Studies & Degrees in Robotics
Robotics Study Programs
Robotics is the branch of engineering that designs, builds, programs and controls robots and other automated machines. It is not a single discipline. The Technische Universität München (TUM) describes its robotics master's as a combination of engineering disciplines, such as mechanical and electrical engineering, with informatics. Industrial robots on production lines are the classic application, and the field now also covers mobile robots, drones, surgical and service robots, and the software that lets them perceive their surroundings and plan movements.
What students learn depends on the level. Vocational programmes teach how to install, program and maintain automated systems. University programmes add the theory. ETH Zurich lists the following subjects for its Master of Science in Robotics, Systems and Control: robot design, modelling and control, systems engineering, physical modelling and simulation, optimisation, perception, navigation and path planning, embedded and distributed computing, and artificial intelligence.
Qualifications and levels
- Vocational training in Spain. The Técnico Superior en Automatización y Robótica Industrial is a higher-level vocational qualification (grado superior) of 2,000 hours in the Electricity and Electronics family. The Spanish education ministry's TodoFP portal presents it as the qualification for people who want to work programming industrial robots. Holders can continue with a 400-hour specialisation course in collaborative robotics (Curso de Especialización en Robótica Colaborativa) or go on to a university degree.
- Technician programmes in the United States. Idaho State University offers Robotics and Communications Systems Engineering Technology as an Associate of Applied Science (3 years) and a Bachelor of Applied Science (4+ years). The programme admits 24 students each year and is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians typically need an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate.
- Bachelor's degrees. At this level robotics is usually a specialisation or a group of courses within a degree in industrial, electronic, mechanical or computer engineering. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.
- Master's degrees. This is where most programmes with "robotics" in the title are found. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The master's degree in Automatic Control and Robotics of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) takes two academic years and 120 ECTS credits. The M.Sc. in Robotics, Cognition, Intelligence at TUM also has 120 ECTS credits, with a standard duration of four semesters.
Admission to a master's degree normally requires an engineering or science background. The UPC names engineering degrees related to automatic control and robotics, and degrees in physics or mathematics, as the most suitable profiles.
Where to study robotics
SpainExchange lists 13 active schools for robotics: five in the United States, four in Spain, and one each in France, Slovenia, Switzerland and Germany.
In Spain the list includes the UPC in Barcelona, the Universidad de Sevilla, the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria near Madrid and SEAS, Estudios Abiertos, an online training centre in Zaragoza. Abroad it includes Johns Hopkins University, Washington University in St. Louis, Idaho State University and Baltimore City Community College in the United States, ETH Zurich, TUM, Sorbonne Université in Paris and the University of Maribor in Slovenia.
Check the language of instruction for each programme. The UPC master's is taught in English, on campus, in the afternoons, and requires English at level B2.2. For the TUM master's applicants need sufficient German and English, and they can start in either the winter or the summer semester. The UPC gives approximate fees of €2,324 for the whole master's, or €5,400 for non-EU residents (figure on the university's page in October 2026, excluding administrative fees).
Careers
Technicians install, start up and maintain automated systems. TodoFP lists roles for the Spanish vocational qualification such as commissioning technician for industrial automation systems and designer of control systems, in companies that design, assemble and maintain industrial automation.
Master's graduates move into research, innovation and development. The UPC mentions sectors such as industry, aerospace, naval engineering, biomedicine, and natural and energy resources.
Official statistics rarely count "robotics" as an occupation of its own. In the United States, the BLS recorded 15,700 jobs for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians in 2025 and projects growth of 3 percent from 2025 to 2035. It expects more autonomous systems and robotics to increase demand for these workers, although automated equipment may also replace some of their tasks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study robotics without an engineering degree?
Yes, at vocational level. In Spain the Técnico Superior en Automatización y Robótica Industrial is open to students with the Bachiller or an equivalent qualification. Master's degrees normally expect a bachelor's degree in engineering, physics or mathematics.
How long does a master's degree in robotics take?
The two examples on this page, at the UPC in Barcelona and at TUM in Munich, both have 120 ECTS credits, which corresponds to two academic years or four semesters.
Are robotics degrees taught in English?
Some are. The UPC master's degree in Automatic Control and Robotics is taught in English. Other programmes require the local language as well, so check each programme's language requirements.
How many schools teach robotics in Spain?
The SpainExchange directory lists four active schools in Spain for this subject, out of 13 worldwide.