Computer engineers design and develop computer hardware, software, peripheral devices, and communication networks. They are actively involved in web development by developing new features, tools, and services for the World Wide Web and the Internet. They manage the design, content and development of websites and features for the Internet including e-commerce, web streaming and Internet security.

The computing industry is a vital aspect of our national economy. The industry has impacted every aspect of American life including: mainframe computers in government and industry, supercomputers expanding the frontiers of science and technology, desktop computers at home and work, mobile computing, automobiles, communications, appliances, electronic games, entertainment, health care, and aerospace. The computer industry is one of the fastest growing segments of our economy and that growth will continue in the foreseeable future.

Computers are getting smaller and more powerful. Thus, the use of computers is increasing at a phenomenal rate. Each new computer application area requires the skills of the computer engineer. Jobs that do not exist today will be commonplace tomorrow and require computer engineers. Computer engineers are involved with both the design and development of computers as well as the utilization of computing systems in new and innovation applications. Examples are developing computing systems for automated manufacturing, developing computing systems for wireless communication systems, developing operating systems for specialized applications, developing security systems for computing systems, and developing smaller and more powerful computer chips. Computer engineers can design and develop both the hardware and software components present in every computing application. This is especially important in embedded computing systems such as wireless telephones and the automobile industry.

Computer Engineeringeducation involves the traditional computer hardware education from Electrical Engineering Departments with the computer software education from Computer Science Departments. A computer engineer should have a deep understanding of both hardware and software. In addition, their education program has extensive components of mathematics and science disciplines.

With a Computer Engineering degree, an individual has a balanced view of hardware,software, hardware-software tradeoffs, analysis, design and implementation techniques. There are two distinct tracks available in the UTPA Computer Engineering Program: the Hardware track and the Software track.