(Full time) 2019 start
Mechatronics and Robotics MSc (Eng)
Overview
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 and mechatronic systems. You’ll also build research skills with a major project in fields as diverse as robot swarms, sensing systems, bio-inspired exoskeletons, rehabilitation 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 Intelligent Robotics 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.
Accreditation
The MSc is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
Accreditation is the assurance that a university course meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. For this course, these are the quality standards set by the IET.
Course content
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.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
- Industry Dissertation 15 credits
- Professional Project 60 credits
- Team Design and Build Project 15 credits
Optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
- Bio-Inspired Computing 15 credits
- Power Electronics and Drives 15 credits
- FPGA Design for System-on-Chip 15 credits
- Control Systems Design 15 credits
- Embedded Microprocessor System Design 15 credits
- Medical Electronics and E-Health 15 credits
- Programming 15 credits
- Automotive Driveline Engineering 15 credits
- Engineering Computational Methods 15 credits
- Aerial Robotics 15 credits
- Biomechatronics and Medical Robotics 15 credits
Learning and teaching
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.
Assessment
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.
Applying, fees and funding
Entry requirements
A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in electronic/electrical engineering or a related subject.
Applicants with a 2:2 (hons) will be considered from a relevant specialist field such as mechatronics, robotics, automation, control systems or combined electronic and mechanical engineering.
All applicants will need to have GCSE English Language at grade C or above, or an appropriate English language qualification.
We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component.. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Engineering (6 weeks) and Language for Science: Engineering (10 weeks).
If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.
How to apply
Application deadlines
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible for taught postgraduate programmes. The Faculty of Engineering will only consider applications made before the dates below, subject to places being available:
31 July – International Applicants
10 September - UK/EU applications
This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
Faculty of Engineering Postgraduate Admissions Policy 2019
Fees
- UK/EU: £10,500 (total)
- International: £22,750 (total)
Read more about paying fees and charges.
For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.
Additional cost information
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs
Scholarships and financial support
The Faculty of Engineering and the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering offer a range of scholarships for UK, EU and International students. Find out more about our Scholarships.
Career opportunities
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 and 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.
Careers Support
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 STEM 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.
Projects
The professional project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research, hardware or software development that is focused on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific career interests.
Recent projects by students on this programme have included:
ABB robot arm with Kinect control
Swarm robotics for mapping and inspection
Smart bioleg
Exoskeleton design, construction and test
Upper limb rehabilitation robot
Brain computer interface
Pick-and-place assembly robot
Design and characterisation of vehicular ad-hoc networks in a motorway scenario
Robot Jungle
Node positioning and localisation in wireless sensor networks
Multiple antenna transmission and OFDMA for WiMax
Modelling and control of a DC motor simulating a wind turbine
Radio telescope
Optimised control of autonomous air vehicle for indoor navigation
High frequency sensing
Ultrasound sensing for pipeline inspection
Surgical inspection robot
Therapy and tissue repair laparoscopic tools
Capsule robotics for diagnosis and surgery
A proportion of projects are formally linked to industry, and can include spending time at the collaborator’s site over the summer.