I am always unable to hire them because they do not posess a 'real engineering degree' even if they are smart enough. Do your time and go to a college or university to get a certified accredited degree. If you want to save money go to a community college for the first two years (1/5 price) and then transfer to a 4 yr school. Good luck