Robotics Engineering (MSc)

About the Course

Robotics is on the cusp of an exciting new era as robots become more reactive, intelligent and human-like, as well as finding applications in a range of industries including consumer and healthcare robotics.

We are in the midst of an increase in the pace of technological change and the changes in the coming decade will be a magnitude of order greater than anything that has gone before. A paradigm shift is about to take place that will forever change society; our ability to manufacture novel robots and new artificial intelligence techniques will both change the way we interact with technology and will allow technology to interact with us and our world in a far more nuanced way.

This new MSc Robotics Engineering reflects recent software and hardware technological advances and exposes students to new, much sought-after skills and up-to-date areas of research. Recent technological advances are incorporated into the course by developing novel cross disciplinary approaches and subject areas such as Embedded Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality.

Curriculum Overview

Robotics Engineering covers a wide range of specific topics such as:

• Robotics
• Embedded Systems
• Robots for special applications
• Sensors
• Actuators
• Robot Navigation
• Microcontrollers
• Physical Computing
• Artificial Intelligence
• Virtual Reality
• The Internet of Things

The course will include an introduction to Robotics, covering topics such as actuators, sensors and mechatronics, with examples and categorization of robots (from mobile robots to robot arms and interactive robots); robotic applications including biomedical robotics (e.g. for minimally invasive surgery) and robotic rehabilitation, robotic hands (metamorphic hands, grasping and sensing) and industrial robotics; embedded systems and microcontrollers including the Internet of Things; the robot as a computational unit based on sensing, reasoning and action; Artificial Intelligence, navigation and machine learning. You will have the opportunity to develop the hardware and software for a robotic system.

Assessment is through a mixture of coursework and examination. The ethos within the Department is to foster enthusiasm for Robotics and so assessment is largely through project work, giving you the opportunity to explore the subject area and focus on those specific topics that capture your interest. The project entails research and innovation as well as practical industrial applications of the ideas developed during the programme of study.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of a Second-Class Honours degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. Computer Science, Computing, Science, or engineering-based) awarded by a UK university, or an equivalent higher education qualification.

International Entry Requirements

For students whose first language is not English there is a language requirement of IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 minimum of all components. In addition to this, we also accept a wide range of International Qualifications, for more information please visit our English Language Requirements page.

For additional information about country specific entry requirements visit the your country pages. 

Teaching and Research

The course is delivered by a small, enthusiastic team which prides itself not only on high teaching quality, which has been independently recognised, but also a vibrant research community; in the most recent Research Excellent Framework Exercise, 100% of the Department’s research was deemed to be internationally excellent or recognised. Staff have expertise in many areas such as Robotics and Mechatronics, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Mathematics, Virtual Reality, Data Science and Networking.

We have recently opened a purpose-built Robotics Laboratory in a new Science Building, equipped with the latest cutting edge technologies including industry-standard software (e.g. Matlab/Simulink, Labview, Visual Studio, 3D Studio Max), Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality interfaces (e.g. Oculus Rift), exotic robots and 3D printing facilities. The laboratory includes robots (Kilobot swarm robots, Aldebaran Nao, i-Sobot, FlowCode Robotic Buggies, Moway Robotic Buggies, Robo Builder, National Instruments robotic platform), embedded systems and devices for physical computing (e.g. Arduino, Makey Makey, Xilinx Zynq, XMOS, Anadigm FPAA), communication modules, wearable and biomedical sensors, marker less motion capture systems, UAVs and drones.

• The School is consistently very highly rated in the National Student Survey. For example, in the most recent survey, 91% of our final year students were satisfied with their course.
• You will acquire key skills sought after by industry taught in well equipped, dedicated laboratories boasting the latest equipment.
• The School prides itself on excellent teaching quality recognised by a recent independent review, which specifically identified approachable staff providing close academic support.
• You will be part of a vibrant research community with the Department hosting prestigious international events and 100% of research deemed internationally excellent or recognised.
• We have an impressive graduate employment record, with recent successful appointments at organisations such as Airbus, Barclays and Oracle, as well as links with key organizations such as Microsoft. 

UK/EU Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for Home/EU students for 2024/25 are £9,000

Funding

We offer a number of scholarships and loans to help fund your postgraduate studies. Visit our scholarships pages for more details.

International Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for International students for 2024/25 are £13,000

Careers

A course in Robotics Engineering will make you highly employable, having developed a range of specific skills in robotic systems, at a time when the robotics industry is rapidly developing, opening up new opportunities for people with these skills. The course will prepare you for a career in robotics engineering development or research in a wide range of industries.