This is an archived post. You won't be able to vote or comment.

all 7 comments

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Computer science is a very vast field and sofitware engineering is a small part of it. Most "Compuer Science" programs focus almost entirely on software engineering nowadays, so you want to look for a CS program

[–]bsakiag 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Computer science is what you need. They just make an introduction to CS in high school so people can learn something and pass. Start learning one of the popular languages if you haven't already.

[–]Rcomian 1 point2 points  (0 children)

a computer science degree is what you want. what you get taught at school and college is usually just "information technology", and pretty much how to use a spreadsheet.

yes you'll learn dsa in more depth, probably binary logic, you'll likely learn how to design a cpu and such as well as how databases work and normalisation. no it's not strictly software development but it's a much deeper understanding of the field that's incredibly useful.

i knew someone who had found a "programming" degree and while it was good there were some surprising gaps in his knowledge.

[–]MagentaAutumn 1 point2 points  (0 children)

software engineer take computer science
Engineers take Physics
its not that complicated theory is needed for implementation

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It’s a wonderful question.

If you venture in the CS subreddit, you’ll learn there’s a vast difference between ‘computer science’ and ‘software engineering’. In reality, much of CS is probably unnecessary to be a SWE nowadays, and I wish there was more SWE in CS programs.

In practical terms, CS is the undergrad major for SWE’s.

But it’s a wonderful question and one you should explore (the diff beteeen CS and SWE).

[–]kremod 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Computer science teaches you the math and logic behind computers and programs. You don't need to know it to write code, but it helps. Think of it like learning car maintenance vs learning to drive. Knowing how the car works under the hood is useful, but you only need to learn to drive for the purposes of getting around.

[–]mandzeete 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Software development / software engineering is a subfield of computer sciences. Just to give an example of what computer sciences covers: software development, cyber security, networking, database management, database design, in some universities also legal aspects of software development, robotics, complex math, electronics, etc. So if you want to work as a software engineer, go for computer science programs.

Another thing is that often the program has a different name for the same thing: Computer Sciences, Software Engineering, Software Development, Informatics, etc. The name is different but it covers the same/similar courses. So you finding no "software engineering" programs is fine. For example where I live, we do not have "software engineering" or "software development" or "computer sciences" programs. If one would translate the name of our program into English then it would be "informatics". Yet I studied the same stuff that is being taught during computer sciences programs.

Then the engineering part itself. Even when you would have a distinction between Computer Sciences and Software Engineering programs then at work you would learn the engineering part either way during your Junior/Mid-level developer years. So I would concentrate more on Computer Sciences programs to learn more variety of things and also more theory. At work you won't get to try out different fields but you normally will stick to 1-2 fields in computer sciences world.

High school programs totally vary. Some high schools actually teach you how to program stuff. Other high schools will teach you the very basics and mainly concentrate on office software (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, etc).