Robotics Engineering, BSE

We aim to instill a system engineering approach to robotics with an emphasis on electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer science as they relate to robotics. The dozen core courses in the major cover topics like applied dynamics, robotic manipulation, advanced software technology in computer engineering, industrial robots, automatic control systems, mobile robots, and robotics engineering design, among others.

You choose 11 credits of elective courses from three dozen options, giving you the opportunity to tailor the program to your interests and professional needs. You can choose from courses in artificial intelligence, digital signal processing, robotics systems, computer architecture, cloud computing, renewable electric power systems, nanoscience and nanotechnology, and many other subjects.

Some of your classes will meet in our two robotics engineering laboratories:

• The Robot Motion Intelligence Lab conducts research at the intersection of robotics, cyber-physical systems, optimization, and feedback control theory.
• The Bio-Inspired Machine Intelligence Lab seeks to integrate principles from biology and nature into machine intelligence. Its research areas include autonomous hybrid vehicles, robotic car architecture, and machine vision and intelligence.

You’ll have access to the labs outside class and even after hours with the department’s permission to build and program robotic systems. More opportunities for hands-on experiences are available in our internship, research, and study abroad programs. Check out the pages for these programs, and talk to your professors to learn more.

Starting in Fall 2024, a new accelerated 4+1 option lets you complete your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in robotics engineering in just five years, saving time and money. Junior and senior students in the accelerated program can take up to nine credits of graduate courses, which are counted toward both degrees. To be eligible for the 4+1 option, you must have completed at least 60 undergraduate credits in your robotics engineering program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 and meet other requirements.

The graduates who receive the BS degree in Robotics Engineering from the University of Michigan-Dearborn are expected to achieve within a few years of graduation the high professional, ethical, and societal goals demonstrated by accomplishing one or more of the objectives described below.

• Achieve professional growth in an engineering position in regional and national industries. Growth can be evidenced by promotions and appointment in the workplace (management positions, technical specialization), entrepreneurial activities, and consulting activities.
• Success in advanced engineering studies evidenced by enrollment in graduate courses, completion of graduate degree programs, presentations and publications at professional events, and awards or licenses associated with advanced studies.
• Realization of impactful achievements in societal roles demonstrated by attainment of community leadership roles, mentoring activities, civic outreach service, and active roles in professional societies.

To achieve the educational objectives, the graduates of the program will have:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
    
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
    
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
    
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
    
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
    
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
    
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

For information on the number of students enrolled and degrees granted in the BSE-Robotics Engineering program, please visit the Enrollment Data and Degrees Awarded page.