What are the differences between the M.Eng and the MS in engineering?

What are the primary differences between an MS program in Data Analytics and an MS program in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)? What are the differences regarding jobs in these fields?

• I understand that Data Analytics is about interpreting and visualizing data while Computational Science is about constructing mathematical models and solving these complex models with use of computers. My question is more about the kind of jobs people do after these degrees, do they end up working in similar lines? I am primarily interested in machine learning, optimization and identification. Which program concentrates more on these areas?

• Answer:

  CSE is much broader and includes Data Analytics. A CSE degree usually involves a specialization, and if you choose Data Mining, Big Data or Machine Learning, this will look very similar to a focused degree in Data Analytics - you will be eligible for the same jobs. Since hiring also heavily depends on your actual skills, personality, and the first impression you give, the difference between a degree in Data Analytics and a CSE degree with proper specialization is negligible in how your resume looks.  The actual courses you'd take might be different. A university that offers a degree in Data Analytics may have more courses related to this topics. It is possible that some companies hiring people who just completed a degree in Data Analytics will want to hire more such people right away. In contrast, a CSE degree would allow (and sometimes require) greater technical breadth --- perhaps, some courses in CS theory, hardware, networking, etc. With a broader degree, you will be eligible for many more jobs, even in the short term because many jobs require a "CS or CE degree" without emphasis on specialization. In the long term, this difference may grow, as new areas of CS become hot.