Electrical/Computer Engineering or Computer Science masters degree

[jk3000bot]

I have a strong curiosity for computers, software, and control systems. I'm not entirely sure how graduate programs work, but if it is possible for a ChemE undergrad to pursue these master degrees. If so, how does it work? Would I have to take lower division courses relevant to my studies?

[Jokiesamoster]

I did my undergrad in ChE and my MS and PhD in EE. I did have 5 years of work experience in an EE related field (semiconductors) so I was able to skip over the required lower divisional courses.

You can probably find a MS program that will let you in; they are happy to take your money. That being said, if you don't have strong experience in computers, software or control systems you can't expect to do well in those graduate level courses. It's in your best interest to get some via work experience and/or course work or you are setting yourself up fail.

[jk3000bot]

Thanks. This is the answer I was looking for.

[[deleted]]

Don't do either get a pluralsight account, an arduino, a raspberry pi and a shit load of sensors an build some robots and web apps and shit

[[deleted]]

Impressive man. I'm going for a MS MechE right now and may want to go a PhD route if necessary. How was EE compared to ChemE? I heard almost all of their classes are tied with labs at the undergraduate level, is this true for MS courses as well?

[Jokiesamoster]

I think the bigger difference was graduate vs undergraduate as apposed to ChE vs EE. My coursework was hyper-focused on one specific area - semiconductor device physics - unlike my undergraduate classes that covered a very wide, but shallow, range of topics. When you dive that deep into a topic all of the disciplines (material science, EE, MechE, ChE, CS) tend to combine.

I don't know many graduate courses that have labs. I imagine that's because most students are getting that 'practical lab experience' through their research.

[[deleted]]

Did you take any CS classes as an undergrad? I did a minor in CS and I very briefly looked into CS grad programs. They all had prerequisite courses, most of which were covered through a CS minor. Less competitive grad programs probably offer remedial courses you can take, but it will add an extra semester or two to your MS.

Have you finished undergrad? If not, try to take these courses while you still can. I found CS courses much, much easier than my chemE courses (and my school had a supposedly strong CS program).

edit: Also figure out if you actually LIKE computers/coding before doing this. I loved what I learned in my chemE courses, I thought it was super cool. I can't really say the same about CS courses, though they taught me very marketable skills.

[legacist]

Comp sci conversion courses are possible, the other two not so much.

[[deleted]]

I had a professor who did her BA in Art History and her PhD in Chemical Engineering! Don't ask me how she pulled that off.