What are the different fields that I could specialize in for software engineering?

Hello Britney,

Do you remember that scene from "The Lion King" where Mufasa tells Simba, "Everything the light touches is our kingdom"? That statement applies to software engineering. The world today is a digital world, in order for any business to thrive, it needs a digital presence.

Don't worry about specializing in a field in the beginning, there are too many and it will be hard to pick one. Learn how to solve problems, that is the most important part. Problem solving and learning algorithms will carry through any specialization.

Software Engineering is vast field. Main 2 areas are Application software development and Systems engineering.

I am a Project Manager and started as a developer in the Information technology industry.

Application software development is the field many individuals move into. This includes developing products and software services. You can choose to learn languages like Java and .Net (2 main languages) and other associated frameworks and components. You can start by enrolling into learning one of the languages, and you will find a good career track as well.

Wish you the best!

just add to one of the many possibilities - financial industry is actually a popular place for top talents software engineers where solving real financial challenges with cutting edge technologies including big data, AI, ML can be satisfying experience.

Software develop has so many opportunities in today's high-tech world. Software development is used in product development (making new products), creating services that businesses provide (like amazon online purchasing), or developing systems for companies to automate their business processes. It is an amazing industry to become a part of because it pays well and you can get a job almost anywhere.

I am an Electrical Engineer and I make a distinction between Software Engineering and Software Development (Computer Science degree). I feel engineering is a multidisciplinary field that knowledge of a wide range of topics, application of logic, and analytical thinking to solve problems. These problems are usually related to building a system or solution. Software Engineering would applying these engineering principles to the development of software systems. I feel Computer Science is more directed to writing code, where software engineering contains more engineering and even a deeper understanding of how computers work.

As a Software Engineer, you could work for places like NASA, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, etc making products. You could also work for companies like Ford, GM, or other auto makers designing software that controls and monitors cars. There are endless possibilities, these are just a few.

As an Electrical Engineer myself, I could not recommend a better field to pursue. Engineering is very challenging, very satisfying, fun, and has great potential.

The software engineering field is broad. Developers have different sets of technical expertise, from building computer information systems to maintaining network security to creating customer-facing web pages. There are two primary types of software engineers: applications software developers and systems software developers. The first one are client-focused, they design software for the end-user to interact with. The applications they develop could be for iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, or other operating systems. Systems software development is more associated with back-end engineering.

Thanks to strong industry demand and their own technical expertise, skilled software engineers on both the applications and the systems sides are compensated well for the value they deliver. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual salary for applications developers at $101,790 and at $107,600 for systems developers.

Source: https://www.fullstackacademy.com/blog/what-do-software-engineers-do

I hope it's of your use !!!

Hi Britney!

Some good answers already provided below, but I would point out you don't have to decide on exactly what you want to do right away! There are so many great industries in which to apply your CS skills, think about and be prepared to discover new domains that you are interested and passionate about. E.g., if you were interested in cyber security, AI, ML or Big Data (which are super exciting areas), also think about the types of problems you'd like to solve with these skills, what industries you are truly interested, where you want to play. Developing your skills is only part of the equation. Tapping into your interests and passions so that you can apply these skills to areas areas that you will enjoy will help differentiate you in the marketplace as well as give you greater satisfaction as you move through your career. And even if you do not yet know what your passions or interests are yet, do not worry - it's a journey, be open to as many professional experience as you can and you will find them!

Great that you are here asking questions and getting feedback - you are off to a good start!

Best,

Rich

Hi Britney, software engineering is a very broad field: web application, cyber security, artificial intelligence, big data... I wouldn't suggest you to set your mind in any topic as you start your college study. Instead, focus on learning solid skills that will prepare you for an area in software engineering that interest you. Wish you all the best in your college study.