CS v. CSE
What is CSE?
Last year, the Computer Systems Engineering (CSE) major was completely
overhauled. The result is a major
that provides you with a combination of CS and EE targeted toward providing
knowledge and experience in state-of-the-art areas.
Through course and laboratory experiences,
you learn the essential principles required to define, design, and build
both general purpose and application-specific computer systems. Once
the foundations are learned, you choose a specialization:
- Networking: Learn fundamental aspects of networking from both a hardware and software
perspective
- Robotics and Mechatronics: Build hardware and software for robots and mechanized systems
- Digital Systems: Learn how to design and build digital systems hardware and the low-level
software that supports it
What's the difference between CS and CSE?
The
primary difference between CSE and CS is CSE majors take no theory courses
beyond CS103, but do take some additional introductory EE courses. And CSE students are able to specialize in one of the
three areas.
This graph shows all required courses for the CS and CSE majors (except where
noted). (Note that each major requires you to choose from a set of electives as
well, which are not shown here.) The white boxes are courses that all CS and CSE
majors are required to take. As you move into the colored boxes toward the
right, you can see what courses are required for various majors and
specializations, giving you a handy roadmap of courses to help you decide. You
can click on most courses to see their homepages.
* denotes courses that don't count toward a CS or CSE major but are listed as
prerequisites
** denotes courses that are optional but are listed as prerequisites
Here's a more complete list of courses (links take you to course websites
where available):
| Required Courses |
CS |
DS |
N |
RM |
| Required for
all CS, CSE majors |
Required
for all CSE majors |
| cs103 |
Discrete Structures |
ee108a |
Digital Systems II |
|
R |
R |
R |
| cs106 |
Programming Methodology |
math51 |
Linear Algebra |
O |
R |
R |
R |
|
cs107
|
Programming Paradigms |
math52+53 |
Integral Calculus and ODE |
O |
R |
R |
R |
| cs108 |
Object-Oriented Systems |
phys45 |
Light and Heat |
O |
R |
R |
R |
| cs191/194 |
Senior Project |
Required
for Networking or R&M |
| e40 |
Electronics |
cs140 |
Operating Systems |
O |
O |
R |
|
| ee108b |
Digital Systems II |
cs205 |
Mathematical Models |
O |
|
|
R |
| math41 |
Calculus |
cs223a |
Robotics |
O |
|
|
R |
| math42 |
Calculus |
cs244a |
Networking |
O |
O |
R |
|
| phys41 |
Mechanics |
e105 |
Feedback Control Design |
|
|
|
R |
| phys43 |
Electricity and Magnetism |
ee102a+b |
Signals and Systems |
|
O |
R |
R |
| stat116, ms&e120, or
cme106 |
Probability |
ee118 |
Mechatronics |
|
|
|
R |
| Required for Digital Systems |
| ee109 |
Digital Systems Design Lab |
|
R |
|
|
|
|
ee271 |
VLSI Systems |
|
R |
|
|
|
|
Required
for all CS majors |
|
|
cs121/221 |
Artificial Intelligence |
R |
|
|
|
|
|
cs154 |
Automata and Complexity |
R |
|
|
|
|
|
cs161 |
Algorithms |
R |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Optional
Courses |
CS |
DS |
N |
RM |
| Counts toward CS only |
Counts toward CS or CSE |
| cs143 |
Compilers |
| cs145 |
Databases |
cs223b |
Computer Vision |
O |
|
|
O |
| cs147 |
HCI Design |
cs225a |
Experimental Robotics |
O |
|
|
O |
| cs148/248 |
Graphics |
cs225b |
Robot Programming Lab |
O |
|
|
O |
| cs155 |
Network Security |
cs240 |
Advanced Oper Systems |
O |
|
O |
|
| cs157 |
Automated Reasoning |
|
|
|
cs277 |
Experimental Haptics |
O |
|
|
O |
| cs222 |
Knowledge Representation |
ee282 |
Computer Architecture |
O |
O |
|
|
| cs224m |
Multi-Agent Systems |
Counts
toward Digital Systems only |
| cs224n |
Natural Language Processing |
ee101a+b |
Circuits |
|
O |
|
|
| cs226 |
Statistical Robotics |
ee273 |
Digital Systems Engineering |
|
O |
|
|
| cs227 |
Reasoning Methods in AI |
ee275 |
Logic Design |
|
O |
|
|
| cs228 |
Probabilistic Models in AI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs229 |
Machine Learning |
Counts
toward Networking only |
| cs242 |
Programming Languages |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs243 |
Advanced Compiling |
cs244b |
Distributed Systems |
|
|
O |
|
| cs245 |
Database Systems |
ee179 |
Communication |
|
|
O |
|
|
|
ee276 |
Wireless Personal Comm |
|
|
O |
|
| cs247 |
Interaction Design Studio |
Counts
toward Robotics and Mechatronics only |
|
|
aa278 |
Control and Hybrid Systems |
|
|
|
O |
| cs249 |
OOP for Modeling/Simulation |
e205 |
Control Design Techniques |
|
|
|
O |
| cs255 |
Cryptography |
e206 |
Control System Design |
|
|
|
O |
| cs256 |
Reactive Systems |
e210b |
Advanced Control |
|
|
|
O |
| cs258 |
Programming Lang Theory |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs261 |
Optimization Algorithms |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs270 |
Biomedical Informatics |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cs271
|
Biomedical Systems |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs272 |
BMI Project |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs273 |
Structure and Motion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs274 |
Computational Molecular Bio |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| cs295 |
Software Engineering |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For More Information
You might find these useful:
Feel free to contact the Course Advisor if you
have any questions.
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