Computer Engineering: Systems, Hardware & Software

What is Computer Engineering?

Sometimes shortened to 'comp eng,' computer engineering is the field where computer science and electronic engineering come together. Computer engineering includes the hardware and software of computers and other technical devices, such as printers, smartphones, and wireless routers. As technology continues to evolve, the field of computer engineering has constantly been expanding. Subfields within computer engineering include computer software engineering, computer hardware engineering, and computer systems engineering.

Components of computer engineering include operating systems, the architecture of computers, artificial intelligence, algorithms, networks, and so much more. Computer engineers and related professionals complete a variety of tasks, depending on their specific positions. Some of the responsibilities associated with computer engineering positions are designing applications for phones and computers, assessing security programs, identifying software problems, and implementing changes. A computer engineer may be involved in the creation, implementation, and revision of countless programs and processes for computers and other devices.

Just as technology is becoming integrated with more day-to-day business operations, the areas within computer engineering are deeply interconnected. Computer science as a whole is made up of interrelated parts, and computer engineering is no exception. For example, a computer engineering course that focuses on programming languages will be useful when an individual is learning how to create an operating system. There are multiple programming languages as well as several different operating systems, and the number of each is likely to increase as more time passes. Both aspiring and current computer engineers and other computer science professionals need to be familiar with computer engineering topics.

The specific skills that are developed and knowledge that is gained within computer engineering courses vary quite a bit, depending on the course that is taken. There are introductory computer engineering courses that provide basic overviews of key components of the field, as well as courses that dive much deeper into more specific and focused topics. Anyone interested in working in technology can benefit from having a fundamental grasp of computer engineering topics, as more and more products and business operations become deeply integrated with technological components. For instance, a nurse with a basic understanding of computer engineering may be able to quickly resolve an issue that arises on the nurse station computer rather than having to wait on someone from the tech department!