Ask HN: Does anyone here work in silicon design/verification?

I want to switch away from regular business software development to a chip or hardware company (HP, Intel, AMD are all nearby). I'm self-taught as a dev, but I'm considering a degree that would open doors to these types of positions. The degree I'm considering is Computer Engineering, which is advertised as being a middle layer between EE and CS degrees. I wanted to know if self-teaching is an option before I take on the student loan debt.

Are academic credentials/internships required for these kinds of jobs?