MSc Robotics

Entry year
2025/26
Course code
H67B1
Application
Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol
Level
Postgraduate
School
School of Engineering
Campus
Frenchay, Bristol Robotics Laboratory and University of Bristol
Duration
12 months
Delivery
Full-time, starts September
Programme leader
Martin Pearson

Introduction

Drawing on the expertise of the internationally renowned Bristol Robotics Laboratory, and provided in partnership with the University of Bristol, this is a unique opportunity to advance your skills and knowledge in the fast-growing area of robotics and automation.

An expanding industry

Innovation in robotics is evolving more rapidly than ever before. This progress is providing a wide range of industries and professions with access to increasingly sophisticated technology.

As well as enjoying a growing commercial side, robotics also supports global scientific research in unprecedented ways, giving us access to more remote, unpredictable and hazardous locations.

The autonomous and remotely operated devices being invented have broad applications and uses, including manufacturing, agriculture, security and medicine. These developments have enabled the robotics to become a billion-dollar industry, creating a growing worldwide demand for experts in this field.

A unique partnership

MSc Robotics is available through a partnership between UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol, providing a comprehensive understanding of advanced robotics and automation systems.

This unique partnership will give you access to the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, a world-leading centre for autonomous robotic systems and research. You'll gain a strong skillset in robotics and automation needed for many technology careers.

An inclusive curriculum

Our new problem-based curriculum will broaden our engineering audience, enabling students from a wider range of backgrounds to pursue a career in engineering. To date, we're the first university in the UK to transform our curriculum alongside constructing a new engineering building.

As a student engineer, you'll start your professional journey towards becoming an incorporated or chartered engineer from day one. You'll learn by doing, applying and revisiting your early skills through embedded project weeks and development of digital and physical prototypes, just as you would in practice.

Watch: The learning and teaching experience

Structure

Content

The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.

The course is designed and structured to help you develop the critical and practical skills needed to create intelligent robotics systems. Throughout your studies, this will involve understanding and critically analysing the nature of intelligence in natural and artificial systems, and using the resulting insights to build smart technologies.

The following core modules are indicative of the course structure:

  • Robotics Systems (20 credits) - An overview of the latest robotics research and a hands-on approach to the subject, introducing key topics such as PID control and modelling, computer vision, robotic design and mobile robotics.
  • Robotic Fundamentals (15 credits) - Focuses upon three fundamentals of robots: the mechanics of robot bodies kinematic properties and algorithms, intelligent control techniques, and programming.
  • Human-Robot Interaction. (15 credits) - An overview of human-robot interaction (HRI) as a research field. It will cover different contexts in which humans interact with robots now and in the future.
  • Machine Vision (15 credits) - Introduces image processing as well as state-of-the-art feature extraction and machine learning, with research-informed teaching, aiming to provide students with the key skills to meet industry needs.
  • Robotics Research Technology and Methods (20 credits) - The aim of this unit is to introduce you to the social, industrial and research context of robotics and autonomous systems, preparing you to perform independent research in these areas.
  • Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (10 credits)
  • Dissertation (60 credits).

Plus one optional module from:

  • Advanced Control and Dynamics
  • Assistive Robotics
  • Robot Learning and Teleoperation.

In addition, one optional module from:

  • Bio-Inspired Artificial Intelligence
  • Intelligent Information Systems
  • Transport and mobility Modelling
  • Soft Robotics.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.

Learning and Teaching

You'll learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, group work, and through sessions at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL). The course is offered in partnership between UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol, and you will attend sessions at UWE Bristol's Frenchay campus, the University of Bristol, and BRL.

See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.

Study time

Full-time one year, starting in September.

Assessment

You will normally be assessed through examination and coursework, as well as the dissertation.

See our full glossary of assessment terms.

Features

Study facilities

Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL)

A multi-million pound partnership between UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol, BRL is the largest research facility of its kind in the UK. It is nationally and internationally recognised as a centre of excellence for advanced robotics research.

BRL is helping us understand and develop robotic devices that can behave intelligently, without human supervision and intervention, that can be used in a wide range of applications to help humans perform otherwise dangerous or unpleasant tasks. For instance, robots already clear landmines, unblock pipework, gather data from oceans' floors and the possibilities are endless. It is also currently investing in infrastructure for biomedical robotics and neurologically inspired control systems.

Find out more at the BRL website.

Find out more about the facilities and resources UWE Bristol has to offer.

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Engineering facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

Take a look at the Engineering building

Step inside our new School of Engineering building at UWE Bristol

Life

Postgraduate support

Our support includes access to fantastic facilities, study tools and career consultants, plus practical help to access everything from funding to childcare.

Bristol

A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.

Sports, societies and activities

There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.

Health and Wellbeing

We provide support in the way you need it.

Campus and facilities

Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.

Careers

Careers / Further study

MSc Robotics provides an excellent route into this increasingly important area of innovation, and into research and development. Develop core skills that you'll take with you through your career, such as innovation, teamwork and creativity.

The course also offers the specialisms to support doctorate-level studies and ongoing research careers. You could also go into research by studying a PhD at Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

The partnership between UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol has created a unique centre of excellence for engineering. You'll learn in the heart of one of the UK's most important engineering hubs.

Thanks to Bristol's respected reputation in aeronautics and electronics, the city is a major base for renowned companies in the sector. For example, both universities share close links with Airbus, Rolls Royce, Toshiba and Hewlett Packard.

Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.

Fees

There is currently no published fee data for this course.

Supplementary fee information

Fees are set by the University of Bristol.

Entry

Entry requirements

An upper second-class honours degree in an Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or related subject. Other disciplines will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you don't meet the above grade requirements but have at least 12 months relevant professional experience and/or equivalent qualifications, we'll consider you on an individual basis.

English Language Requirement

International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 6.0 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

*The University accepts a large number of UK and international qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section.

How to apply

Applications are made directly to the University of Bristol.

For further information

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