Key information
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September, January
MSc Robotics at Heriot-Watt University provides you with industry-relevant training in core elements of modern robotics and autonomous systems.
This one-year postgraduate master’s degree in Robotics is linked to the United Kingdom’s (UK's) National Robotarium and will equip you to work in industry and wider society in areas where robots can be used to improve productivity, transform transportation, work in extreme environments, and improve quality of life.
Studying MSc Robotics will allow you to:
- be trained in core robotics techniques, from basic kinematics to robot control, robot navigation, robot planning, machine vision, and human-robot interaction, and in enabling technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NPL), machine learning (ML), and Internet of Things (IoT)
- receive an extensive training in robot programming, especially using the robotic operating system (ROS), and practical implementation of solutions on real robots
- apply skills in various applications through major robotics projects, relevant to research and industry, and involving systems such as autonomous vehicles, underwater robots, humanoid and social robots, advanced manipulators for compliant control, and novel robot designs
- obtain access to staff from leading research groups to mentor their development and guide their research projects
On this degree you will be offered flexibility in the courses you study so that you can specialise in specific domains of robotics application. Check the course details section below for more information.
Why study Robotics?
Robotics and AI (Artificial Intelligence) are seen as key technologies for the future and the subject of massive commercial investment.
There is a rapidly growing worldwide demand for graduates with the technical skills and industry awareness to create an innovation pipeline from academic research to global markets in the field of robotics. Key application areas include manufacturing, assistive and medical robots, offshore energy, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, defence, and support for the aging population.
Apple, Google, Uber, Amazon, and Facebook all have major ongoing research programs in robotics. In the UK, Dyson, 5AI and a plethora of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups are trying to grasp the huge market opportunity that is foreseen. Predictions of the worldwide economic impact of Robotics and Autonomous Systems range from US$1.7 trillion to US$4.5 trillion by 2025.
Your student experience
Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active robotics electrical and electronic engineers, and academics.
96% of Heriot-Watt University’s engineering research was classed as world-leading in the REF 2021 review, which ranked us 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for engineering research through a joint submission with the University of Edinburgh.
Our MSc Robotics draws upon the world class research carried out by Heriot-Watt as part of the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CDT-RAS). The centre is leading in the UK effort to realise the potential of Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, by producing a new generation of highly skilled researchers, trained to take a leading role through technical skills coupled to industry and marketing awareness.
Heriot-Watt also hosts the National Robotarium. The multimillion-pound innovation hub for robotics and autonomous systems has been built in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and delivers leading research and support for business creation and growth. The presence of the National Robotarium provides you with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills at the forefront of robotics and AI.
The research relevance of this postgraduate programme ensures your studies remain innovative and industry focused.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer: Dubai
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- Robotics Systems Science
- Intelligent Robotics
Optional September
- Embedded Systems
- Optimisation & Deep Learning for Imaging and Vision I
- Biologically Inspired Computation
- Data Mining and Machine Learning
- Internet of Things
- Human Robot Interaction
Mandatory January
- Machine Vision
- Robotic Mechanical Systems
Optional January
- Embedded Software
- Critical Analysis and Research Preparation
- Conversational Agents and Spoken Language Processing
- Image Processing
- Systems Thinking and Analysis
- Optimisation and Deep Learning for Imaging and Vision II
- Research Methods and Project Planning
Optional May
- MSc Project
- Masters Project and Dissertation
January Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory January
- Robotic Mechanical Systems
- Machine Vision
Optional January
- Image Processing
- Embedded Software
- Conversational Agents and Spoken Language Processing
- Systems Thinking and Analysis
Mandatory September
- Robotics Systems Science
- Intelligent Robotics
Optional September
- Data Mining and Machine Learning
- Biologically Inspired Computation
- Human Robot Interaction
- Research Methods and Project Planning
- Optimisation & Deep Learning for Imaging and Vision I
- Embedded Systems
- Internet of Things
- Critical Analysis and Research Preparation
Optional Second January
- Masters Project and Dissertation
- MSc Project
Programme Video
The Heriot-Watt experience
Student testimonials
Sara Cooper,
MSc Robotics, Robotics Software Engineering PAL Robotics, Spain
There is not a place like the Edinburgh Centre of Robotics, joint centre of Heriot-Watt and University of Edinburgh. They have so much expertise, so many robots and facilities. I could learn a bit of everything - from AI, foundation of robotics, Internet Of Things to, most interesting for me, social robotics.
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| UK | £12,344 |
| International | £28,056 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Additional information
Note: the fees indicated above will apply if you begin your studies in September. If you choose to join us in January instead, the fees below will apply.
January 2025 intake tuition fees
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| UK | £10,736 |
| International | £26,976 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
A first class or upper second honours degree in mathematics, physics, engineering, and computer science or other relevant disciplines with a numerate background and sufficient computer programming experience. Equivalent overseas qualifications will also be considered. We can consider a 2:2 in relevant subject areas in conjunction with 3 or more years of relevant work experience.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Student life
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