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I know that a computer scientist do programming, and I'm going to study computer science (or game development....or server administration...or...LOL) - but I don't know what a computer engineer does!

My brother is studying computer engineering, I ask him what is the difference between computer science and computer engineering? he doesn't know!!

He decided to study computer engineering because he loves computers and he chose computer engineering because of the word engineer.

Because, where I live, (in Lebanon) the engineer is superman, above other people, but I know that's not true, Because

1-A computer scientist Like my cousin, can become a software engineer so he'll become a superman too! :D

2-A computer engineer can't study a weird powerful programming language that we don't know about.

So what is the difference between the two?

Mythrillic
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Lynob
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  • The difference between "programmer" and "software engineer"? A different title for the same thing, mostly. The intent is that "software engineer" will convey a certain aura of professionalism that is absent with "programmer", though in truth professionalism is something that the individual has (or doesn't have) regardless of title. – Daniel R Hicks Nov 19 '11 at 23:19
  • @DanH no i was asking about computer engineering and computer science - not software engineer – Lynob Nov 19 '11 at 23:35
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    Start here: http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/41092/what-is-the-difference-between-a-masters-in-computer-science-and-a-masters-in - Read through other questions: http://programmers.stackexchange.com/search?q=%2Bengineering+%2Bcomputer+%2Bscience – random Nov 20 '11 at 03:37
  • @random but why most of the answers get to the same idea: "a computer scientist talks about the software, a computer engineer is the one who write it?" it's not true! computer scientists write codes... I for example know python php etc.... I don't need to be a computer engineer nor a computer scientist to write, i just need to learn the language! – Lynob Nov 20 '11 at 09:39
  • You don't have to go to university to learn how to program. If you want to be a computer scientist, or computer engineering, you should talk directly with the department as to what they think you'll get out if it – random Nov 20 '11 at 16:18

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As far as I've seen, computer science is software (applications, operating systems, etc.) and computer engineering is hardware (CPUs, circuit boards, etc.). Computer science is what I did.

Patrick Seymour
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  • that's what i thought, just asked to make sure! – Lynob Nov 19 '11 at 22:56
  • ditto. I did engineering, and was always told science students like to plan the doing, engineering students actually do it". Biased as hell, but perhaps somewhat true :-) – Sirex Nov 19 '11 at 23:23