Robotics MEng (Hons) (with Foundation Year)
UCAS Code: H637|Duration: 5 years|Full Time|Hope Park
UCAS Campus Code: L46
Work placement opportunities|International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
Robotics is on the cusp of an exciting new era as robots become more intelligent and find applications in an ever more diverse range of industries including Consumer, Automotive and Healthcare Robotics.
According to a recent report, Robotics is the fastest growing industry in the world and is poised to become the largest in the next decade. 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 shift is about to take place that will forever change society; our ability to manufacture novel robots and new intelligent systems 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.
Our four-year Robotics degree reflects recent Software and Hardware technological advances and exposes you to new, much sought-after skills and up-to-date areas of research. The degree includes recent technological advances in areas such as Embedded Systems, Intelligent Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics. You will experiment and interact with specialist software, hardware interfaces and systems, as well as exotic robots and fabrication facilities. You will be taught by academics whose research is rated as internationally excellent by the latest Research Excellence Framework in areas including Robotics and Intelligent Systems.
The degree has a good balance of academic theory and practical ‘hands-on’ project work. You will work in purpose-built laboratories, using the very latest equipment.
Course structure
Teaching on this degree is structured into lectures, where all students are taught together, seminars of smaller groups of around 15-20 students, and tutorials which typically have no more than 10 students.
In the UK, degree level study equates to a total of 1200 hours, (nominally around 40 hours per week) with part of this time taught within the university and the remainder as private study.
During your first year of study, there are approximately 12 teaching hours each week, which reduces to approximately 10 teaching hours in your second, third and fourth years. On top of teaching hours, you are also expected to spend a number of hours studying independently each week, as well as studying in groups to prepare for any group assessments that you may have.
Assessment and feedback
You will have a number of assessments each year, including exams and coursework.
You will be given written feedback on your assessments, and you will have the opportunity to discuss this with your tutor in more detail.
Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is a great opportunity if you have the ability and enthusiasm to study for a degree, but do not yet have the qualifications required to enter directly onto our degree programmes. A significant part of the Foundation Year focuses upon core skills such as academic writing at HE level, becoming an independent learner, structuring academic work, critical thinking, time management and note taking.
Successful completion of the Foundation Year will enable you to progress into the first year (Level C) of your chosen honours degree. Further details can be found here.
Year One
In the first year, you will develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills that underpin Electronics and Computer Engineering. Topics studied include:
- Engineering Principles: This provides the fundamental blocks for the curriculum and covers topics such as electromagnetism, circuit theory, engineering practice, mathematics, engineering programming.
- Computing Principles & Professional Development: Professional Development prepares you for learning and study in an engineering discipline and also introduces the fundamental practices, values and expectations of an engineer. Computing principles introduces the fundamental aspects of computer systems and databases.
- Programming Principles: This block of study introduces the principles of algorithm design and programming, including an introduction to web development.
Year Two
In the second year, you will develop a broader understanding and knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of Robotics. You study:
- Robotics principles: This block of study will introduce the fundamentals of robotics including the Robot Operating System (ROS), KInematics, probabilistic robotics and robot navigation.
- Embedded systems and machine learning: Embedded systems involves the study of microcontrollers which are becoming increasingly ubiquitous. You will also study machine learning.
- Object-oriented Programming with C++ :You will not only learn the C++ programming language in depth, but use it as a vehicle for the more general skills of object-oriented coding and design. In particular, you will learn Unified Modeling Language (UML) for designing and managing large projects for industry.
- Professional Skills: A range of topics are covered in this block, more generally equipping you for working in industry.
- Software Engineering: This course complements the skills you learn for object-oriented coding, but uses the Java programming language. It is far from just about coding though, and teaches you how to work as part of a team and the different approaches to project management that are available, as well as the latest technology being used in industry.
- Applied electronics: In this block of study you will learn about semiconductor devices and circuit applications, control systems, mechatronics and computer networks
Year Three
Your third year helps you develop a deeper understanding of the theoretical aspects of Robotics and be able to critically select appropriate tools and techniques to solve problems. Topics will depend on latest developments, but will include areas such as:
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
- Embedded Systems and Physical Computing
- Computer Vision
- Human Robot Interaction
- Robotics Project
Year Four
In your final year you will be studying with a great degree of autonomy with a focus on preparation for industry. The Curriculum will be focused on applications of material that has been taught in prior years but now in a professional context; reflecting latest developments in Robotics and will include topics such as:
- Kinematics and Trajectory Planning
- Neurorobotics
- Haptics
- Medical Robotics
- Advances in Robotics
Entry requirements
There may be some flexibility for mature students offering non-tariff qualifications and students meeting particular widening participation criteria.
Careers
A degree in Robotics from Liverpool Hope will make you highly employable, having developed a range of highly sought after skills. With the robotics industry growing very fast, there will be opportunities to work as a robotics engineer designing or programming a wide range of robots. Your diverse range of skills will make you highly employable in other sectors too.
Enhancement opportunities
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are £9,250 for full-time undergraduate courses.
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,250.
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
Additional costs
You will also need to consider the cost of your accommodation each year whilst you study at university. Visit our accommodation pages for further details about our Halls of Residence.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2023/24 are £12,500.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
With Foundation year, this degree is only available to study as a Single Honours course.