Is electronic or electrical engineering similar...and are they fun?

Question

I may be deciding to do them at university.

Answer 1

Electrical engineering deals more with movement of electricity through large things (transmission lines, motors, buildings, power plants, etc.) while electronics engineering deals more with semiconductor devices (i.e.: Integrated circuits, or "chips").

Is it fun? If you like complex math, then I suppose that it is. Computer engineering is usually considered to be easier. How much of a challenge do you like?

You should have taken some type of electrical shop or physics class in high school to see if you like it before you go to college. This could save you some time since it is harder to change majors later.

Answer 2

NO, totally different deal
Electronic engineering is a professional discipline that that deals with the behavior and effects of electrons (as in electron tubes and transistors) and with electronic devices, systems, or equipment. The branch of engineering that deals with the technology of electricity, especially the design and application of circuitry and equipment for power generation and distribution, machine control, and communications.

Electrical engineers typically possess an academic degree with a major in electrical engineering. The length of study for such a degree is usually four or five years and the completed degree may be designated as a Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Technology or Bachelor of Applied Science depending upon the university. The degree generally includes units covering physics, mathematics, project management and specific topics in electrical engineering. Initially such topics cover most, if not all, of the sub-disciplines of electrical engineering.

If you want to be an engineer, get an EE degree. You can go to a school and take all of the pre-engineering courses and then transfer to a 4 year university to get your degree.
The first two years provide a general education common to all branches of engineering including physics, chemistry, mathematics, liberal arts and an introductory engineering courses. The second two years allow for specialization in branches such as:
Civil Engineer
Mechanical and Astronautical
Electrical, Electronics and Computers
Industrial and Manufacturing
Material and Chemical
Agricultural and Biomedical

Fun??! that is, if you like math. the reason I chose to become an EE major was because of my passion for computers and wafer design. Although I am not too fond of the math I generally try to do at least what I can, I don't mind dealing with Ohm's law and binay functions, but is the chemistry behind it that I am passionate about. Perhaps, Chemical enginnering or Genetics will come out of it :)

Good luck on your choices.

Answer 3

If you can find an electronics engineer repairing radios I will send you $$$. The two areas are similar in education but you then have experience and job responsibilities that seperate you. I am an audio engineer and a good friend who went thru school with me is an electrical engineering supervisor with a major defense contractor. As a rule electrical works with power and electronics work in digital.
Yes it is fun but you must have the cojones to know what youre doing and stand up for it....Good Luck

Answer 4

Unless you have experience with electronics or electrical machines and found it fun, I wouldn't recommend it. Most people are bored to death by "circuits and systems", yet you have to deal with a lot of math in those courses and endless theory.

The work of an engineer is partly creative, partly infinitely boring. It is hard to get one of the creative jobs (I happen to have one but only because I am a physicist and not a EE!).

Most EEs land up in some design group in a cubicle, exposed to constant over-expectations by management and the general threat to be laid off at any time Wall Street sneezes. Read Dilbert and you are sort of there.

I've been in one Dilbertesque place in my life and only survived because I used them more than I let them use me. It was a deliberate decisions but you have to know when to get out.

On the other hand, if you happen to be among the lucky ones because you made the right choices in life and got support from the right people at the right time, you will have a great life full of excitement. There are a few jobs like that and I had a bunch of them in my life. And I am looking forward to the next one, too.

In hindsight... if I hadn't been damn lucky, I would have been in and out of jobs like most other people I know and be reliant on some dead beat boss all the time.

The question is, are you going to be lucky and will you love EE enough even if you are not?

Answer 5

electronic engineer is repairing radios, TVs computer and so on, Electrical engineer has more to do with electric motors, switches, light, Home electric stuff. It depends what turns u on