Mechatronics, robotics and autonomous systems represent a range of important technologies which underpin many applications – from manufacturing and automation through to self-driving cars and robotic surgical tools.
Delivered by the Schools of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computing, this programme will equip you with the specialist knowledge and wide range of skills to pursue a career in this dynamic field.
Core modules will give you a foundation in the many applications of mechatronics and robotics and develop your understanding of the wide range of industry sectors that use robotics. You’ll also build research skills with a major project in fields as diverse as robot swarms, sensing systems, bio-inspired robots and surgical robotics.
Diverse optional modules will allow you to focus on topics that suit your interests and career plans, guided by academics whose teaching is informed by their own world-class research.
Specialist facilities
The Faculty of Engineering is an exciting and stimulating environment where you’ll learn in specialist facilities. These include an ABB robotic manufacturing cell, the Embedded Systems Lab, the Keysight Technologies Communications Lab, the National Instruments LabVIEW Academy, and computer clusters with a very wide range of industry-standard CAD/CAE/CAM software packages.
The three Schools that deliver this programme collaborate in research projects within the themes of surgical robotics, rehabilitation robotics, exploration robotics and future cities.
Three core modules act as the foundations of the course, developing your understanding of key aspects of mechatronics and robotics and how they fit into the context of the full range of industrial sectors and rapidly-developing everyday applications.
Mechatronics and Robotics Applications will look at the challenges, problems and solutions involved in integrating components such as actuators and computer control into modern engineering systems in domains such as healthcare and the automotive industry.
To build your understanding of the global industry and career opportunities, you’ll also complete a dissertation in a topic of your choice. This is supported by a series of lectures that cover the principles of globalisation, industry sectors, manufacturing, business models, teamwork skills and entrepreneurship. This could take the form of a business, manufacturing or outsourcing plan, a proposal for research funding or an essay on a specific aspect of the industry.
Over the summer months you’ll also work on your research project. This gives you the chance to work on a project allied to one of our research groups, spanning an exceptionally wide range of areas ranging from computer vision and artificial intelligence through robotic communications, sensing and embedded systems to mechanical design, industrial inspection, biomedical engineering and surgical robotics.
You’ll complete your studies by selecting from a range of optional modules that allow you to focus on topics that suit your personal interests or career intentions. You could build your understanding of computational methods, medical robotics, control systems design and more.
Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the Mechatronics and Robotics module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings. Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.
You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.
Mechatronics and robotics is a multidisciplinary field with a strong future, exciting career opportunities and a huge range of applications in robotics, manufacturing, automation, automotive engineering, aerospace, healthcare and medicine, leisure & entertainment and many more.
After graduating from this course, you will be in a good position to seek employment as a development, project or graduate engineer with leading organisations such as GCHQ, JN Bentley, Oilger Towler Ltd, Airbus UK, Avesta, Crosslee Plc, ABB Ltd, AWE, Ricardo, APV Baker, Jaguar Land Rover and Jacobs Engineering.
You’ll have access to the wide range of engineering and computing careers resources held by our Employability team in our dedicated Employability Suite. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops. Our annual Engineering and Computing Careers Fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UK’s leading employers.
The University's Careers Centre also provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
This programme offers a broad range of advanced subjects across the mechanical engineering disciplines. It’s aimed at graduate engineers who wish to pursue a career in industry using advanced engineering techniques, or those who want to gain in-depth knowledge for a career in research in industry or academia.
We emphasise the application of computational methods and packages in mechanical engineering analysis design and manufacture to solve complex engineering problems, but you’ll choose from a wide variety of options that allow you to tailor your studies to suit your own interests or career ambitions. You could gain specialist knowledge in mechatronics and robotics, automotive engineering, tribology, aerospace engineering and many more.
You’ll be taught in world-class facilities by researchers who are making breakthroughs in their fields. It’s an excellent opportunity to gain a wide range of knowledge and skills that will prepare you for an exciting and challenging career.
Specialist facilities
We have an impressive range of world-class facilities to support your studies. In addition to our advanced CAD facilities for design work, we have the latest industry-standard software for computational fluid dynamics and finite element modelling of material stress analysis.
There’s also a well-equipped workshop with CNC machinery, 3D printing facilities and wire EDM for building parts and extensive lab facilities for solid and fluid dynamics, erosion, corrosion, tribology, combustion, control and dynamics, robotics and optical measurement.
This course is accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council.
In Semester 1 you’ll take a core module that introduces you to the fundamentals of computational and experimental methods, laying the groundwork for the rest of your studies. Beyond this, you’ll be able to choose modules in areas that suit your interests and career aspirations such as Combustion in Engines, fluid dynamics analysis, biomaterials or aspects of automotive and aerospace engineering.
Throughout the programme you’ll complete your Professional Project – an independent piece of research on a topic within mechanical engineering that allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. In the two taught semesters you’ll review the literature around your topic and plan the project, before completing the design, analysis, computation, experimentation and writing up in the summer months.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll extend your studies over a longer period so you can take fewer modules in each year.
Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the Advanced Mechanical Engineering module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.
Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.
You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.
After graduating from this course, you will be in a good position to seek employment with many leading organisations such as Airbus, Bentley Motors, Bombardier Transportation, Crompton Technology Group, Cummins UK, DePuy International, EAS Engineering, E-ON UK, Faraday Packaging Partnership, Ford Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan Motor Company, Prodrive, Ricardo UK and Siemens.
You’ll have access to the wide range of engineering andcomputing careers resources held by our Employability team in our dedicated Employability Suite. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops. Our annual Engineering and Computing Careers Fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UK’s leading employers.
The University's Careers Centre also provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
