FAQs

Civil Engineering and Architecture are related fields, but they have distinct objectives. Civil Engineering is concerned with structural elements of the design (structures here include any type of buildings such as towers, villas, factories, infrastructure such as bridges, roads, dams, pipelines, airports, harbors, etc.) as it is focused on making the structures safe, economic, and sustainable. Civil also is responsible for checking the quality of material used in the formation of a building and managing the construction process (design, supply of materials, construction supervision on the site, budget, quantity surveying, occupational health, safety, etc.). 

Whereas Architecture is mainly about enhancing the spatial functionality along with the aesthetics of the structure. The field of Architecture emphasizes bettering the artistry, look, functionality, and sustainability of a building. This can be for the exterior façades or for the interior of the building. The description of the roles of both engineers will help you understand the distinction between Civil vs Architecture. For instance, while constructing a building the primary role is that of an Architect as that they first design the shape of the building. This includes details like internal zoning, areas, style, shape, colors, facades, interior, etc., which will be completely managed by the Architect. Once all this is done, the role of a Civil Engineer comes into play as they analyze and make sure that the construction becomes safe and economic. Civil Engineers will gauge the best material required in the making of the construction. 

In simpler words, Architects will help you design your structure whereas Civil Engineers will ensure that it stays rock solid for years. 

The field of mechanical engineering is concerned with the application of the fundamental principles and laws of nature to the development and betterment of a technological society and culture. Virtually anything that moves, whether animate or inanimate, falls within the scope of mechanical engineering. 

Of all the engineering disciplines, mechanical engineering is the broadest and most diversified. In all technical areas and types of industries, mechanical engineers are involved in virtually every phase of design, synthesis, development, and refinement of machines, processes, and systems. Mechanical engineers are required to understand the laws of mechanics and thermodynamics, the effects of forces on solids and liquids, the flow of heat through substances, the properties of engineering materials, and the design of mechanisms to accomplish useful tasks. Mechanical engineers play a leading role in the advancement of technology for sustainable development. 

What are the responsibilities of mechanical engineers? 

• Supervision of machine and/or plant operation 

• Prototype design, testing, and scale-up 

• Theoretical analysis and model simulations 

• Technical and economic feasibility analysis 

• Management of personnel and technology 

• Failure analysis and cause determination 

• Technical marketing and maintenance 

Career possibilities: 

• Manufacturing and next-generation material design 

• Design of next-generation renewable energy systems 

• Engineering of automotive and aerospace systems 

Whereas Mechatronics engineering is the design of computer-controlled electromechanical systems. The essence of it is that the design of the mechanical system must be performed together with the design of the electrical/electronic and computer control aspects that together, comprise a complete system. 

Some examples of mechatronic systems include a CD or DVD player; a computer hard disc drive; a fly-by-wire aircraft control system; and an anti-lock braking system (ABS). Each of these products is essentially mechanical in nature but could not function without the integral design of the electrical and computer control systems that are critical to their operation. 

What are the responsibilities of mechatronics engineers? 

Mechatronics engineers use a multidisciplinary and systems-based approach to develop the “intelligent” electromechanical devices and integrated systems present in our daily lives – including smartphones, 3D printers, satellite systems, intelligent vehicle systems, and wearable devices. 

• Developing advanced prosthetics for amputees 

• Creating Internet of Things (IoT) devices 

• Leveraging artificial intelligence in autonomous vehicles and robotics. 

Career possibilities: 

• Development of robotic and biomechanical systems 

• Design and implementation of robotic control systems 

• Design and creation of wearable devices 

• Development of next-generation additive manufacturing (3D Printing) systems 

• Design and development of electric, hybrid, and autonomous vehicles 

The industrial engineering sector combines engineering principles and business management to improve productivity, product quality, and important processes within businesses and organizations. This field can also include subfields that professionals can specialize in when pursuing careers in industrial engineering. For instance, product safety management, supply chain management, and sales engineering are several subcategories that industrial engineering includes. 

Until recently, industrial engineering was a department in the Mechanical Engineering program. But with the increase in industrial development and the emergence of new important concepts on the scene, this department separated from mechanics and became an independent program. 

What do industrial engineers do? 

Industrial engineers can have various responsibilities, including: 

• Assessing processes, systems, and operations to identify areas in which resources are wasted and areas in which improvements can be made to improve output quality 

• Applying engineering methods and scientific principles to improve systems, system integration, and company operations 

• Designing or redesigning facilities, equipment, systems such as information systems, and processes such as quality assurance 

• Making simulations of supply chains and process flows by using computer-aided engineering (CAE) and computer-aided design (CAD) 

• Researching problems by studying simulations, analyzing quantitative data, and observing the problems that need to be improved by actions, such as watching an assembly line in a factory 

• Reducing waste by coordinating materials, machines, and labor and creating more efficient systems concerning energy consumption, cost, and product quality. 

Whereas Mechanical engineering is a broad field of engineering that spans many types of applications. In this field, professionals work in subcategories of mechanical engineering where they apply their knowledge and skills to complete projects involving the operation, integration, or design of mechanical parts and processes. Typically, the field of mechanical engineering can include subfields like aeronautical, aerospace, automotive, biotechnical, and nuclear engineering. 

What do mechanical engineers do? 

Mechanical engineers have several responsibilities, such as: 

• Assess needs for mechanical systems and develop solutions that address them 

• Use the principles of force, motion, energy, and temperature to design components and build systems that involve mechanization 

• Consider the thermal environment and other environmental conditions that their designs will encounter and make the design changes necessary for efficient performance 

• Test designs to ensure that they are efficient, safe, and cost-effective 

• Analyze products by using techniques such as computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis 

• Design the moving parts of small systems such as sensors to large systems such as cars 

• Use computer-aided engineering, which also involves the computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing, to build mechanical engineering solutions 

• Work in a multidisciplinary team, resolve conflicts and build professional networks 

If you are looking to work in cybersecurity or as a systems administrator, computer science may be a good fit for you. If your goal is to eventually become a software architect or developer, a degree in computer science or computer engineering will equip you for the job. Advanced computer science curricula thoroughly cover how networks and systems security protocols work while teaching programming and appropriate mathematical concepts. 

Computer Science (CS) focuses on algorithms, computing theory, and the analysis of data, data security, and data transfer. Concepts developed by computer scientists are used by both computer and software engineers. 

Whereas Computer Engineering (CE) deals with the development and testing of hardware for all kinds of devices and applications. Computer engineers also design the firmware for devices (e.g. the BIOS in your laptop or PC). This is an essential piece of software, tightly integrated with the hardware, which allows other software, like operating systems and programmes to run properly and take advantage of the hardware. 

we’d say that Computer Science deals with data and algorithms while Computer Engineering is focused on hardware and firmware. 

• Computer Science started as a branch of Mathematics, while Computer Engineering began (and still is considered by some) as a branch of Electrical Engineering. 

• Computer Science students learn about computing theory, programming, environments, algorithms, data security, and transfer, etc. Computer Engineering students discover how to develop, prototype, and test microchips, circuits, processors, conductors, and any other components used in computer devices or systems (e.g., supercomputers, smartphones, laptops, servers, IoT gadgets). They also develop firmware, an essential type of software that allows operating systems and applications to take full advantage of the hardware. 

• Computer scientists work with computational theories, powerful algorithms, and mathematical models which are used to develop software programmes and systems. Computer engineers, on the other hand, develop the hardware and firmware on which software and systems run. 

• Many different abbreviations are used when referring to Computer Science vs Computer Engineering: CS vs CE/CEN, CompScience vs CompEngineering, CompSci vs CompE, CpS vs CPE. 

Computer Science specializations 

• Artificial Intelligence 

• Machine Learning 

• Human-Computer Interaction (HIC) 

• Data Science 

• Cyber Security 

• Cloud Computing 

• Video Game Development 

Computer Engineering specializations 

• Hardware Systems 

• Distributed Computing 

• Robotics and Cybernetics 

• Embedded Systems 

• Computer Graphics and Visualization 

• Medical Image Computing 

• Computer and Network Security 

Mechatronics engineering is the design of computer-controlled electromechanical systems. The essence of it is that the design of the mechanical system must be performed together with the design of the electrical/electronic and computer control aspects that together, comprise a complete system. 

Some examples of mechatronic systems include a CD or DVD player; a computer hard disc drive; a fly-by-wire aircraft control system; and an anti-lock braking system (ABS). Each of these products is essentially mechanical in nature but could not function without the integral design of the electrical and computer control systems that are critical to their operation. 

What are the responsibilities of mechatronics engineers? 

Mechatronics engineers use a multidisciplinary and systems-based approach to develop the “intelligent” electromechanical devices and integrated systems present in our daily lives – including smartphones, 3D printers, satellite systems, intelligent vehicle systems, and wearable devices. 

• Developing advanced prosthetics for amputees 

• Creating Internet of Things (IoT) devices 

• Leveraging artificial intelligence in autonomous vehicles and robotics. 

Career possibilities: 

• Development of robotic and biomechanical systems 

• Design and implementation of robotic control systems 

• Design and creation of wearable devices 

• Development of next-generation additive manufacturing (3D Printing) systems 

• Design and development of electric, hybrid, and autonomous vehicles 

Whereas Electronics and Computer Engineering is the branch of Electronics Engineering that deals with the effects of the electrons to build the components, devices, systems, or equipment. Electrical Engineering basically deals with the study and the application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. Where Computer Engineering deals with the designs of the computers and the computer system which involve the design of the new hardware or the software, Computer engineers may also work on the system’s software where the design of the complex software is often the domain of the software engineering which is usually considered as the separate discipline. Electronics and Computer Engineering is the integration of electrical engineering and computer science to develop computer systems. The computer engineers are also involved in the hardware and the software aspects of the computing 

Career And Job Prospects 

• Software Engineer 

• Software Developer  

• Programmer Analyst  

• Test Engineer  

• Lecturer 

• Content/Developer 

ECE is about electronics and about how the different electrical components (Microprocessor, RAM, etc.) communicate with each other, It has more like Physics in it. There is also a little programming involved but not so much. CS, on the other hand, deals with telling these components which is as to do, and when to do it by the programming them. 

The difference between electrical and electronics engineering is here as the electrical engineers are mainly concerned with the large-scale production and the distribution of the electrical power while the electronics engineers focus on the much smaller electronics circuits.