The Computer Engineering aims applying the computer science and using the computer technology in solving engineering problems. It trains professionals able to operate mainly in areas where there is tight integration between software and hardware, such as industrial automation, parallel and distributed systems, computer architecture, embedded systems, robotics, data communication and digital signal processing.

Compared with other computer professionals, Computer Engineers work mainly with systems where the computers are not the only agents that affect the environment. The main type of information from other computer professionals are data, generated, processed and used by computers. Computer Engineers also deal with signals, externally generated and/or produced to act on the external environment.

To this end, training in Computer Engineering must provide its students with:

• A good basic training in relevant scientific foundations of exact and natural sciences (especially Physics and Mathematics) and in traditional knowledge related to basic training in Engineering and Computer Science;
• A general professional training which involves the fundamental contents of Computing and some aspects of electronics and electricity, and
• A specific professional training in aspects of the architecture of computer systems in relation to its physical components, software and applications of Computing in various Engineering problems.

Specifically in the case of UFRN, the traditional training in Computer Engineering will be complemented by a specialization in Industrial Automation, focused on the aspects related to the use of computers in design, manufacturing, supervision and control of processes assisted and/or controlled by computers and to the development of new tecniques for programming, modeling and simulating systems aiming the best performance of production processes with the efficient use of computing resources.

With this training, the professional profile of the Computer Engineer with specialization in Industrial Automation is the one of a professional with a strong background in Computer Engineering, able to specify, design, develop, adapt, produce, manufacture, install and maintain computer systems, and also integrating physical and logical resources needed to meet the needs of computing and automation of organizations in general.