Robotic Engineering
Robotic engineering is concerned with the design, construction, and programming of machines that can sense their environment and act within it autonomously or semi-autonomously. It is one of the most rapidly growing fields in engineering, drawing on mechanical engineering, electronics, computer science, and artificial intelligence to create systems that are transforming manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, exploration, and everyday life. Roboticists need to think across disciplines, combining physical design with software development and an understanding of how machines can be made to perceive, reason, and act in complex and variable environments.
At the University of York this four-year programme builds your understanding of the engineering principles underlying robotic systems, from sensors and actuators to control theory, computer vision, and machine learning. You will develop practical skills in designing and building robotic systems alongside theoretical grounding in the mathematical and computational foundations of the field. The programme includes a sandwich year, during which you can gain work experience in an engineering or technology organisation, as well as built-in placement opportunities, so that you graduate with both technical depth and professional experience.
The degree is built with employability in mind, developing transferable skills alongside specialist knowledge.
Robotics engineers work in automotive, aerospace, defence, manufacturing, healthcare, consumer electronics, and research organisations. Roles in research and development, systems engineering, software engineering, and technical consultancy are all common career destinations. The field is expanding rapidly as automation becomes more prevalent across industries, and graduates with the combination of hardware, software, and systems thinking that this degree develops are in strong demand.
Some graduates go on to postgraduate study or doctoral research, working at the frontier of robotics and artificial intelligence.