Best Programs in Robotics

Robotics is the field of study that combines science, engineering, and technology and although it is often used in artificial intelligence, these two fields are dissimilar in many ways. Students who wish to take up robotics as their main field of study will find that though the field is gaining traction, this trend has not reached most universities and educational institutions yet. They will be able to find robotics as a specialization or as a core subject in different fields of study unless they actively go searching for a robotics program.

Candidates who study robotics will be involved with engineering machines that replicate human actions. This will allow them to start from the conceptualization of engineering ideas to the designing, manufacturing, and operation of the machines they create. It is a field of study that has increased opportunities within research and industrial settings.

Popular Courses for Robotics

Robotics is a multidisciplinary program which will allow the student to learn about diversified topics under the same field in order to increase both knowledge and experience within the student. The learning will be comprised of a software side, mechanical side, and an interface between the two. A few of the topics one will have to learn while studying this program include-

Software-Related Topics	Mechanics-Related Topics	Others
Computer Vision Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Sensor Fusion Computer Programming	Singularity Analysis Designing Modelling Prosthetic Devices Mobility and Locomotion	Human-Machine Interface Signal Processing System Specializations

Specializations in Robotics

Since robotics is an interdisciplinary field, it is also a vast field that has different core areas one will have to learn about. At the same time, there are areas that students will be able to specialize on depending on their field of interest. A few specializations one can pursue while studying robotics include-

• Medical Robotics
• Precision Robotics
• Industrial Robotics
• Aerospace Robotics
• Aquatic Robotics

Fee for Programs in Robotics

Candidates who wish to study robotics will find that the most popular programs within this field are at the postgraduate level. Undergraduate level programs offer robotics as a specialization for other related courses like engineering, mechanics, etc. The fee for master’s programs in robotics will be dependent on the institution one is going to and the specializations they offer.

The average cost for studying robotics is estimated to be around $22,000 for undergraduate programs and $26,000 for postgraduate programs per year. The cost per year for an undergraduate robotics program can range anywhere between $9,500 to $19,000 every year if it is a public institution and anywhere between $19,000 to $36,000 if it is a private institution.

Recommended Universities for Robotics

A few of the best universities one can study robotics in are-

University	Location
Northwestern University	Evanston, Illinois
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, Michigan
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
New York University	New York
John Hopkins University	Baltimore, Maryland
University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, PA
Georgia Institute of Technology	Atlanta, Georgia
Stevens Institute of Technology	Hoboken, New Jersey
University of Washington	Seattle, Washington
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	Worcester, Massachusetts

Top 10 Recommended Programs in Robotics

The best robotics programs one can take up in the country include-

MS in Robotics-Northwestern University

The McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University offers an MS in Robotics program which offers candidates with hands-on projects and an industry-ready portfolio within the duration of the course. This is apart from the intense curriculum the school offers in this field of study. The traditional coursework one has to mandatorily complete includes an introduction to mechatronics, robotic manipulation, and embedded systems in robotics. Along with this, candidates will have to take up 7 elective courses as part of the program and complete additional project requirements to complete the program.

The program has a duration of 12-15 months and will have a class strength of only 15-20 students. The fee per quarter for this program is around $20,500.

Robotics MS- Michigan Robotics Institute

This program is considered to be the second-best in the country and students will be dealing with fields like computer science, mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence, electrical engineering, human-robot interaction, biomedical engineering, etc. as part of the program. Candidates are required to complete 30 credits of coursework for the program along with other-directed studies for 3-6 credits. The subdisciplines offered here include sensing, reasoning, and acting. The subjects included in this are computer vision, mapping, machine learning, artificial intelligence, kinematics, bio-mechanical systems, etc.

The electives offered include parallel computing, neural computation, GPU programming, autonomous robotics, etc. The fee for the program is around $50,500 per year.

MS in Robotics- Carnegie Mellon University

This program has a duration of 24 months in all and is research-oriented. The curriculum includes core courses under titles like perception, cognition, action, math foundation, etc. The subjects included in these areas include range data perception, tactile and force sensors, artificial intelligence, kinematics, dynamics, manipulation, signal processing, differential geometry, etc. Candidates will have to take 3 electives as part of the course along with a summer internship.

The fee for the program varies from year to year and is currently estimated to be around $52,000 per year.

MS in Mechatronics and Robotics- NYU

Students who take up this program will have to complete 30 credit hours for course completion which takes around 18 months in all. They will have to take up experiential learning and project work or thesis work along with the coursework as part of the program. A few of the courses included are modeling methods, hardware components, simulation, programming, etc. They will also learn the foundations of robotics, entrepreneurship, and software algorithms as part of the program. The specializations offered include assistive mechatronic & robotic technologies, mobile robotics, micro-robotics, etc.

The tuition fee for the program is estimated to be around $40,500 per year.

MSE in Robotics-John Hopkins University

This program has a total of 30 credit hours which candidates can either get from a coursework option or a research option. The coursework option includes 10 full-time academic courses whereas the research essay option allows candidates to do 8 academic courses and an essay. They will also be allowed to do an internship for the latter option. Candidates will also have to take a specialization in subjects like automation science & engineering, bio-robotics, control & dynamical systems, medical robotics, etc.

The estimated fee for the program is around $58,000 per year.

Robotics Master’s Program- University of Pennsylvania

This program is offered by the School of Engineering and Applied Science at this university. It is a program that involved computer & information science, electrical & systems engineering, and mechanical engineering & applied mathematics. Students will have to learn subjects from core areas like artificial intelligence, robot design, analysis, etc. They will also be able to take more than 3 electives as part of the program which will include both technical and general electives. The specializations offered are computer vision, and artificial intelligence & machine learning.

MS in Robotics- Georgia Institute of Technology

This program is offered by the Institute for Robotics & Intelligent Machines. The program has 36 credit hours in all and it is spread across 4 semesters with a duration of 2 years in total. Students will have to complete the necessary coursework and then also do a summer internship and a capstone project to complete the course. The subjects that one will have to learn include mechanics, control, perception, artificial intelligence, human-robot interaction, natural systems, etc.

The tuition fee for the program is estimated to be around $31,000 per year.

Master of Engineering in Robotics- Stevens Institute of Technology

This program has a duration of 2 years and is focused entirely on research. Students are required to do 30 credit hours for course completion out of which they will have to complete both core courses and elective courses. They will have to take up 3 core courses and 6 elective courses all of which have to be approved by their student academic advisor. The core courses include modern control engineering, advanced robotics, wearable robotics, etc. Elective courses that are offered include mechatronics, mobile micro-robotic systems, mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence, deep learning, etc.

The fee for graduate programs in this institution is $40,500 per year.

Research in Mechatronics and Robotics- University of Washington

The University of Washington has a well-recognized research area in mechatronics and robotics which includes fields like mechanics, electronics, and computing. The main research areas offered under this title include robotics & human interaction, robotics for manufacturing, control & systems dynamics, sensors & actuators, prosthetic devices, autonomous systems, etc. Candidates will be able to take a Pre-MS or Post-MS doctorate program within this field. The program contains both coursework and research at a 30:70 ratio.

MS in Robotics Engineering- Worcester Polytechnic Institute

This program has a duration of 2 years and candidates will be learning about subjects like biomechanics, wearable robots, robotic musical instruments, manipulation, etc. Other subjects include robot dynamics, legged robotics, computer vision, motion planning, soft robotics, etc. Candidates will also have to do directed research and thesis research as part of the program.

The fee for the program is estimated to be around $29,000 per year.

High Paying Jobs for Robotics Graduates

Since robotics is a promising field of study, especially in research, one will be able to find plenty of job opportunities in this field with time. Students will be able to get high-paying jobs with their research and career experience in this field. A few of the most popular career options in this field include-

• Robotics Engineer- Candidates who have specialized in industrial robotics will be able to take up a career as a robotics engineer. They will have to engage in building robotic prototypes from scratch including the design, development, and construction of the same along with testing and debugging the robot to make it failproof.
  Average Salary - $93,000 per year
• Design Engineer- They will have to create devices/products after proper research to meet the needs of clients. This will include improving the efficiency of existing devices and modifying them to reach their best form.
  Average Salary - $68,000 per year
• Data Scientist- Their job description includes transforming raw data into understandable information through proper research. They will have to both visualize and interpret the raw data provided to them.
  Median Salary- $101,000 per year
• Machine Learning Engineer- This job will include tasks that deal with the automation of robotics. They will deal with improving the efficiency of the device/product assigned to them by using predictive analytics.
  Average Salary- $112,000 per year
• Software Engineer- Those who are specialized in robotics will be able to take up software engineering to create software that provides functionality to robots. They will have to keep updating the robots and reconfiguring them if necessary to suit the times.
  Salary- 86,000 per year

Benefits of Studying Robotics

A degree in robotics will allow students to work in the fields of engineering and technology which includes programming and automation. Since students will get basic knowledge of fields like computer science, physics, and even mathematics, they will be eligible to work in versatile industries or just move ahead in academics and pursue research.

This is one of those fields that is rooted in automation and has a promising career outlook over the coming years. Candidates who take up this field at this early stage will be able to research and excel at different career levels of their choice based on their brilliance.