Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Robotics and artificial intelligence represent two of the most rapidly developing and consequential fields in engineering and computer science. Robotics is concerned with the design, construction and control of machines that can sense their environment, make decisions and act in the physical world, from manufacturing robots and surgical systems to autonomous vehicles and drones. Artificial intelligence provides many of the methods that make modern robots capable: machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and intelligent planning all underpin the increasingly sophisticated behaviour of autonomous systems.

Together, the two fields address one of the great engineering challenges of our time.

At the University of Exeter, this three-year full-time degree, developed in close partnership with industry and in consultation with accrediting bodies, is available with a foundation year for students who need additional preparation in mathematics and science before entering degree-level engineering and computer science. You will study the foundations of both robotics and AI, including programming, electronics, control systems, machine learning, perception and autonomous decision-making. The programme has been designed to reflect the technical skills and knowledge that industry partners identify as most important, ensuring that what you study is directly relevant to professional practice.

You will develop strong practical and analytical skills through laboratory and project work, building systems and programmes that demonstrate your understanding of both robotic hardware and the software intelligence that drives it. The ability to think rigorously about complex systems, to test and validate solutions, and to communicate technical ideas clearly are all central to the degree.

Graduates from robotics and AI programmes move into software engineering, robotics engineering, systems engineering, machine learning engineering, data science, autonomous systems development, research, and technology consultancy across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, defence, logistics, energy and the tech sector. Postgraduate study is a natural option for those who want to pursue research or advanced technical specialisation.