MASTER OF SCIENCE

ROBOTICS
1 | Robotics

INTRODUCTION
MASTER ROBOTICS
Become an expert in the technological, industrial, and societalchallenges ofcreating robots and roboticsystems that
fitseamlesslyinto oursociety,making it a better place.

The days when robots and robotic systems belonged to CAREER PERSPECTIVES
science fiction are long gone. Today, they play an As a graduate with a Master of Science degree in
important role in high-tech industry and are moving into Robotics, you are in high demand on the job market. In
mainstream society. How can they operate reliably in high-tech industries, shortages of well-trained technical
complex situations, such as a factory, a hospital, or the staff are a strong driver behind this trend. For example,
traffic? How do they move autonomously? How can they the global shortage of welders in industries ranging from
interact effectively with humans or with their construction and automotive to aerospace and military
surroundings? How do you build the Artificial Intelligence applications is pushing companies to embrace industrial
(AI) they need? These are typical questions you tackle in and collaborative robots. Service robots, both in
the new Master’s in Robotics. professional and personal settings, are also on the rise,
with many firms seeking experts like you to help them tap
Developing the AI and technology that enable robots to into this growing market. From automated guided
interact intelligently with their surroundings is vehicles (AGVs) in logistics, or unmanned aerial vehicles
challenging. No wonder there is such a huge need for (UAVs) for maintenance & inspection, to field robotics in
multidisciplinary robotics experts who have agriculture, building robots in construction, diagnostic as
systematically mastered the entire process of robotic well as curative robots in medicine, exoskeletons used in
development, from ideation, modelling and prototyping rehabilitation centres, and even humanoid robots in
right through to commercial application, human-robot customer service settings – the range of AI-based robotic
interaction, and societal acceptance. If you are fascinated systems you might eng
by robotics and looking for a challenge-based, academic
programme that can equip you for a role like this, our
multidisciplinary Master’s in Robotics may be the right
choice for you.

FOCUS AND DISCIPLINES

During this two-year, English-taught Master’s you will
learn to develop robotic solutions that benefit many
different industries and societal domains. Working in
small teams on real-world challenges, you will cover all
disciplines involved, from mechatronics to computer
science and AI, while also tackling ethical, legal, societal,
and economic aspects. Your grasp of both the technology
and the wider context is exactly what high-tech industries
and research institutes today are looking for.

QUICKFACTS
Degree Master’s degree in Robotics CROHO 60973
Faculty Electrical Engineering Mathematics and Computer Science Duration 2 years
Language English-taught Start 1 Sep 2024
1 Feb 2025
Web ut.onl/rob
2 | Robotics

BOOST YOUR CAREER

WITH THIS MASTER'S
Make a smart move to follow the Master's in Robotics! You will benefit from a wide range of career options. Find
out what the job market in the field of this Master's has to offer at this very moment. These real-time data may vary
once you have obtained your Master's degree. Still, it provides you with a good impression of what the labour
market in this specific field looks like today.

CURRENT
NUMBER OF
VACANCIES
2,969 
NUMBER OF VACANCIES
POSTED PER YEAR

High

Low
2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

TOP 5 1. ASML
EMPLOYERS
2. PHILIPS
with most jobs
available 3. BELASTINGDIENST

4. VDL GROEP

5. DAF TRUCKS

5 RELEVANT 1. MECHANICAL ENGINEER

JOBS
AVG. MORE > AVG. 2. FULL STACK DEVELOPER

3. SYSTEM ENGINEER

4. SOFTWARE ENGINEER
AVERAGE
STARTING
ANNUAL SALARY
€50,700 5. ENGINEER

WORK EXPERIENCE

 Overview of the preferred work experiencelevel

in number of years.

5-10 YEARS WORK EXPERIENCE €64,200

 >10 YEARS WORK EXPERIENCE €65,100 0-5 YEARS 64%

5-10 YEARS 30%

>10 YEARS 6%

REALTIME DATA
This job data is aggregated, simplified and real-time to represent the job market
in the period between 2020 - 2024.
3 | Robotics

MASTER'S STRUCTURE
HOW TO COMPOSE YOUR
MASTER'S?
During your Master's in Robotics you will collect a total of 120 EC within two years. You have a lot of freedom in
customising your programme.

At the start of the programme you need to choose a CO-DECIDE THE CONTENT OF YOUR MASTER'S
specialisation. The Master's in Robotics has three While building your expertise in one of the three
specialisations, each consisting of compulsory courses: specialisations, you can tailor the programme to your
● Mechatronics and Physical AI interests and ambitions by choosing one of the three
● Algorithms and Software AI profiles as well as a number of elective courses. This way,
you get to develop your own expertise and become the
● Human-Robot Interaction and Social AI
professional you wish to be.

Our challenge-based learning approach supports this

personalisation. As you get involved in real-life, hands-on
robotics projects, you will not only add valuable team and
soft skills to your personal toolbox, but also get better
prepared for your master’s thesis project and further
career.
4 | Robotics

What your study programme will look like exactly, depends on the choices you make in composing your study
programme. The process consists of three steps:

STEP 1: CHOOSE A SPECIALISATION STEP 3: SELECT ELECTIVES

At the start of the programme, you need to choose a In addition to the courses connected with your
specialisation. The Master's in Robotics has three specialisation (30 EC) and profile (10 EC), you can choose
specialisations: a number of electives to shape your programme in the
● Mechatronics and Physical AI (MPAI) first year (at least 20 EC).
● Algorithms and Software AI (ASAI)
In the second year, you can attend further electives, do an
● Human-Robot Interaction and Social AI (HRISAI)
internship or an academic-skills project (in case you have
a BSc degree from a university of applied sciences) (20
STEP 2: CHOOSE A PROFILE EC).
Next to a specialisation, you also choose a profile to
further specialise. The profile you choose depends on You end your Master’s in Robotics by conducting your
what kind of person you are and which roles and working master’s thesis project (40 EC).
environments in the field of Robotics appeal to you. Each
profile involves two profile-specific courses. YOUR PROGRAMME MENTOR IS HERE TO HELP
The Master’s in Robotics offers a lot of elective space. As
Research long as your choices fit into the programme as a whole,
If you are aiming for a career in the academic world, this is you can even opt for courses from other Master’s in
the profile for you. It exposes you to math, robotics and engineering! You are required to get your programme
research methodology – advanced courses related to your choices approved by your Programme Mentor and he or
specialisation. With this profile, you become a she is on hand to help you compose the perfect mix for
‘multidisciplinary researcher’. your talents and ambitions.

Design
If you see yourself becoming a robotic systems developer
in a company, this is most likely your profile. It involves
advanced courses on design methodologies and
techniques and you get to practice with the design cycle
itself in challenge-based projects and in your thesis. This
profile equips you as an ‘academic designer’.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

If you want to play a leading role in a robotics-related
business, or launch your own start-up, this is the profile
to choose. It takes you through the whole innovation
cycle in an innovation tournament and expose you to
advanced courses on innovation and entrepreneurship.
This profile helps you develop into a typical ‘robotics
innovator / entrepreneur’.
5 | Robotics

SPECIALISATION
MECHATRONICS AND PHYSICAL
AI
Mechatronics and Physical Artificial Intelligence is all about a Robot's hardware and the movement it makes.
Without specialists in this field, a machine would not be able to move around and would therefore not even qualify
as a robot!

In this specialisation, you learn how to design and TYPE OF DEGREE

develop a robotic system with (physical) AI. It needs this On completing this master’s with a specialisation in
to move and interact with the people or objects around it Mechatronics and Physical AI, you receive a Master’s
in an intelligent, effective, and safe way. This means degree in Robotics. Also, you can title yourself Master of
combining mechanics, electronics, control, and Science (MSc). Your specialisation is mentioned
computing. In this specialisation, you gain advanced specifically on your diploma supplement, highlighting
knowledge in the field of mechatronics and get familiar your specialised knowledge and skills in Mechatronics
with systems engineering, robot interaction, intelligent and Physical Artificial Intelligence.
design, and machine learning. Typical research questions
you might tackle in this specialisation involve modelling JOB OPPORTUNITIES
and simulation of designs, mechatronics, physical design On graduating with this specialisation, you will be an
and prototyping, and controller design. expert in mechatronics and designing complex robotic
(sub)systems. You can also get a job as a robotics
Courses: systems engineer, combining your specialised knowledge
● Modelling, Dynamics, and Kinematics with a broader view on other (robotics) disciplines.
● Design Principles for Robotics and mechatronic
Mechanisms
● Control System Design for Robotics
● System Identification and Machine Learning
● Software Development for Robotics
● Systems Engineering
6 | Robotics

SPECIALISATION
ALGORITHMS AND SOFTWARE
AI
Algorithms and Software Artificial Intelligence takes you inside the brains of a robot and what it takes for a robot to
understand and respond in a relevant way to what is going on around it.

If you choose Algorithms and Software AI, you focus on TYPE OF DEGREE
the decision-making process inside a robotic system, On completing this master’s with a specialisation in
learning to develop its ability to process external signals Algorithms and Software AI, you receive a Master’s
into autonomous, relevant movements and actions. You degree in Robotics. Also, you can title yourself Master of
gain advanced knowledge of algorithms for perception, Science (MSc). Your specialisation is mentioned
cognition, and navigation, as well as of systems specifically on your diploma supplement, highlighting
engineering, optimal estimation, and machine learning. your specialised knowledge and skills in Algorithms and
Questions you learn to tackle may include: How do you Software Artificial Intelligence.
enable a robot to combine and analyse all the information
its sensors collect? How do you enable it to use that JOB OPPPORTUNITIES
information in order to sense its environment and act, or With this specialisation on your Master’s degree, you will
find its way, effectively? How do you apply AI to develop be a specialist in machine learning for robots
the right algorithms, and how do you implement those in and development of complex robotics algorithms. You
a working prototype? Research questions in this can also get a job as a robotics systems engineer,
specialisation typically centre on advanced sensor data combining your specialised knowledge with a broader
analysis, designing algorithms for perception, cognition view on other (robotics) disciplines.
and navigation, and programming robotic controllers.

Courses:
● Robot Perception, Cognition, and Navigation
● Image Processing and Computer Vision
● Optimal Estimation for Dynamic Systems
● Advanced Software Design for Robotics
● AI for Autonomous Robots: deep learning and
reinforcement learning
● Systems Engineering
7 | Robotics

SPECIALISATION
HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION
AND SOCIAL AI
Human-Robot Interaction and Social Artificial Intelligence focuses on the connection between robots and humans,
and what it takes to create robots that interact with people in a way that works for everyone!

This specialisation centres on how a robotic system fits in TYPE OF DEGREE

with people in social settings in terms of communication, On completing this master’s with a specialisation in
movement, acceptance, and trust. How do robotic Human-Robot Interaction and Social AI, you receive a
systems interact with humans, and how do humans Master’s degree in Robotics. Also, you can title yourself
respond to robots? What does it take to make these Master of Science (MSc). Your specialisation is mentioned
interactions effective, natural, and of real added value to specifically on your diploma supplement, highlighting
people and organisations? These are questions you learn your specialised knowledge and skills in Human-Robot
to answer in this specialisation. This specialisation is the Interaction and Social Artificial Intelligence.
way towards becoming a specialist in robot cognition
and/or human cognition and developing human-robot JOB OPPPORTUNITIES
interaction algorithms. You might also use your If you graduate with this specialisation, you will be a
knowledge in the wider context of how robots and fleets specialist in robot cognition and/or human cognition, and
of robots interact with people in roles like those of butlers, in developing human-robot interaction algorithms. You
assistants or customer service providers. In your master's can also use your specialised knowledge in the wider
thesis project, you will likely deal with questions context of how robots and fleets of robots interact with
concerning the design of interfaces for natural interaction, people. As a robot-human interface designer, you will
such as avatars, or on enabling robots to interpret human know how to optimise the interaction between robots and
gestures and speech in such a way that they are able to humans, creating robotic systems that behave in socially
(re)act in relevant manner. effective and acceptable ways.

Courses:
● Tele-presence Robotics
● Human-Robot Communication
● Human-Robot Collaboration
● Advanced Software Design for Robotics
● Robot Perception, Cognition, and Navigation
● Systems Engineering
8 | Robotics

NEED AND NICE-TO-KNOW

STUDENT INFORMATION
There are a couple of things you should know before you apply for the Master in Robotics. In addition, you will find
some nice-to-know information about this Master's. For example, the promising career prospects.

TYPE OF DEGREE HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY, ACADEMIC RESEARCH, OR A

When you have completed this Master's, you receive a START-UP
Master’s degree in Robotics. Also, you can title yourself Upon graduation, you can choose for a career at a variety
Master of Science (MSc). Your specialisation and profile of high-tech or robotics companies. You can also pursue a
are mentioned specifically on your diploma supplement, career in the academic field, helping to advance research
highlighting your specialised knowledge and skills. in highly specialised areas of robotics. Or will you decide
to launch your own start-up? With this Master's, you have
a lot of options. Some of the commercial job
opportunities are broad, involving supervising or bringing
together entire processes. Others focus more on a
specialised aspect of robotics. You can get a job as a
system engineer, project leader, software engineer or
designer, mechanical or mechatronics engineer, control
engineer, or a robotics engineer. Jobs like these are
available at a wide range of employers, such as
ASML, Demcon, Siemens, Philips, VDL, or Thales.
9 | Robotics

You start your studies in September or February. If you are required to attend a pre-master's first, you can only start
the pre-master's in September and, upon completion, continue your master’s in February.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS DO THE ONLINE ELIGIBILITY CHECK

The route to apply depends on your nationality and Our eligibility check is designed to assist you as a
educational background. Have you decided that you want student holding a non-Dutch diploma. This online test
to study the Master's in Robotics at the University of gives you an indication of your eligibility to be admitted to
Twente? Find out if you are admissible: the master's of your interest and takes about five minutes
● Dutch UAS student: As a bachelor's student from a to complete. Start the check!
university of applied sciences (HBO), it is necessary to ut.onl/check
complete a pre-master's first.
● International student: First, find out if you are
admissible via the online eligibility check. For the
minimum CPGA of your country, please visit our
master’s website: utwente.nl/ go/master/country-list.
For the English language requirements tests, you need
to score a minimum overall score as well a minimum
score on each section of the tests. You can find the
specific subscores per test below.
● Academic IELTS: minimum overall score: 6.5,
minimum score on each section: 6.0
● TOEFL, internet-based (TOEFL-iBT): minimum
overall score: 90, minimum score on each
section: 21
● Cambridge CAE-C (CPE): minimum overall
score: 176, minimum score on each section:
169
● Dutch university student: You may be admitted to
this (pre-)master's on the condition that you still have
to pass your BSc degree. If you are a BSc Electrical
Engineering or BSc Mechanical Engineering graduate,
you are directly admissable.

GET IN TOUCH  University of Twente

Questions about a study programme of your  study@utwente.nl

interest? Whatever your question is, we will be
 +31 (0)53 489 5489
happy to help you.
 +31 (0)6 51842633

 utwente
 WHY CHOOSE
TO STUDY AT UT?
As a UT student, you will learn how to use innovative technologies to influence today's societal challenges
meaningfully. You will benefit from excellent, highly personalised education and research in fields ranging from
social sciences and engineering to natural sciences and life sciences. You will learn to work with experts from other
disciplines and cultures. In doing so, you will develop in-depth professional knowledge and intensive personal
growth.

Your study location is our campus: a dynamic community for young people to work, live and socialise. It's a breeding
ground for brilliant ideas, where you follow academic education and apply your new skills in the various state-of-
the-art labs. This is also where you meet up with friends, play sports or visit the theatre. You can even go for
groceries or catch up in the bar. And downtown Enschede is just a 10-minute bike ride away!

1ST 1,600+
 UNIVERSITY WITH THE
MOST SOCIETAL
IMPACT IN NL
 11,997
STUDENTS IN TOTAL  PROFESSIONALS
TRAINED
 114 NATIONALITIES

18
 378
LAB FACILITIES  3,000
STUDENT APARTMENTS  46
SPORT ASSOCIATIONS  CULTURE
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