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Robotics Masters/MSc

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees
We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024/25:
£11,340 (UK students)
£29,340 (International students)
Further fee information is available.

Our MSc programme in Robotics is designed for graduates from a broad range of backgrounds including Computer Science, Physics, and Engineering. Throughout the course, you will explore topics such as intelligent automation, mechatronic and embedded systems, and robot vision.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

The rapid growth in the use of robotic systems in industrial, commercial and domestic contexts has created a worldwide shortage of experts in this fast-moving field.

Delivered in partnership by the Schools of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Birmingham, our MSc programme in Robotics offers you the opportunity to study not only how you can use software and AI to control a robotic platform, but also how they are physically designed and constructed.

Our broad syllabus will provide you with a well-rounded skillset that enables you to understand the behaviour of the software, sensing and articulation elements of the system, and to deliver optimised overall performance against the tasks being carried out.

Why Study Robotics Masters/MSc at Birmingham?

  • Birmingham is amongst the leading Universities in the UK for studying Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science.
  • Our long-standing research relationships in key industrial sectors (automotive, manufacturing, transportation etc.) will provide you with an awareness on the needs of the marketplace.
  • Birmingham is a partner of the Alan Turing Institute, the UK's national institute for data science and artificial intelligence.
  • Our specialist lab facilities will support your learning in all aspects of your programme.

I chose the University of Birmingham because it was one of the few schools internationally that would allow me to pursue a degree specifically in Robotics. This was very important to me as most degree programmes offer Robotics as a specialty or concentration. Through those programmes, you end up taking many unnecessary courses.

Emmanuel Johnson, MSc Robotics

Modules

This course comprises 180 credits. In your first two semesters you will study the core compulsory modules (60 credits) and select from a wide range of optional modules (60 credits). Once your taught modules are completed, you will work on a research project (60 credits) over the summer period.

Core modules

  • Advanced Project - 60 credits
  • Robotic Motion Planning and Control - 20 credits
  • Intelligent Robotics (Extended) - 20 credits
  • Research and Professional Skills - 20 credits

Optional modules

Choose 60 credits, examples of optional modules (all 20 credits) are listed below:

  • Applied Robotics
  • Industrial Automation and Robotics
  • Integrated Design Project 3
  • Intelligent Automation
  • Machine Learning
  • Mechatronics and Embedded Systems
  • Robot Vision
  • Computer Vision and Imaging Extended

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Fees

Annual tuition fee for 2024/25

  • UK students: £11,340 full-time, £5,670 part-time (year 1)
  • International students: £29,340


Are you an international applicant?

All international applicants to this course will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of £2,000 on receipt of an offer, to secure their place.

Find out more about the deposit >>.

Postgraduate Loans (PGL) for Masters students

UK and EU students (with settled or pre-settled status) looking to pursue a Masters programme in the UK can apply for a non-means-tested loan from the British government via the Student Loans Company (SLC).

The loan will be paid directly to you, into a UK bank account. It is intended to provide a contribution towards the costs of Masters study and whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs is at your own discretion.

Learn more about applying for PGL 

 

Scholarships

We offer a range of postgraduate scholarships for taught programmes and research opportunities to ensure the very best talent is nurtured and supported at postgraduate level.

University scholarships

Birmingham Masters Scholarship

Our Birmingham Masters Scholarship offers £2,000 via a tuition fee discount, to support the brightest and best applicants from UK or Ireland undertaking Masters study at Birmingham during 2024-2025.

Global Masters Scholarship

This £2,000 Gloabl Masters Scholarship award is available to all international students from a selection of countries who are seeking to study a taught Masters degree at Birmingham in the 2024-25 academic year.

How To Apply

International applicants requiring visas

Applications to this programme from students who are international for fees will close 7 May 2024. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full, early applications are encouraged.

UK and non-Tier 4 applicants

Applications will close 31 August 2024. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full, early applications are encouraged.

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

A 2:1 Honours in a relevant subject (eg, Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or Mechanical Engineering).

 Learn more about entry requirements. 

International Requirements



International Students

English language

For students whose first language is not English, one of the following English language qualifications is required:

 
  • IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band
  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: PTE Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced – minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

The University of Birmingham has invested heavily in our learning environment in recent years, and the facilities in the School of Engineering are of a very high standard.

How you will be assessed

Modules are assessed using a combination of exams, tests and coursework, the mix of which will be dependent upon the modules you select.

Feedback is an essential part of learning, and we use a wide range of methods, such as written feedback on your assessments, class feedback sessions and discussions with your tutor. You'll receive feedback on each assessment, highlighting the positives of your work as well as any areas that need more attention.

Practical / laboratory sessions

Laboratory-based work is an integral part of your course, this is vital not only to develop your experimental practical skills, but also to reinforce concepts introduced in lectures. Practical sessions typically last two to three hours, although more advanced experiments and activities may span over several sessions.

Seminars and tutorials

Small-group tutorials/personal tutorials run alongside our lectures, addressing any individual problems you may have and allowing you to consolidate lecture material, as well as testing your understanding through problem-solving exercises.

Self-study is an essential part of the programme and requires self-motivation and enthusiasm for your subject. It also allows you to pursue your own lines of enquiry and become an independent thinker.

Lecturers and world leading researchers

You will be taught by staff who are experts in their research fields: staff with extensive industrial connections, research staff and staff with teaching qualifications. They will provide you with tools to gain the creative, problem-solving and technical skills needed to undertake your final-year individual project.”

Through the course you will become a specialist in robotics, and our graduates are well equipped for hardware and software development roles in the field. The School of Engineering has strong links to industry, and regularly works with companies in sectors including automotive, manufacturing, and aerospace.

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.

If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.