In the US, you can call yourself an engineer whenever you feel like it, and you can put it on your resume and tell your employers that you're an engineer.
Here in Canada, it's illegal to call yourself an engineer without having a license.
And it's understandable, since accredited university engineering programs are rigorous. All engineers need to study chemistry, physics, math, and you have to go through "how to be an engineer" programs that teaches you ethics, engineering tools, and safety regulations that need to be followed. The programs are not easy, and you end up having spent 4-5 years of your life mostly studying. My friends in science programs are off playing around or partying all the time, but most of the people in my engineering program are studying, with the occasional day off where they go drinking.
I'm in Computer Engineering, and when I compare my schedule to my friends in Computer Science, it's a complete joke. I have 30 hours of lectures and labs a week, while the computer science people only have 15-20. My roommate in second year computer science just games all the time. At 2AM and I'm trying to sleep, and I can still hear him playing with my other roommate, yelling across the hall.
You can also double major computer science with business. My friend is doing that right now. You can't double major engineering with anything, because there's not enough time in a day to fit in that many courses.
Most people are under the impression that the difference between computer science and computer engineering is that one is theoretical, and the other is more practical. (which is what my guidance counselor told me) But when you actually enter the program, you realize computer engineering is far more than just about computers.
The running joke in Canada is that if you graduate computer engineering, you can go build a bridge. (legally, because you have an engineering stamp!)
Yes, computer science solves scientific and engineering problems. But do you really call a toddler an engineer when he builds lego stairs to reach the cookie jar on the shelf?
If so, I hope you're the only person on the bridge he builds.
True but here in the US "engineer" is not the term that matters. "Professional Engineer" is the term given to licensed and accredited engineers - generally identified by the initials "p.e." after their name, and you usually include some indication of the state you are licensed in.
Since graduating with an engineering degree is not enough to become a "Professional Engineer" in the US, you can actually argue it makes some sense to differentiate the terms - being licensed as a PE requires 6 years of professional engineering experience before you can even take the exam. So simply listing a job title of "engineer" might help demonstrate relevant engineering experience but means nothing with respect to your actual license.
If you can't double major in engineering and something else, you're either lazy or not very smart. Especially at a Canadian university... I mean, come on we're not talking MIT here.
Comments
In the US, you can call yourself an engineer whenever you feel like it, and you can put it on your resume and tell your employers that you're an engineer.
Here in Canada, it's illegal to call yourself an engineer without having a license. And it's understandable, since accredited university engineering programs are rigorous. All engineers need to study chemistry, physics, math, and you have to go through "how to be an engineer" programs that teaches you ethics, engineering tools, and safety regulations that need to be followed. The programs are not easy, and you end up having spent 4-5 years of your life mostly studying. My friends in science programs are off playing around or partying all the time, but most of the people in my engineering program are studying, with the occasional day off where they go drinking.
I'm in Computer Engineering, and when I compare my schedule to my friends in Computer Science, it's a complete joke. I have 30 hours of lectures and labs a week, while the computer science people only have 15-20. My roommate in second year computer science just games all the time. At 2AM and I'm trying to sleep, and I can still hear him playing with my other roommate, yelling across the hall.
You can also double major computer science with business. My friend is doing that right now. You can't double major engineering with anything, because there's not enough time in a day to fit in that many courses.
Most people are under the impression that the difference between computer science and computer engineering is that one is theoretical, and the other is more practical. (which is what my guidance counselor told me) But when you actually enter the program, you realize computer engineering is far more than just about computers. The running joke in Canada is that if you graduate computer engineering, you can go build a bridge. (legally, because you have an engineering stamp!)
Yes, computer science solves scientific and engineering problems. But do you really call a toddler an engineer when he builds lego stairs to reach the cookie jar on the shelf?
If so, I hope you're the only person on the bridge he builds.
True but here in the US "engineer" is not the term that matters. "Professional Engineer" is the term given to licensed and accredited engineers - generally identified by the initials "p.e." after their name, and you usually include some indication of the state you are licensed in.
Since graduating with an engineering degree is not enough to become a "Professional Engineer" in the US, you can actually argue it makes some sense to differentiate the terms - being licensed as a PE requires 6 years of professional engineering experience before you can even take the exam. So simply listing a job title of "engineer" might help demonstrate relevant engineering experience but means nothing with respect to your actual license.
If you can't double major in engineering and something else, you're either lazy or not very smart. Especially at a Canadian university... I mean, come on we're not talking MIT here.
How much karma do I need before I can downvote people?