Editing Computer engineering (section)

{{Short description|Engineering discipline specializing in the design of computer hardware}}
{{Distinguish|Computational engineering}}
{{Redirect|Hardware engineering|engineering other types of hardware|Mechanical engineering|engineering chemical systems|Chemical engineering}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox occupation
| employment_field = Science, technology, engineering, industry, computer, exploration
| type             = [[Engineering]]
| official_names   = Computer engineer
| competencies     = Technical knowledge, hardware design, software design
| specialty        = Hardware engineering, software engineering, software programming, robotics, networking
| activity_sector  = Telecommunications, technology industry, engineering industry
}}

'''Computer engineering''' ('''CE'''{{efn|group="n"|Before the era of computers, C.E. could also mean "[[Chartered (professional)|Chartered]] Engineer"; "inst. CE" would have meant "[[Institution of Civil Engineers]]".}}, '''CoE''', or '''CpE''') is a branch of [[engineering]] specialized in developing [[computer hardware]] and [[software]].<ref>{{Cite book |date=15 December 2016 |title=Computer Engineering Curricula 2016: CE2016: Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Computer Engineering |url=https://www.acm.org/binaries/content/assets/education/ce2016-final-report.pdf |last = IEEE Computer Society |author-link = IEEE Computer Society |author2 = ACM |author-link2 = Association for Computing Machinery |doi=10.1145/3025098|doi-broken-date=April 16, 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book
 |last         = IEEE Computer Society
 |author-link  = IEEE Computer Society
 |author2      = ACM
 |author-link2 = Association for Computing Machinery
 |title        = Computer Engineering 2004: Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Computer Engineering
 |url          = https://www.acm.org/binaries/content/assets/education/curricula-recommendations/ce-final-report.pdf
 |access-date  = December 17, 2024
 |date         = December 12, 2004
 |page         = iii
 |quote        = Computer System engineering has traditionally been viewed as a combination of both electronic engineering (EE) and computer science (CS).
 |archive-date = June 12, 2019
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20190612130313/https://www.acm.org/education/education/curric_vols/CE-Final-Report.pdf
}}</ref> 
It integrates several fields of [[electrical engineering]], [[electronics engineering]] and [[computer science]].
Computer engineering is referred to as ''electrical and computer engineering'' or ''[[computer science and engineering]]'' at some universities.

Computer engineers require training in hardware-software integration, [[software design]], and [[software engineering]]. It can encompass areas such as [[electromagnetism]], [[Artificial Intelligence (AI)|artificial intelligence (AI)]], [[robotics]], [[Computer network|computer networks]], [[computer architecture]] and [[Operating system|operating systems]]. Computer engineers are involved in many hardware and software aspects of [[computing]], from the design of individual [[microcontroller]]s, [[microprocessor]]s, [[personal computer]]s, and [[supercomputer]]s, to [[circuit design]]. This field of engineering not only focuses on how computer systems themselves work, but also on how to integrate them into the larger picture.<ref>{{Cite web
 | last = Trinity College Dublin
 | url = http://www.tcd.ie/Engineering/about/what_is_eng/computer_eng_intro.html
 | title = What is Computer System Engineering
 | access-date = April 21, 2006
}}, "Computer engineers need not only to understand how computer systems themselves work but also how they integrate into the larger picture. Consider the car. A modern car contains many separate computer systems for controlling such things as the engine timing, the brakes, and the airbags. To be able to design and implement such a car, the computer engineer needs a broad theoretical understanding of all these various subsystems & how they interact.</ref> [[Robotics]] are one of the applications of computer engineering.

Computer engineering usually deals with areas including [[Software programming|writing software]] and [[firmware]] for [[embedded system|embedded]] [[microcontroller]]s, designing [[Very-large-scale integration|VLSI]] [[Integrated circuit|chips]], [[analog device|analog]] [[sensor]]s, [[Mixed-signal integrated circuit|mixed signal]] [[circuit board]]s, [[Thermodynamics]] and [[control engineering|Control system]]s. Computer engineers are also suited for [[robotics]] research, which relies heavily on using [[digital systems]] to control and monitor [[electrical systems]] like [[Electric motor|motor]]s, [[Computer-mediated communication|communications]], and [[sensor]]s.

In many institutions of higher learning, computer engineering students are allowed to choose areas of in-depth study in their junior and senior years because the full breadth of knowledge used in the design and application of computers is beyond the scope of an [[undergraduate degree]]. Other institutions may require [[engineering student]]s to complete one or two years of [[Engineering|general engineering]] before declaring computer engineering as their primary focus.<ref>{{cite web|title=Changing Majors @ Clemson| url=http://www.registrar.clemson.edu/html/changeMjr_Curr.htm |publisher=Clemson University |access-date=September 20, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Declaring a College of Engineering Major |url=http://freshmanengineering.uark.edu/2041.php |publisher=University of Arkansas |access-date=September 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012182736/http://freshmanengineering.uark.edu/2041.php |archive-date=October 12, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Degree Requirements| url=http://www.cmu.edu/me/undergraduate/degree-requirements.html |publisher=Carnegie Mellon University |access-date=September 20, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.uca.edu.ar/index.php/site/index/es/uca/facultad-de-ciencias-fisicomatematicas-e-ingenieria/alumnos/programas-de-materias/cc1y2/ | title=Programas de Materias |language=es |publisher=Universidad Católica Argentina}}</ref>
[[File:Dell Dimension C521 Motherboard.jpg|thumb|This computer [[motherboard]] used in a [[personal computer]] is the result of computer engineering efforts.]]