Undergraduate course
MEng (Hons)
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Our course offers an IET-recognised qualification, fast-tracking students to Chartered Engineer status. It combines core and specialist autonomy and robotics topics with hands-on lab experience, preparing graduates for cutting-edge careers.
Our typical offer
120 UCAS points
Immersive, practical learning
Engage in hands-on learning, with practical elements embedded in nearly every module. From building real-world projects to showcasing functional robots, the experience is deeply applied, research-informed, and aligned with global challenges like AI and renewables.
Connect with emerging industry
With employers attending the final showcase and an active industrial liaison board, the course stays tightly aligned with industry needs. Benefit from expert career coaching, job opportunities and placements.
Step into world-class facilities
Receive a personal electronics toolkit and gains access to cutting-edge labs, including robotics, machine vision and nanotech clean rooms. These facilities support deep exploration and innovation in robotics.
you want to study an integrated master’s programme in robotics and automated systems, fully preparing you for the future of technology
you are eager to build and programme real robots and explore topics like sensors, motors and intelligent automation
you are eager to gain industry-ready skills and experience through placements with top companies
you seek to graduate with professional recognition, thanks to IET accreditation
Details
Year 1
From your very first year, you’ll be learning by doing in our dedicated robotics and electronics labs. You’ll build the essential foundations for robotics: the maths and physics that underpin engineering, analogue and digital electronics to sense and control the world, and embedded systems that bring it all together. Through projects you’ll design, build and test early robotic systems, gaining confidence in teamwork, problem solving and communication along the way.
Year 2
In your second year, you’ll go deeper into the principles that make robots work. You’ll learn how to control movement, how sensors and actuators give robots awareness and motion, and how to model and simulate robotic systems using industry-standard tools. Projects will see you design and program robots in real time, preparing you for placements and final-year challenges. At this stage, you’ll start to see how the theory connects directly to building intelligent robotic machines.
Optional placement year
Take the chance to put your skills into action with an industrial placement in the UK or abroad. It’s your opportunity to work with leading companies, gain invaluable experience, and make connections that could shape your career. Many students return with job offers or final-year sponsorships, giving them a head start when they graduate.
Year 4
In your final year as a BEng student, you’ll study advanced topics such as computer vision, mobile and humanoid robots, and machine learning. You’ll also complete an individual project where you’ll design and develop a robotic solution to a real-world problem, guided by your own interests or research areas in the department. Past projects have ranged from drone navigation systems to assistive humanoid robots. Your work will be showcased at our project open day to visitors from industry and beyond.
Final year
If you continue to MEng, you’ll take on more specialist robotics topics and a major group project, often in partnership with industry or cutting-edge research groups. You might be designing advanced robotic arms, autonomous vehicles, or bio-inspired walking machines. These large-scale projects combine mechanical design, electronics, software, and AI to tackle complex real-world challenges. They are presented to industrial visitors and often go on to win national research prizes, showing just how far your skills have come.
What’s the difference between BEng and MEng?
BEng (Hons)
- A three year degree, with the potential for it to be four years with a placement year
- Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partly meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
MEng (Hons)
- A four year integrated masters, with the potential for it to be five years with a placement year
- Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
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![Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) logo]( "Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)")
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) accredited degree
Accredited by the IET on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer. -
![Ministry of Defence]( "DSUS Scheme")
DSUS Scheme
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![Oshen]( "Oshen")
Partnered with Oshen
Oshen is building the autonomous platforms unlocking ocean intelligence, and looking for students and graduates ready to help shape it.
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) accredited degree
DSUS Scheme
Partnered with Oshen
Defence Universities Alliance
Plymouth is a
founding member of the Defence Universities Alliance, a collaboration between the Ministry of Defence, the UK Armed Forces and the higher education sector, helping equip you with specialist, in-demand skills.
Course-specific academic regulations
This course has unique rules relating to:
- Compensation of marks
- Passing a module
Experience
Be part of creating the technology of the future
From smartphones and cars to renewable energy and smart technology, electronics and electrical engineering shape the world we live in. Explore how technology works — from microprocessors and communications to robotics, autonomous systems and intelligent machines.
Specialist high-tech facilities
Plymouth’s robotics facilities in the
Smeaton Building offer a dynamic, hands-on learning environment for you to engage with both custom-built and industrial robots throughout your studies. From robot dogs and drones to humanoid platforms, these advanced tools are available for coursework and student-led projects.
The labs are equipped with cutting-edge resources such as 3D printers and design software for rapid prototyping, while dedicated research spaces delve into areas like motor learning, artificial intelligence, and sustainable agriculture using state-of-the-art robots including iCub, Baxter, and autonomous farming systems.
From code to chassis: first-year robotics in action
“We've been in the labs designing the 3D components for the buggy, 3D printing them, testing them. We've also spent a lot of time coding and refining the code. I really like designing and bringing things to life, making sure it works. I think it will help a lot in the future.”
First-year robotics students designed and built an autonomous buggy to tackle a bead-pushing challenge and navigate a maze—gaining sought after practical skills along the way.
Showcasing your work
Each year, students from robotics are involved in our Student Showcase event.
This event offers you an opportunity to demonstrate your passion to lecturers and your fellow students, as well as to industry professionals and potential employers.
“I've had the opportunity to meet multiple people in the industry, all of them have seemed very interested in my project which was a great relief as the nature of my project is quite niche and I was curious about the actual industry applications”
MEng (Hons) Robotics student spotlights
Estilla
“Having always been drawn to robotics, it became my passion when I realised it could be used to help people. Social robots have the capabilities to raise people's self-esteem, make them feel more connected, and improve their welfare. On placement, I developed a system to help children learn how to read and study another language. My projects are now used by the company.”
Becky
As part of her final year project, Becky collaborated with fellow students to design and produce the Wearable Enhanced Awareness System.
“The idea of this system is that, for example, you can be walking down the street alone at night and, using radar and lidar technology, it will detect if there is another human approaching you, or a bicycle or something like that. The aim is to reduce knife crime, mugging, accidents, these kinds of things.”
A placement puts learning into practice
Take up the option to undertake a paid work placement in industry during your third year. A placement consolidates and develops your engineering knowledge, is an excellent way to gain a competitive edge and helps with making career decisions – many of our students receive job offers or sponsorship as a result of their placements.
- Get your career off to a great start by spending a year working professionally as a student engineer between years two and three.
- You could earn £15,000 a year or more, and possibly gain sponsorship through your final year(s) at university.
- Gain experience that will help you find a job when you graduate and a Certificate of Professional or Work Experience in addition to your degree award.
“Completing the placement year and seeing the different areas where students studying similar degrees worked within the same company has given me more of an idea of which areas I would like to explore further and potentially specialise in.”
Meet your expert teaching staff
The School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics is a collaborative and interdisciplinary community of world-leading academics and researchers focused on creating knowledge and innovative solutions that positively impact society.
Dr Ian Howard
Associate Professor Computational Neuroscience
Dr Dena Bazazian
Lecturer in Robotics and Machine Vision
Dr David Jenkins
Associate Professor of Nanomaterials and Devices
Support for students
As well as support you'll receive from academics, we have a team of
technical staff who assist you with projects and research.
Our technicians are integral to the delivery of all our programmes and bring a diverse range of expertise and skills to support students in laboratories and workshops.
Senior Robotics Technician, Jake, talks about his work with students.
“I would say be as ambitious as you want, you can almost guarantee you can make it, you just have to be determined.”
Level up your studies with the Robotics Society
The Robotics Society welcomes all students to explore robotics – collaborating and innovating together and hosting events like Robot Wars to showcase student creations and inspire new members. Throughout the year, the society offer fun socials, peer support and learning opportunities for anyone curious about robotics or needing support with their studies.
Life in Plymouth
Plymouth's maritime history and coastal location have an undeniable influence on life in the city. The walk from our main campus to the seafront is only about one mile, providing loads of opportunity to relax and unwind during your studies. You don’t need to leave the city to get to the coast!
The overall vibe of the city is perfect. You are by the sea so it is still laid back, but you have all the conveniences of living in a city.
Jenna
Current student
Current student
Discover our range of student accommodation options and find out how you can get a guaranteed place in halls
Our large student population, active Students' Union, and abundance of student-led clubs and societies blend to create a busy and vibrant student scene
Careers
I would recommend the University of Plymouth for a number of reasons: the practical hands-on learning, the support available to aid studying from the lecturers, and also services such as Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS) and SUM:UP, the mathematics and statistics drop-in.
Katherine
MEng (Hons) Robotics graduate
MEng (Hons) Robotics graduate
Where could robotics take you?
Learn more about the diverse range of successful career pathways our robotics graduates take after completing the course
Joel
Joel works as an Applications Engineer at National Instruments
Launch your career
Our robotics degrees can open doors to a wide range of exciting and impactful careers. Whether you're designing intelligent machines, developing cutting-edge AI systems, or shaping the future of manufacturing, the possibilities are vast. Our graduates have gone on to become:
- Junior robotics engineers
- Machine learning engineers
- Research and development electronic engineers
- Product and manufacturing engineers
- Secondary school teachers
They have joined leading companies like Raytheon, Moley Robotics, Babcock International, and Spirent Communications – working on real-world innovations that push the boundaries of technology.
From research labs to industry giants, a robotics degree equips you with the skills to thrive in a fast-evolving world.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Tuition fees for new full-time UK students starting in
Full-time study
£9,790 per year
£9,790 per year
Module fees for repeated or part-time study
To be confirmed
To be confirmed
Tuition fees for new full-time UK students starting in
Full-time study
£10,050 per year
£10,050 per year
Module fees for repeated or part-time study
To be confirmed
To be confirmed
Tuition fee price changes
The Government has announced that tuition fees from Academic Year 28/29 onwards will be subject to automatic annual inflationary increases, which we believe will be at a similar rate to the recent annual increases to fees, and may continue to be inflation based. The University may increase annual tuition fees in line with the Student Contract and the maximum tuition fee caps set by the Government from time to time.
We understand that clarity around tuition fees is important when planning your studies and we advise you to monitor this page regularly to stay informed of any updates to your tuition fees.
More information about
fees and costs of studying .
Tuition fees for full-time international students starting in
Full-time study
£19,200 per year
£19,200 per year
Tuition fees for full-time international students starting in
Full-time study
£19,800 per year
£19,800 per year
Tuition fee price changes
Our fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances. More information about
fees and costs of studying .
UK Government announcement on tuition fees
The UK Government has announced that a levy on tuition fee income in the region of 6% of an international student’s tuition fees may be introduced. If implemented, the University reserves the right to increase your tuition fees accordingly. The Government has made it clear that it has not officially decided on its stance and it is possible that the eventual levy amount or arrangements may differ from the initial proposal. Therefore, the University reserves the right to adjust tuition fees in accordance with the Government’s final position on this levy.
We understand that clarity around tuition fees is important when planning your studies. Therefore, please note that the tuition fee shown on this page may change as a result of the introduction of a levy. We advise you to monitor this page regularly to stay informed of any updates to your tuition fees.
Additional costs
This course is delivered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Studying a course in this faculty may incur additional costs relating to field-based activities or equipment requirements.
Fund your studies
As an undergraduate at Plymouth, there may be funding options available to you, including tuition fee loans, living cost loans, scholarships, bursaries and support funds.
6 This is a DSUS Scheme recognised degree
The Defence STEM Undergraduate Sponsorship (DSUS) Scheme offers tuition fees (up to £9,535/year), a £5,000 annual bursary and paid placements for engineering/STEM students intending to join the Royal Navy, Army, RAF or MOD Civil Service.
“When I went to the Navy’s careers office looking at apprenticeships, they said my grades were strong enough for DSUS, and that opened a whole new path. I study full time and don’t work alongside it, but I spent time at RAF Marham during summers. After training, there's a three-year return of service. Once you’re on the scheme, the Navy are really accommodating.” Matt Daniels, Mechanical Engineering graduate
The Tamar Engineering Project
The Tamar Engineering Project is for ambitious students who want to embark on a career in engineering and who have shown potential for high academic achievement at A level, but whose background or personal circumstances may be a barrier to university study.
Successful applicants will receive:
- £3,000 per annum towards living costs for the duration of the taught element of their degree (usually three years)
- £1,500 fee waiver per annum
- one-to-one mentoring from an industry expert.
IET awards and scholarships
All our electronics and robotics courses are accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET); any student embarking on our courses are eligible to apply for a number of IET engineering scholarships. Amounts can vary between £1,000 and £3,000 per annum, and closing dates for applications are usually at the end of June. For more information on the different scholarships available, details on how to apply and confirmed closing dates for applications, please visit the IET website for more information on awards, prizes and scholarships.
Supporting students with the cost of living
The cost of living in the UK has risen faster than household income, meaning that most people will have less to spend on essential goods and services. This is an ongoing situation that is likely to affect everyone in some way.
The University provides advice and guidance and has a range of services, facilities and offers to help students with rising everyday costs.
Apply
Entry requirements
Our typical offer
120 UCAS points
120 UCAS points
You may be eligible for a contextual offer
GCSE
Mathematics and English at grade C / 4 or above is required.
A levels
120 points to include grade C in A level Mathematics and a grade E in a second relevant subject. Relevant subjects include Applied ICT, Applied Science, Applied Science (DA), Biology, Chemistry, Computing/Computer Science, DT (Product Design Resistant Materials), DT (Systems and Control Tech) DT Product Design (Textiles Tech), Electronics, Engineering, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Further Maths/Use of, Statistics, Music Technology, Physics, Technology and Design.
International Baccalaureate
30 overall to include 5 at Higher Level Mathematics and 3 at Higher Level in a second relevant subject.
BTEC RQF National Extended Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma
BTEC qualifications considered in combination with additional qualifications.
If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.
Irish Leaving Certificate
120 UCAS tariff points, including H3 in Maths and H3 in a second relevant science subject. GCSE equivalent English and Maths accepted within.
SQA Advanced Higher
120 points, including grade C in Advanced Higher Maths and grade E in a second relevant Advanced Higher subject. GCSE equivalent English and Maths accepted within.
Extended entry requirements
To be accepted onto a degree course with us, you must have a suitable English language qualification.
Ready to apply?
All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS.com. Please refer to the course facts below when completing your application for this course.
Please note: We understand that many applicants remain anxious about meeting the exact terms of our standard conditional offers. We will look again at your application and revise our offer for those applicants who we continue to believe are a good match for our courses, once we have the certainty of your actual results in August.
UCAS course code
H695
H695
Institution code
P60
P60
Duration
4 years
(+ optional placement)
Course type
Full-time
Study location
Plymouth
Plymouth
Entry requirements
We welcome applicants with international qualifications and we accept a range of qualifications from across the globe.
Our typical offer
120 UCAS points
120 UCAS points
English language requirements
To be accepted onto a degree course with us, you must have a suitable English language qualification.
Ready to apply?
As an international student, you can apply for this course through UCAS or an agent in your country.
Short of the entry requirements for this course? Don’t worry you may be eligible for a
foundation year to prepare you for possible entry onto this course for the following year.
Need support with your application?
- Personal statement guidance
- student visa support
- travel and arrival information
- and more.
UCAS course code
H695
H695
Institution code
P60
P60
Duration
4 years
(+ optional placement)
Course type
Full-time
Study location
Plymouth
Plymouth
Visit us at an undergraduate on-campus open day
Open days are the best way to get a feel for studying an undergraduate degree at the University of Plymouth.
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