Robotics Master鈥檚 Program

Create a Future in Robotics

Expand your career opportunities with a Master of Science in robotics from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Lead the Robotics Revolution.

Robotics engineering is expanding quickly and being transformed by artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, advanced sensing, edge computing, and rapid improvements in hardware and software integration. Our program views robotics as the future of 鈥減hysical AI鈥 and is designed to maximize your career prospects. Research and coursework emphasize both fundamental robotics theory and practical system implementation, giving students experience with real robotic platforms and emerging technologies.鈥

Choose from several areas of specialization, or design a customized interdisciplinary pathway, to help you achieve your goals and advance your career.听

  • Biomedical, Bio-Inspired, and Micro Robotics鈥
  • Field, Service, and Space Robotics鈥
  • Human-Centered Robotics鈥
  • Reasoning, Decision-Making, and Assurance鈥
  • Smart Materials and Intelligent Mechanisms鈥
  • Systems and Control鈥

Reputation

Leading programs across mechanical, aerospace, electrical, and computer science.

Career Outcomes

#2 State for Technology and Science (Milken Institute, 2024)

Campus Community

Be part of a challenging but collaborative culture that empowers you to achieve your goals.

Location

Access the Denver-Boulder tech corridor, one of the nation鈥檚 most entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Start Your Graduate Journey

Fill out this form to learn more about this program.

Director Spotlight

Sean Humbert

The future of robotics will be built by engineers who can think across disciplines, adapt to rapidly evolving technologies, and translate bold ideas into real-world impact. That vision is what excites me most about the future of our program. As robotics continues to transform industries ranging from healthcare and manufacturing to aerospace and autonomous systems, our master's program is growing alongside it鈥攚ith an innovative, interdisciplinary curriculum and expanding opportunities for students to engage in cutting-edge research. We are committed to giving our students the technical depth, breadth of perspective, and hands-on experience they need to become the innovators and leaders who will shape the next generation of intelligent robotic systems.

J. Sean Humbert, Professor 鈥 Director, Robotics Program

How Our Graduates Are Using Their Degrees

Our future-focused program propels graduates into leading companies across a wide variety of industries including:

Aerospace


Agriculture


Autonomous vehicles


Defense-tech

Energy


Healthcare


Industrial automation


Logistics

Robotics manufacturing


Smart infrastructure


Transportation


In addition to an amazing education, our program will provide you with many direct opportunities to develop practical skills and apply your ideas directly to industry.

Choose Your Pathway in Robotics

We offer two customizable degree options to help you achieve your goals and advance your career.

MS Non-thesisMS Thesis
Industry-focusedResearch-focused
Designed for current engineers or students aiming to advance in industry through a coursework-only path.Designed for students pursuing careers with a research component or planning to continue into a PhD.
Build a broader foundation through a variety of breadth electives.Build a depth of specialized knowledge through applied research.
30 credits30 credits
Coursework-only (non-thesis track)Thesis required
Can be pursued full-time or part-timeGenerally full-time
In-person/on-campus availableIn-person/on-campus available

Not sure which path is right for you?Contact our graduate advisors at robo@colorado.edu to discuss your career goals and determine the best fit.

Explore & Apply Your Passions

The Robotics Program is designed around three fundamental focal areas designed to help students develop both breadth and depth of knowledge. They are: Dynamics and Mechatronics, Perception and Control, and Cognition and Interaction. In addition to that foundation, students may pursue one of several robotics specialization areas or design a customized interdisciplinary pathway:

Closely aligned with biological systems, this specialization includes both robotic systems that are human body-mounted and augment physical performance, as well as robotic systems that are developed to mimic unique characteristics of organisms found in the natural world. Courses focus on the theory behind human movement, design methodology for robotic systems, and specific application spaces, such as medicine and wearable technology.

Develop autonomous systems for complex, unstructured environments such as remote terrain, underwater, and outer space. Learn how to integrate advanced robotics, dynamics, control, computer vision, avionics, and optimization to enable robots to navigate, perceive, and make decisions in dynamic and unpredictable settings. Graduate studies in this field emphasize robust algorithms for perception, navigation, and control, coupled with hardware design.

Explore interactions between humans and robotic systems by developing intuitive and responsive technologies based on human needs. This focal area aims to design robots and robotic systems that enhance human capabilities, prioritize user needs, and seamlessly integrate into everyday environments. Courses in this area emphasize usability, safety, and adaptability from the human perspective, and how to build these qualities into robotic systems.

This area combines AI with control theory, probabilistic reasoning, robotic manipulation, and motion planning to create robots capable of analyzing, predicting, and adapting in real time. Learn how to use advanced artificial intelligence to design autonomous systems capable of making reliable, safe decisions in complex, uncertain environments.

Understanding smart materials is vital for advancing adaptable technologies, forming the foundation for breakthroughs in robotics, automation, and biomedical devices. This area of study explores the mechanics of flexible, microscale, and adaptive materials, uncovering principles that enable dynamic responsiveness. Gain expertise in optimizing material properties to meet the complex future requirements of diverse fields like robotics, healthcare, energy, and environmental systems.

This multidisciplinary field focuses on the behavior and regulation of dynamic systems. Systems are often optimized for stability, performance, or other desired outcomes through computational or mathematical techniques. This field blends principles from engineering, mathematics, computer science, and physics to analyze, design, and implement systems that can autonomously respond to changes in their user commands, environment or internal state.

Faculty Spotlights

Costs & Financial Information

A master's degree from the College of Engineering and Applied Science represents a valuable investment in your career potential. While costs vary by program, residency status and enrollment type, we're committed to transparency in helping you plan for this important step.

Your Investment

  • Tuition structure: Engineering master's programs have different rate structures based on program type, delivery method and course load.
  • ROI consideration: Most graduates recoup their educational investment within 2.5 years of completing their degree.
  • Flexible options: Many programs offer part-time enrollment, allowing you to distribute costs while maintaining employment.
Funding Resources

  • Scholarships and fellowships: Program-specific scholarships and fellowships are extremely rare and offers of admission to this program do not come with guaranteed funding. Master鈥檚 students should be prepared to finance their degree using their own resources.
  • Assistantships: Assistantship opportunities are also extremely rare, and master鈥檚 students should not rely on finding an assistantship to fund their studies. However, they are encouraged to apply to on-campus hourly positions or off-campus opportunities, some of which could potentially be robotics-related.
  • Employer benefits: Many companies provide tuition assistance for job-relevant graduate education.
  • Military benefits: Veterans can utilize GI Bill benefits for qualified programs.

For detailed, current information about costs specific to your program of interest and payment options, we recommend visiting the 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 Bursar's Office.

Learn More听

Admissions Requirements & Application Information

Our graduate advisors can provide additional guidance for you as you navigate the application process.

  • Bachelor's degree (usually in engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or mathematics) from an accredited institution with a preferred GPA of 3.2 or above. This degree should meet or exceed the following:

    • Two semesters of calculus, differential equations with linear algebra OR a focused linear algebra course, and one semester of calculus-based physics;
    • At least two semesters of upper-division undergraduate courses in engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or applied math;
    • Completion of a third semester of calculus, a second semester of calculus-based physics, and/or a focused linear algebra course is preferred.
    • If your degree does not meet these requirements, please consult our admissions team at robo@colorado.edu before submitting an application.
  • Statement of purpose outlining your goals and interests
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Resume/CV highlighting relevant experience
  • Undergraduate transcripts
  • Domestic applicants must apply by:
    • Fall admissions: December 15
  • International applicants must apply by:
    • Fall admissions: Currently unavailable
    • Our paperwork to issue I-20s is still pending approval from the US government. Once we receive that approval, we look forward to welcoming international students into our program.
  • Choose your preferred program and gather the required documents.
  • Submit your .
  • Applications are evaluated by faculty and admissions decisions are typically announced within 6-8 weeks.
  • In addition to the above materials, international students must also submit verifiable TOEF, Duolingo or IELTS scores using the institution code 4841 for CU. Once admitted, students must then submit official language scores in order to receive an I-20 for their visa application.听
  • The above requirement is waived for international students who qualify under the following conditions:
    • the student鈥檚 native language is English, or
    • the student has completed at least one year of full-time study at a U.S. institution (or at an institution in a country where English is the native language), at the time of submission, or within two years from the desired admission.
  • Current 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 students are welcome to reach out to our graduate advisors at robo@colorado.edu for information on how to transfer into our program.
  • Students who took graduate coursework at another university may petition to apply up to 9 graduate-level credits of that coursework to their ROBO-MS, if they meet the program鈥檚 and the Graduate School鈥檚 criteria.听

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. A master鈥檚 degree in robotics can often lead to higher earning potential compared to a bachelor's degree. Many industries place a premium on advanced education, and employers may offer higher salaries to individuals with specialized knowledge and skills. The additional expertise gained during an MS program can make you a valuable asset to employers looking to innovate in their industry 鈥 potentially leading to quicker career advancement. A master鈥檚 degree also broadens your capabilities, making you eligible for a wider range of job opportunities.鈥疢any research and development roles, leadership positions, and specialized engineering positions are often reserved for candidates with advanced degrees.

Robotic engineering is dynamic and considered a future-facing discipline. Advancements in technology and methods 鈥 especially related to artificial intelligence and machine learning 鈥 are occurring regularly. Robotics is often referred to as 鈥減hysical AI鈥 and becoming an expert in this field can greatly enhance your engineering prospects.

Robotics is one of the fastest-growing technology sectors, with applications spanning aerospace, healthcare, manufacturing, autonomous systems, logistics, defense, and service industries.

Robotics sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, mechanical systems, advanced sensing, autonomous systems, and human interaction. Rapid improvements in hardware and software integration are fueling progress in a field that is evolving from building isolated industrial robots toward engineering intelligent autonomous physical systems that can perceive, reason, adapt, and collaborate with humans.

The Robotics Program is unique because it integrates multiple disciplines into a robotics-centered curriculum. You can combine coursework and research from areas like computer science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, AI, control systems, and human-centered design to solve real-world robotics problems.

Our innovative curriculum offers exceptional flexibility compared to traditional academic department-based graduate degrees. Rather than requiring you to complete most coursework within a single department, the program allows you to select from an extensive list of approved robotics-related courses across engineering and computing disciplines.

You will complete breadth requirements organized around foundational robotics areas rather than departmental boundaries:

  • Dynamics and Mechatronics鈥
  • Perception鈥痑nd Control
  • Cognition and Interaction

This structure allows your degree to be tailored toward your individual research and career goals while still developing broad robotics鈥痚xpertise.

Tuition is dependent on your鈥residency status, either resident (within Colorado) or non-resident (out-of-state and/or international). Graduate tuition is dependent on credits enrolled in each semester (the MS degree requires a total of 30 credits).

You can view the past and current year rates (by credit) on the鈥Tuition and Fee Rate Sheets on the Bursar's website. Under the 鈥淕raduate鈥 section and the 鈥淕raduate鈥 heading (not 鈥淧rofessional Master鈥檚鈥), you will find the rate sheets for both resident and non-resident tuition (the MS in Robotics is not considered a 鈥減rofessional MS鈥 by the university because of its organizational structure.) Please review the residency status that matches your own. We recommend looking at the 6 -credit tuition amount and multiplying that rate by 5 to get an idea of the cost of a 30-credit degree. There is also a cost estimator on the Bursar's Office website which shows tuition based on residency, credit hours,鈥痑nd鈥痬andatory student fees.

Some students may save money by choosing to take more than nine credit hours or petitioning to update their residency status for their second year in the program. Please reach out to our advisors at robo@colorado.edu for more information. You also may be eligible for certain outside fellowship opportunities.

An MS student will typically take two鈥痽ears to complete the鈥痙egree.鈥疕owever, it is not uncommon for students to finish both earlier and later than this two-year average. The MS degree credit requirement is 30 credits minimum. With most graduate courses being worth 3-credits, that is an estimated 10 courses to complete the degree. The majority of students take 2-3 courses / 6-9 credits per 听semester. Therefore, taking 2-3 courses/6-9 credits per semester keeps students on track for a two-year/four-semester program completion.

Students who are taking coursework while also working part or full-time jobs sometimes choose to take 1-2 courses each semester and finish in a 3-4 year timeline.鈥疭ome students will also choose to complete summer courses to accelerate their degree obtainment. Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 5 credits or above.鈥疢aster's degree students (MS)鈥痟ave four years from the semester in which they are admitted and begin coursework to complete all .

Currently, there is not a formal all-online degree available for application and admission in the MS Robotics program. The majority of courses are on-campus, so professors and faculty have an expectation of students to be present in-person. There may be remote (synchronous) and hybrid (remote and in-person component) course options in the program, but those are minimal compared to the in-person offerings.

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