sana
how can I learn computer engineering?
I'm interested in computer engineering. #engineering #computer #computer-software #career #college
3 answers
Nicole Baillie
Nicole’s Answer
I think one helpful way to learn computer engineering is to start small. As I write my response to you in the year 2021, I am thinking of all these 5-25min videos that provide the basics on how to program in some languages like Java and Python. And I agree with many of the points provided in the previous answers, particularly the idea that the sooner you are able to expose yourself to programming, the better.
So what does starting small mean? Take about a week and do a little research. This could be reading through some magazines or online publications that have to do with technical stories. I am thinking something like "PC Magazine", the science section of the "New York Times" or visit your local library where you can get to sit and read at your leisure about the programming languages that are in demand right now. From your research, I would suspect that there are countless online spaces where you can practice these programming skills. You can learn everything from how to load a package onto your computer that recognizes the text used in these programming languages to where to go for technical help when you get stuck on a piece of code.
Depending on your goals, you may want to spend a couple of hours per week on your learning. I think you will find it helpful to retain what you are learning if you continue to write code. I do hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck to you!
Kirby Gehman
Kirby’s Answer
Academically, make sure you study and do well in all the math you can get. Computer science is very mathematics-oriented.
"Maker spaces" are becoming very popular now, where you can get together with people and learn to do all sorts of interesting things like electronics, 3D printing, programming, robotics and fabrication.
Find hobbies that deal with computer engineering, like writing software (any kind!), working with electronics (like Raspberry Pi), robotics competitions, or even creating websites and working with databases.
The more experience you can get in many different areas, the better you will be able to make decisions about your Computer Engineering education. You will be able to decide what areas of the field you enjoy most and focus on them. Going in to your university education with a head start because of your hobbies never hurts either.
Good luck! Get involved!
Dinesh Singh
Dinesh’s Answer
It depends on one’s goals.
If you intend to work in the U.S. computer engineering field as a computer engineer, you probably need to enroll in an ABET-accredited program. There really isn’t getting around that.
Now, many of the jobs, especially software jobs, don’t require ABET accreditation. And perhaps some hardware jobs don’t either. But once in a while, it comes up. More importantly, ABET-accredited programs are generally the better programs.
If you’re studying computer engineering in preparation for a college program, or to be able to take a role requiring some knowledge like sales or marketing, then I would look for online introductory programs (which several other answers already mention) and textbooks, some of which are quite easy to read. For example, Patterson and Hennessy’s textbooks for computer architecture are both easy to read and the overwhelming standard textbook on the topic. Mano and Kime is the most common logic design textbook.
That being said, those free programs weren’t around when I was in high school, given that I was in undergrad with the YouTube founders. How did I get started?
- To do computer engineering, you need the right mathematics and physics background. Do well in high school courses.
- You can build up intuition about computers by constructing and dealing with your own. When I was in high school, plug-and-play wasn’t standard yet, and Linux had just been released, so it was harder than it is now in several respects. Computers are also a lot cheaper now: I think my desktop in 1996 cost about $4000.
Many of the best computer engineers I’ve known liked to both experiment and dive deep into studies. I would recommend the two pronged approach for anyone looking to get into the field.
Dinesh recommends the following next steps: