Many people associate the word “robotics” with science fiction films such as Transformers and The Terminator. However, robots and robotic systems are far more common than they may seem. From robot vacuum cleaners and industrial automation systems to delivery robots and drones, robotics now affects many parts of daily life.
If a career in this field interests you, earning a relevant degree is one possible first step. The seven universities below offer robotics-focused degrees, concentrations, courses, or research opportunities. In this article, we will be looking at some of the best robotics schools in the world.
Top Robotics Schools in the World
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, supports robotics education and research through several departments and laboratories rather than through a single institution-wide robotics degree.
Within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, undergraduates can pursue the Control, Instrumentation, and Robotics concentration in the customizable Course 2-A program. This concentration combines mechanical engineering topics such as design, dynamics, and control with subjects involving circuits, algorithms, and electromechanical systems. The department also offers master’s and doctoral degrees, while other relevant study options are available through electrical engineering and computer science.
MIT’s robotics research groups cover areas such as autonomous systems, robotic manipulation, marine robotics, biomimetic robotics, soft and micro robotics, human-robot interaction, and distributed robotics. This breadth gives students several possible routes into robotics education and research.
2. Stanford University
Stanford University combines bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral study in mechanical engineering with a broad, interdisciplinary robotics research community. Its Mechanical Engineering bachelor’s curriculum includes opportunities to study robotics, automation, controls, and mechatronics.
Stanford’s robotics facilities and research groups include the Stanford Robotics Center, the Assistive Robotics and Manipulation Lab, the SHAPE Lab, the Autonomous Systems Lab, and several laboratories focused on haptics, biomechatronics, manipulation, and robot learning. Registered Stanford students can also use the Product Realization Lab after completing its required safety procedures.
The combination of engineering coursework, prototyping facilities, and multidisciplinary research groups gives students opportunities to connect robotics theory with design, experimentation, and practical projects.
3. University of Cambridge
At the undergraduate level, the University of Cambridge offers a broad Engineering course rather than requiring students to enter a separate mechanical engineering program from the beginning. The first two years cover common engineering fundamentals, after which students can specialize in areas such as mechanical engineering, information and computer engineering, or instrumentation and control.
Students who successfully complete the third year receive a BA, while eligible students who complete the optional fourth year also receive an MEng. At the graduate level, relevant routes include the MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence, which has a Computer Vision and Robotics pathway, as well as research-based MPhil and Ph.D. study in engineering.
Students interested in speech processing, computer vision, robotics, and medical imaging can also explore research conducted through Cambridge’s Machine Intelligence Laboratory.
4. ETH Zurich
Located in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, ETH Zurich offers a specialized Master of Science in Robotics, Systems, and Control through its Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering. The English-taught program requires 90 ECTS credits and has a standard duration of 1.5 years.
The program brings together mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, perception, modeling, and control. Applicants may qualify with an appropriate bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and information technology, or computer science.
Prospective undergraduate students should note that the main teaching language for ETH Zurich’s bachelor’s programs is German, although some courses in later years may be taught in English. Therefore, students should not assume that all engineering programs at ETH Zurich are available entirely in English.
5. Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University offers dedicated robotics programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Its Bachelor of Engineering in Robotics integrates mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering with subjects such as intelligent mechatronics, robotics dynamics, artificial intelligence, and software development.
NTU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering also offers a Master of Science in Robotics and Intelligent Systems on both full-time and part-time schedules. The program covers robotics engineering, automation, intelligent systems, embodied intelligence, biorobotics, rehabilitation engineering, smart mobility, and human-robot interaction.
The school maintains industry partnerships with companies in engineering, aviation, manufacturing, and technology. It also offers master’s research degrees and a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, with Robotics and Intelligent Systems listed as one of its research areas.
6. University of Oxford
The University of Oxford has no single confirmed foundation date, although evidence shows that teaching took place there in some form in 1096. It is recognized as the oldest university in the English-speaking world.
Oxford’s undergraduate Engineering Science program is a four-year course leading to an MEng. Students study a common engineering curriculum during the first two years before specializing in areas that include control engineering, information engineering, electrical engineering, mechanics, and thermofluids.
At the graduate level, Oxford offers an 11-month, full-time MSc in Autonomous Robotics with modules in programming, robotics foundations, autonomous systems, perception, and machine learning for robotics. Research students interested in the Oxford Robotics Institute generally apply through Oxford’s Engineering Science graduate courses, including the MSc by Research and DPhil.
The Oxford Robotics Institute brings together researchers, engineers, and students working on subjects such as mobile autonomy, robot perception, control, legged robotics, haptics, manipulation, inspection, and artificial intelligence.
7. University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is a public research university with robotics-related study and research opportunities in mechanical engineering and other engineering departments. Its Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a bachelor’s program as well as MEng, MS, MS/Ph.D., Ph.D., and DEng graduate options.
Robotics is one of the department’s listed research areas. Its current robotics laboratories and groups include the Mechanical Systems Control Lab, Hybrid Robotics, the High Performance Robotics Lab, the Embodied Dexterity Group, the BEST Lab, the Berkeley Robotics and Human Engineering Laboratory, and the Autonomy, Robotics, and Controls Lab.
These groups cover subjects such as aerial and legged robots, autonomous systems, dexterous manipulation, nonlinear control, assistive robots, human augmentation, and robotics safety. This range allows students and researchers to explore several different branches of robotics.
We hope this article on the best robotics schools in the world was helpful. To learn more about studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
