Course summary

The MSc Robotics and Artificial Intelligence is designed to equip students with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to develop the innovative solutions required by the emerging global industry in Robotics and AI, and across many other sectors where robotics and AI skills are applicable. These may include robotics and AI in agriculture, food processing, transport, logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, and energy. The MSc ranges from mechatronics through programming and algorithms for robot control and automation with AI, including details of modern deep learning and large language models (i.e. how chatbots such as ChatGPT work), robots as physical AI agents, as well as classical and probabilistic AI approaches to robotics perception, navigation, and reasoning. Industry standard tools such as Python, ROS2, and PyTorch are used throughout. The programme aims to prepare students to work in a research and development capacity, such as in industrial robotics and AI companies and academic PhD study. Lincoln hosts the UK's - and one of the world's - largest concentration of agricultural robotics researchers, and is a major hub of UK agribusiness. Many students choose to specialise in this area, including by collaborating with local companies who have existing R&D relationships with our research. Course content is informed by research carried out at the University of Lincoln, especially in the Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems. This aims to ensure that content remains consistently underpinned by the latest thinking. The programme is an extension Master's. It assumes that students will have already completed a computer science or similar technology-based degree, and will want to extend that knowledge in depth and with specialist focus on Robotics and AI. Students have the chance to enhance and apply existing knowledge of computer programming and mathematical frameworks through laboratory workshops, lectures, debates, and independent research. The course assumes a familiarity with programming concepts and the supporting mathematical framework, while presenting advanced concepts relating specifically to the computing domain.