My goal is to be a hardware innovator in startups (be involved in creating new tech consumer electronics like Apple Vision Pro or Meta Ray-Bans). In a scholarship interview, the panel told me Computer Engineering is better as my current focus is on embedded system. (Got rejected for the scholarship interview in the end)
I am here seeking advice for reality check on my plan.
My Profile:
• Skills: Self-taught Arduino and C++,
• Interests: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and combing electronics with tech-arts (TouchDesigner).
• Current Opinion: EEE is the foundation (physics, signals, circuits), and software is the support. I believe hardware is harder to self-learn than software.
My Concerns:
Industry Value: In a startup building physical tech, is a EEE grad who can code more valuable than a CE grad who knows basic circuits?
The OOP Gap: EEE lacks a dedicated Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) module. Does missing this formal training hurt in modern firmware engineering?
Self-Learning Reality: Is my assumption correct that solo-learning physics and signals is harder than solo-learning C++?
The Interviewer’s Point: They said CE is "more suitable." Am I overvaluing the "physical layer" (wave signals/sensors) at the cost of essential software depth?
My current understanding about embedded system is using microcontrollers and coding to execute certain programme on electronic components. I need deeper insight into embedded system in real industry.
I want to know if this path is a smart move for an innovator or if I'm making it unnecessarily difficult by skipping a CS-focused curriculum.
Appreciate your time to read till here!