How Long Does it Take to Complete a Graduate Degree in Robotics?

Updated August 4, 2020

Anyone thinking about a career with robots and technology might be wondering, "How long does it take to complete a graduate degree in robotics?" A degree like a master's can take years to complete because of the prerequisites needed before attending a higher education program. Students will have to take courses to get a bachelor's before they begin a master's program.

Prerequisites for a Master's

To spend time in college at a graduate level, there are steps involved. The master's seeker will have to get a bachelor's first. This level of school will include coursework that lays a foundation for the master's work later. Engineering, computer programming and circuitry are just three courses that the student would have to take. The student would have to learn programming languages and calculus too.

Core Subjects Studied

In a master's program, the student will begin to learn more about the fundamentals in terms of robots. The student is expected to take a more active role in the creation of programs and applications of projects at this level. It'll deal with topics like artificial intelligence, programming and machine perception. At this level, students are encouraged to create projects with applications that can be brought to the real world like a robot that will help senior citizens, which is a segment of the population that technology often overlooks.

Degrees in Robotics

This type of program for the bachelor's is what students might typically choose as an education path. They'll enter a program that's focused completely around robots with classes in electric circuits or applications and ethics surrounding the use of robot technology. There will be classes in entrepreneurship, mathematics and programming in these programs. The student will have a solid foundation to start their graduate program quite easily.

Master's in Mechanical Engineering

The prerequisites for a master's dealing with robots doesn't always start with a bachelor's in the same field though. The path to the master's might take a student through mechanical engineering with a minor in artificial intelligence or robotics. In mechanical engineering, the student will learn things like calculus as well as mechatronics and probability. This is definitely a foundation program that can lead to a higher education program that deals with robots and technology.

Popular Careers and Salaries

Once graduates receive a masters, they are able to have careers in a few fields like robotics engineering, research assistant or controls specialist. With a high-level education, the student could teach others as an assistant professor or help in a lab as a research scientist. The beginning salary in this field can top $79,000 annually.

The student who pursues a program like this will spend years in school. It could take between 6 and 8 years to complete including the prerequisite of a bachelor's. A bachelor's will take 3 to 4 years if the student attends with a full-time schedule. The master's can take a few years to complete. Normally, a student will obtain a bachelor's and start working while completing a master's program on a part-time basis.