Is the Computer Science degree really helpful?

What do graduate employers really think of a combined Computer Science and Electronic Engineering degree?

• Key modules in the CS section of the course include; Programming Foundations, Low Level Programming, Operating Systems, Computer Architecture, Computer Systems and AI. Key modules in the Electronic Engineering section of the course include; Mathematics, Analogue and Digital Electronics, Measurement & Feedback Systems, Communications, Computer Aided Design, Interfacing Techniques and Circuit Analysis. Do graduate employers look for such a broad range of subjects, or is it a disadvantage?

• Answer:

  I hardly read the education portion of a resume. The reason for that is because your academic training only gives you the tools you'll need to be an effective engineer, not the gumption or drive to really make it happen and own the things around you. All I care about is your portfolio. What projects and companies have you worked on? Have you only done internships or held real jobs? Have you ever started your own venture? What do you work on in your free time? Those things are far more telling than your degree or major (hell, I'm a software engineer but I did my master's in hybrid car design!) Yes, university education is very important--but again, it only teaches you how to use the tools. I do typically like it when someone has diverse interests, but I'll only hire someone who has worked in my field and has shown initiative (ie, going out and getting work--failing that, starting your own projects; people who have only ever done 'internships' turn me off). Hope that helps.