School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics
| UCAS tariff |
128
Contextual offers
A contextual offer is an offer to study at university that takes personal circumstances that may affect grades into account.
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| UCAS course code | H676 |
| Institution code | P60 |
| Duration | 4 years (+ optional placement) |
| Course type | Full-time |
| Study location | Plymouth |
The MEng Robotics course leads to a high-level qualification which is recognised by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), providing a fast route to Chartered Engineer status. The course introduces fundamental concepts in the area of robotics, as well as specialist topics, preparing students for future careers in industry. It digs deep into the robotic technologies that are shaping the future and adopts a hands-on approach which students develop in our specialist laboratories.
BPIE112
Stage 1 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation
0 credits
This module is aimed at students who may be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their programme. It is designed to assist students in their search for a placement and in their preparation for the placement itself.
ELEC141
Analogue Electronics
20 credits
This module provides an overview of analogue circuit characterisation, analysis and design, linking theory to practice. It will examine how common analogue systems are constructed from elementary components.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
ELEC142
Digital Electronics
20 credits
This is a foundation module in digital electronics and computer control, which introduces digital devices and provides a background in the principles, design and applications of combinational and sequential logic circuits.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
ELEC144
Electrical Principles and Machines
20 credits
This module gives an introduction to the electrical properties of materials, capacitance, Inductance, and electromagnetism. Basic circuit principles and their application in dc and ac circuit analysis are then applied to electrical machines, transformers and energy conversion.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
PROJ100
Embedded System Design and Build
40 credits
The module enables students to work collectively to build prototype solutions to real-world problems using both software and hardware. This will include development and verification skills in both hardware and software.
100% Coursework
ENGR104
Engineering Mathematics
20 credits
This module provides students with a number of fundamental mathematical skills, and techniques, which are essential for the analysis of engineering problems.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
BPIE212
Stage 2 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation
0 credits
This module is aimed at students who may be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their programme. It is designed build on the Level 1 module (BPIE111) and to assist students in their search for a placement and in their preparation for the placement itself.
MATH237
Engineering Mathematics and Statistics
20 credits
This module provides an introduction to mathematical and statistical methods that are important in the study of electronic and communications engineering. The mathematical techniques (transforms) are central to the study of linear, time-invariant systems. As well as introducing descriptive statistics, basic probability distributions, the module also considers the more advanced topics of reliability and quality control.
80% Examinations
20% Coursework
ROCO219
Control Engineering
20 credits
This module introduces basic concepts in how to control systems that have dynamics. This can involve making an unstable system stable, like balancing a Segway transporter to ensure it always remains upright. Or to get a system to follow a desired input and reach the desired goal. For example, controlling a robot arm so it moves directly to a target location without oscillating or overshooting.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
ROCO224
Introduction to Robotics
20 credits
This module covers the theory and implementation of robotics, for both physical and simulated robots. Industry standard robot kinematics and simulations are used to analyse different robot designs, and are practically experienced through commercial tools. The basic mechanical principles for building physical robots are also covered, as well as the algorithms required for planning and generating movement.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
PROJ200
Real Time Systems Project
40 credits
The module enables students to build robust and scalable real-time solutions to real-world problems using both Microcontroller and FPGA technologies. This will include both hardware and firmware development skills.
50% Coursework
50% Practicals
ROCO226
Sensors and Actuators for Robotic Systems
20 credits
A systems level study of the principles and design requirements of modern electronic motor systems. Operating performances of various electrical machines are characterised in four quadrants and the requirements of the corresponding power electronic converter topologies are examined. Control strategies are investigated in terms of drive system performance.
60% Coursework
40% Examinations
BPIE332
Electrical Industrial Placement
A 48-week period of professional training spent as the third year of a sandwich programme undertaking an approved placement with a suitable company. This provides an opportunity for the student to gain relevant industrial experience to consolidate the first two stages of study and to prepare for the final stage and employment after graduation.
ELEC351
Advanced Embedded Programming
20 credits
The module aims to develop programming skills in embedded programming, by making use of advanced features of high-level programming languages and by deepening the knowledge of modern programming techniques in embedded systems. The module has a strong practical bias where students are required to solve various problems by programming existing microcontroller hardware.
60% Coursework
40% Examinations
PROJ300
Individual Project
40 credits
Investigate problems from industry or current research, define the problem boundaries, investigate possible solutions and present your results. You’ll have the chance to demonstrate a wide range of skills in project management, ethics, IP, research, critical thinking, engineering decisions, hardware, electrical/electronic and mechanical, design and simulation, software implementation, schematic capture and testing.
70% Coursework
30% Practicals
ROCO321
Computer Vision
20 credits
The module will provide an advanced knowledge of artificial vision systems for interactive systems guidance and control. It will be underpinned by current theoretical understanding of animal vision systems.
100% Coursework
ROCO318
Mobile and Humanoid Robots
20 credits
This module examines the technology, control and modelling of mobile and humanoid robot systems. Mathematical analysis and computational algorithms underpin practical considerations and case studies.
70% Examinations
30% Coursework
ELEC345
High Speed Communications
20 credits
A circuit and system design module covering analogue and high frequency techniques and their place in modern communications systems.
80% Examinations
20% Coursework
ROCO351
Machine Learning for Robotics
20 credits
This module introduces basic concepts in the area of machine learning, which is a rapidly expanding field that allows computers to learn how to behave and perform complex tasks without being explicitly programmed to do them. Applications range from signal processing, image recognition through to the control of robotics systems.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
PROJ515
MEng Project
60 credits
This group project involves an in-depth study of a complex real-world problem originating from industry, commerce or research. It could include theoretical, computational and experimental work in addition to a critical literature survey and also involves the design and build of a prototype to support the claims made in the project execution plan.
95% Coursework
5% Practicals
ELEC520
Distributed and Interactive Communications Systems
20 credits
In this module, students will develop applications involving interconnected hardware devices and software capabilities. Devices include both embedded and networked computers. Capabilities include sensor data acquisition, actuator control, and behaviour generation. The module will cover both theory and practical work, including management of code complexity, and dealing with real-time and reliability issues.
70% Coursework
30% Examinations
ROCO507Z
Advanced Robot Design and Prototyping
20 credits
This module aims to give the students a theoretical and practical understanding of designing and building advanced robot assemblies and mechanisms, through engineering and bioinspired approaches.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
COMP5012
Computational Intelligence
20 credits
This module examines the state-of-the-art in computational intelligence, focussing on evolutionary computation, swarm intelligence, fuzzy systems and Bayesian and Markov networks. Students will learn about the underlying theory behind these techniques and gain practical experience of implementing them. CI approaches will be discussed against the backdrop of various industrial problems that they are suited to solving.
100% Coursework
UCAS tariff
128
Contextual offers: Typically, the contextual offer for this course is 8 points below the advertised tariff. A contextual offer is an offer to study at university that takes into account individual circumstances that are beyond your control, and that can potentially impact your learning and your exam results, or your confidence in applying to university.
| Student | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 * |
|---|---|---|
| Home | £9,250 | £9,250 |
| International | £18,100 | £18,650 |
| Part time (Home) | £770 | £770 |
* UK Government announcement on tuition fees
On Monday 4 November 2024 the UK Government announced a proposal to increase tuition fees for home undergraduate students from £9,250 to £9,535 per annum from September 2025 onwards. The University of Plymouth intends to apply this new fee from September 2025. However, implementation of this increase will be subject to Parliamentary procedure. The University will give further details to both prospective and current students as soon as more information becomes available.
To reward outstanding achievement the University of Plymouth offers scholarship schemes to help towards funding your studies.
Social robots have the capabilities to raise people's self-esteem, make them feel more connected, and improve their welfare.
"The idea of this system is that, for example, you can be walking down the street alone at night and, using radar and lidar technology, it will detect if there is another human approaching you, or a bicycle or something like that. The aim is to reduce knife crime, mugging, accidents, these kinds of things."
"I've had the opportunity to meet multiple people in the industry, all of them have seemed very interested in my project which was a great relief as the nature of my project is quite niche and I was curious about the actual industry applications"
"I would say be as ambitious as you want, you can almost guarantee you can make it, you just have to be determined"
Learn more about the diverse range of successful career pathways our robotics graduates take after completing the course
Matthew Preston
Matthew works as a Robotics Engineer for MSubs Ltd
Jane Sheard
Jane has been working as a graduate systems engineer at Chess Dynamics
Joel Gibbard
Joel works as an Applications Engineer at National Instruments
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) accredited degree
Athena Swan Silver awarded to the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics
