Mechatronics and Robotics MSc (Eng)

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 will 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 and Physical Sciences is an exciting and stimulating environment where you will 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.

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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.

This course is also accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council.

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 will 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 will 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 will 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.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Mechatronics and Robotics MSc (Eng) in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you will have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines 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.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You will 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.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in electronic/electrical engineering or a related subject.

Applicants with a high 2:2 (hons) may 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. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

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

International applicants: 11 February 2020. Due to competition for places and the volume of applications received, the deadline for international applicants have been brought forward to 11 February 2020. Applicants received after this date will be marked as unsuccessful.

UK/ EU applicants: 10 September 2020. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Apply

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 and Physical Sciences Postgraduate Admissions Policy 2020

Fees

• UK/EU: £11,000 (total)
• International: £24,000 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Brexit 
Visit our Brexit page for the latest information on the effect of the UK's exit from the EU on current students and applicants to the University.

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

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Scholarships available.

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 will 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.

The professional project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you have 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.