A friend sparked me onto this article, and it’s topic is what I’ve been saying colloquially since college though the author says it profoundly better.

The conclusion: Software Engineering is very different than Computer Science, and it involves a human component not found in the ideas of traditional computer science programs (e.g., algorithms, compilers, etc.). It’s a beautiful read, and well worth checking out:

http://www.ddj.com/architect/217701907

PS: The struggle between choosing Rensselaer Polytechnic or Florida Tech for my college career came down to Florida Tech offering a Software Engineering program where Rensselaer Polytechnic didn’t. Though I couldn’t articulate it then, it had already seemed as if there was a fundamental difference between the two disciplines.