Computer
engineers (or computer hardware engineers) research, design, develop,
test, and oversee the manufacture and installation of computer hardware,
including computer chips, circuit boards, computer systems, and related
equipment such as keyboards, routers, and printers. This field should
not be confused with computer
software engineers, who design and develop the software systems that
control computers.
The work of computer hardware engineers is similar to that of
electronics engineers in that they may design and test circuits and
other electronic components; however, computer hardware engineers do
that work only as it relates to computers and computer-related
equipment. The rapid advances in computer technology are largely a
result of the research, development, and design efforts of these
engineers.
They work on the design, planning, development, testing, and even
the supervision of manufacturing
of computer hardware -- including everything from chips to device
controllers. They also focus on computer networks for the
transmission of data and multimedia.
They work on the interface between different pieces of hardware and
strive to provide new capabilities to existing and new systems or
products. The work of a computer engineer is grounded in the
hardware -- from circuits to architecture -- but also focuses on
operating systems and software. Computer engineers must understand
logic design, microprocessor system design, computer architecture,
computer interfacing, and continually focus on system requirements
and design.
It is primarily software engineers who focus on creating the
software systems used by individuals and businesses, but computer
engineers may also design and develop some software applications.
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Computer Engineering Resources |
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Online |
Overview:
Overview of Computer Engineering |
Preparation:
Admission Requirements, Alternate Degree Paths, Graduate
Programs, Accredited Programs |
Specialty Areas:
Special Areas of Study |
Day in the Life:
Teams and Coworkers,
Tasks, the Workplace |
Earnings:
Employer Options, Salary Ranges, Types of Employers |
Employment:
Statistics, Industries, Employers |
Career Path Forecast:
Predictions |
Professional Organizations:
Resources, Networking, Support |
Internet Resources:
 Association for Computing Machinery
IEEE Computer Society
IEEE Computer Society's
History of Computing |
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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