What options do you think I have? Guidance needed...

We

I'm a first year Computer Science student in NUIM.. I'm looking to go into the automation/instrumentation are once I'm finished with college completely but wondering what route would be best..

Would a B.Sc in CS and Masters in Electrical Engineering be the way or am I spending too much time in formal education without any actual experience in a quite particular field?

What about the online course in Mechatronics at IT Sligo or full-time at DCU after I finish my CS degree? Would they be better options(despite DCU taking more time to achieve)?

I'm thinking that if I did the Sligo online course I could potentially be working at the same time in some area related to automation/instrumentation and finish with a pretty sweet CV..

OR.. is finishing my CS completely the best option? If it works out that I have an ordinary degree or so by the 3rd year would it be a good choice to see if I can transfer into a similar enough level in an EE degree elsewhere?

Thanks for any help, just want to be able to map out my route in my mind so I have something to work towards

We

shameless bump

Offy

We wrote: »

shameless bump

I have a degree in mechatronics and I have previously worked as an automation engineer. Stick with the course your on as all automation systems are controlled via computers.
Most of the experience I have in automation involved programming SCADA systems which uses C, visual basic, ladder logic, html and SQL, Before that I used PPU, PtP and C for programming robots. Id say 2/3 of both jobs were coding and the other third was installing sensors, motors, valves, etc.
Once you have the ordinary change over to control engineering or mechatronics and then if you can go on to do a masters or PhD.
Instrumentation is hardcore electronics so if that interests you do electronics instead of control engineering or mechatronics.

imported_guy

strictly speaking automation is a mechanical engineering field in most cases, inter-linked with robotics, you do see some people with IT back grounds working in specialist research etc, but i dont think a BSc in computer science qualifies you for anything more than a code monkey for those jobs, as regards to online study, technological studies are best done "hands on" such as mechatronics, and a masters in electronic rather than electrical would be more benificial if you do want to go in the automation/robotics direction

Offy

imported_guy wrote: »

strictly speaking automation is a mechanical engineering field in most cases, inter-linked with robotics, you do see some people with IT back grounds working in specialist research etc, but i dont think a BSc in computer science qualifies you for anything more than a code monkey for those jobs, as regards to online study, technological studies are best done "hands on" such as mechatronics, and a masters in electronic rather than electrical would be more benificial if you do want to go in the automation/robotics direction

-1 I strongly disagree, what mechanical engineering is involved in SCADA, DCS or LIMS?

imported_guy

Offy wrote: »

-1 I strongly disagree, what mechanical engineering is involved in SCADA, DCS or LIMS?

SCADA basically controls things such as HVAC (mechanical engineering application), water treatment/ waste water collection (civil engineering application) amongst other things which are genrally designed by mechanical/civil engineers etc

Offy

imported_guy wrote: »

SCADA basically controls things such as HVAC (mechanical engineering application), water treatment/ waste water collection (civil engineering application) amongst other things which are genrally designed by mechanical/civil engineers etc

All true, SCADA does control all those things but all those things are mechanical or civil as you said, its the control systems that fall into the realm of automation and its automation engineers that design and program the control systems.

We

Thanks for your help so far lads