Robotics & Automation Engineering
Building machines that sense, decide, and act on their own.
Robotics engineering combines mechanical design, electronics, and programming to build systems that can sense their environment and act autonomously, from industrial arms to autonomous vehicles. It draws heavily on mechanical and electrical engineering plus computer science, especially controls and AI.
Project-based coursework is the norm: most programs have students design, build, and program actual robots, iterating through mechanical, electrical, and software problems simultaneously.
Typical courses you might take
- ✓Statics & Dynamics
- ✓Circuits & Electronics
- ✓Programming for Robotics
- ✓Control Systems
- ✓Sensors & Actuators
- ✓Computer Vision / AI Fundamentals
- ✓Kinematics & Robot Motion
- ✓Senior Robotics Project
Sample four-year plan
Illustrative, not a registration planOne possible way these courses could be sequenced alongside general education and elective credit. Real programs vary in order, pacing, and prerequisites by school, use this to get a rough sense of the arc, not to plan actual registration.
- ✓Statics & Dynamics
- +General education requirement
- ✓Circuits & Electronics
- +General education requirement
- ✓Programming for Robotics
- +General education requirement
- ✓Control Systems
- +Free elective
- ✓Sensors & Actuators
- +Free elective
- ✓Computer Vision / AI Fundamentals
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Kinematics & Robot Motion
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Senior Robotics Project
- +Capstone, thesis, or culminating project (common in many programs)
Skills you'll build
This major might be a good fit if you...
- ★Excited by building things that move and sense their surroundings
- ★Strong across math, physics, and programming
- ★Enjoys hands-on prototyping and iteration
- ★Comfortable juggling mechanical, electrical, and software problems at once
Common minors & double-major pairings
Computer Science · Electrical Engineering · Mathematics
Roles this major could lead to
Factual, day-to-day descriptions from our Career Role Encyclopedia, not a guarantee this major leads to any specific job.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Robotics & Automation Engineering major?
Building machines that sense, decide, and act on their own.
What courses do Robotics & Automation Engineering majors take?
Typical coursework includes classes like Statics & Dynamics, Circuits & Electronics, Programming for Robotics, among others, see the full course list above for this major's typical lineup.
What skills do you build in a Robotics & Automation Engineering program?
Robotics & Automation Engineering coursework typically builds skills like Mechanical and electrical system design, Programming autonomous systems, Control theory and feedback systems, Sensor integration and data processing.
Is Robotics & Automation Engineering a good major for me?
It tends to be a good fit if signals like "Excited by building things that move and sense their surroundings" or "Strong across math, physics, and programming" describe you. See the full "good fit if you..." list above for more.
What can you do with a Robotics & Automation Engineering degree?
Majors in this field often go on to roles like Electrical Engineer, Robotics Engineer. See our Career Role Encyclopedia for more, a major shapes what you study, not a guarantee of any specific job.
What other majors pair well with Robotics & Automation Engineering?
Common minor or double-major pairings include Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics.
How is Robotics & Automation Engineering different from Mechanical Engineering?
They're related but distinct. Robotics & Automation Engineering: Building machines that sense, decide, and act on their own. Mechanical Engineering: Designing machines and physical systems, from engines to robots. Use the compare tool to see courses and skills side by side.
How long does it take to earn a Robotics & Automation Engineering degree?
Most bachelor's degrees, including this one, are designed to be completed in about four years of full-time study. Exact timing depends on your school, course load, transfer credit, and any changes of major along the way.
Printed from majoratlas.com/majors/robotics-automation-engineering