Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering

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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost

2026-2027

College of Engineering

Program description

The Bachelor of Science in Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering prepares students to design, implement and analyze modern robotic and autonomous systems through an interdisciplinary curriculum spanning electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence. Students build skills in robotic programming, mechatronics, feedback control, signals and systems, AI, and intelligent autonomous systems while developing systems-thinking, communication, and multidisciplinary teamwork abilities. The program also emphasizes the ethical and societal implications of autonomous and AI-based technologies, including responsibility, bias, fairness, and unintended consequences. Students can deepen their experience through engineering electives in areas such as computer vision, robot manipulators, cyber-physical systems, and industrial automation. Recommended REAL opportunities include undergraduate research with VCU's Robotics and Autonomous Systems Research Team and hands-on design work culminating in the two-semester Senior Design Studio sequence.

Career opportunities

Graduates can pursue engineering and technology careers involving robotics, autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, intelligent systems, controls, embedded systems, computer vision, cyber-physical systems, and human-robot interaction. The program's multidisciplinary preparation is relevant to industries including advanced manufacturing, transportation, aerospace, health care and rehabilitation, defense, energy and smart infrastructure, as well as graduate study in robotics and related engineering fields.

Change of major requirements

VCU GPA of 3.0 or greater, with a minimum of 12 VCU credit hours earned. Completion of MATH 200, MATH 201, and any one of PHYS 207, EGRE 101, ENGR 101, or EGMN 190 with grades of B or higher. If attempted, MATH 200, MATH 201, MATH 301, MATH 307, PHYS 207, EGRE 201 or CMSC 254, must be completed with a GPA of 3.0 or greater. Admission is competitive, and all applicants are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Bachelor-level job titles

Automation Engineer
Autonomous Systems Engineer
Controls Engineer
Embedded Systems Engineer
Mechatronics Engineer
Robotics Engineer
Robotics Software Engineer
Robotics Systems Engineer

Graduate and professional level job titles

Autonomous Systems Research Scientist
Machine Learning Engineer
Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineer
Robotics Research Engineer

Professional associations and resources

Degree requirements in Bulletin

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Plan of study in Bulletin

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Requirements

Highest level of math required

MATH 307

Science required

5+ additional science courses

Foreign language requirements

Additional tuition/fees

GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)

Minimum 2.0 major GPA; minimum grade of C in required engineering courses, engineering/professional electives, MATH 200, MATH 201, MATH 301, MATH 310 and PHYS 207/PHYZ 207

Contact information

Department name:

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

Building/room location:

401 West Main Street #E3221, Richmond, VA 23284

Phone:

(804) 828-9117

Email:

mechengr@vcu.edu

https://egr.vcu.edu/ras-research/

Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):

Monroe Park

Major map

Year 1

Explore

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner.
Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to start goal planning, and choose electives.
Sharpen your study skills in Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) at the Campus Learning Center.
Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
Complete ENGR 261 to explore how mechanical, electrical, computing and AI concepts come together in robotics and autonomous systems.
Review the four-year RAS Engineering plan of study with your advisor and begin the calculus, programming and engineering foundation sequence.

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Apply to live in a program-in-residence or a living-learning community.
Consider applying to the Honors College.
Create a profile on RamsConnect to explore student organizations and get involved, meet people, and develop your interests.
Get involved and meet new friends through the Student Government Association or one of over 450 student clubs and organizations (BSPS Student club, Chemistry, etc.)
Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks.
Explore VCU Engineering makerspaces and collaborative project opportunities that build hands-on design and prototyping skills.
Join an engineering or computing student organization and attend robotics-, AI- or maker-focused events to meet peers across disciplines.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
Explore VCU's Robotics and Autonomous Systems Research Team to learn how faculty apply robotics to mobility, health care, manufacturing and other fields.
Meet with Engineering Career Services to explore early internships and the range of industries that employ robotics and autonomous-systems talent.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
Begin a technical portfolio documenting programming, design and robotics projects from courses and extracurricular work.
Research career paths in robotics, controls, automation, embedded systems, autonomous vehicles and intelligent systems.

Year 2

Experience

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
Plan ahead for engineering electives and prerequisites with your advisor so you can tailor the degree to your interests.
Use ENGR 262 and foundational circuits, dynamics and AI coursework to identify the technical areas you may want to pursue through electives and projects.

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
Attend RAS research talks or lab events and introduce yourself to faculty whose work matches your interests.
Participate in a multidisciplinary design team, hackathon, maker project, or student competition that requires collaboration across engineering fields.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
Build familiarity with tools used in robotics development, such as version control, simulation, embedded computing and technical documentation.
Seek an internship, co-op or research experience where you can apply programming, electronics, sensing, modeling or mechanical design skills.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
Add substantial course and project work to your portfolio, emphasizing your individual contributions and the engineering decisions you made.
Identify technical skills commonly requested in robotics and automation job postings and make a plan to close any gaps.

Year 3

Experience

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
Meet with your advisor to confirm your remaining requirements and select engineering electives aligned with your goals.
Use coursework in mechatronics, signals, feedback control and robotics to prepare for advanced RAS electives and senior design.

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
Design a community-engaged research project.
Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
Pursue undergraduate research with a RAS-affiliated faculty member or lab in an area such as autonomous mobility, rehabilitation robotics, sensing, or cyber-physical systems.
Share your technical work through a poster, presentation, competition or engineering showcase.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
Update your ePortfolio.
Practice explaining a robotics project to both technical and nontechnical audiences, including design choices, testing, and results.
Target internships and research roles that let you integrate hardware, software, controls, and AI rather than working in only one technical area.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year.
Ask faculty, research mentors, and internship supervisors who know your technical work whether they can serve as references.
Identify employers and graduate programs in robotics, autonomy, controls, AI, mechatronics, and related fields and track their application timelines.

Year 4

Excel

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
Choose engineering electives that strengthen expertise in areas such as computer vision, robot manipulators, controls, cyber-physical systems, or industrial automation.
Complete Senior Design Studio I and II as a culminating opportunity to integrate engineering disciplines in a team-based design project.

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners. Consider Peace Corps Prep, or scholarship opportunities through the National Scholarship Office.
Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
Mentor newer engineering students through a project team, student organization, research lab, or maker community.
Present or demonstrate your senior design or research work to audiences beyond your project team.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
Refine your portfolio with senior design, research, and internship work that demonstrates systems integration, testing, and multidisciplinary problem-solving.
Translate your RAS experience into resumé accomplishments that show technical depth, teamwork, communication, and responsible engineering judgment.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
Apply for robotics and autonomous-systems roles early, tailoring applications to the hardware, software, controls, or AI emphasis of each position.
If pursuing graduate study, identify faculty and programs whose research aligns with your interests and prepare a focused statement of purpose.

Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost

2026-2027

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering

College of Engineering

		MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING	EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY	EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS	PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore	Year 1	Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals. Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner. Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills. Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to start goal planning, and choose electives. Sharpen your study skills in Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) at the Campus Learning Center. Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help. Complete ENGR 261 to explore how mechanical, electrical, computing and AI concepts come together in robotics and autonomous systems. Review the four-year RAS Engineering plan of study with your advisor and begin the calculus, programming and engineering foundation sequence.	Apply to live in a program-in-residence or a living-learning community. Consider applying to the Honors College. Create a profile on RamsConnect to explore student organizations and get involved, meet people, and develop your interests. Get involved and meet new friends through the Student Government Association or one of over 450 student clubs and organizations (BSPS Student club, Chemistry, etc.) Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks. Explore VCU Engineering makerspaces and collaborative project opportunities that build hands-on design and prototyping skills. Join an engineering or computing student organization and attend robotics-, AI- or maker-focused events to meet peers across disciplines.	Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones. Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader. Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services. Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists. Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake. Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app. Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage. Explore VCU's Robotics and Autonomous Systems Research Team to learn how faculty apply robotics to mobility, health care, manufacturing and other fields. Meet with Engineering Career Services to explore early internships and the range of industries that employ robotics and autonomous-systems talent.	Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future. Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page. Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni. Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor. Begin a technical portfolio documenting programming, design and robotics projects from courses and extracurricular work. Research career paths in robotics, controls, automation, embedded systems, autonomous vehicles and intelligent systems.
Experience	Year 2	Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide. Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience. Plan ahead for engineering electives and prerequisites with your advisor so you can tailor the degree to your interests. Use ENGR 262 and foundational circuits, dynamics and AI coursework to identify the technical areas you may want to pursue through electives and projects.	Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty. Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit. Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities. Attend RAS research talks or lab events and introduce yourself to faculty whose work matches your interests. Participate in a multidisciplinary design team, hackathon, maker project, or student competition that requires collaboration across engineering fields.	Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events. Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake. Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field. Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value. Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work. Build familiarity with tools used in robotics development, such as version control, simulation, embedded computing and technical documentation. Seek an internship, co-op or research experience where you can apply programming, electronics, sensing, modeling or mechanical design skills.	Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation. Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest. Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships. Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans. Add substantial course and project work to your portfolio, emphasizing your individual contributions and the engineering decisions you made. Identify technical skills commonly requested in robotics and automation job postings and make a plan to close any gaps.
Experience	Year 3	Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning. Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning. Meet with your advisor to confirm your remaining requirements and select engineering electives aligned with your goals. Use coursework in mechatronics, signals, feedback control and robotics to prepare for advanced RAS electives and senior design.	Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions. Design a community-engaged research project. Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals. Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities. Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU. Pursue undergraduate research with a RAS-affiliated faculty member or lab in an area such as autonomous mobility, rehabilitation robotics, sensing, or cyber-physical systems. Share your technical work through a poster, presentation, competition or engineering showcase.	Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience. Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor. Update your ePortfolio. Practice explaining a robotics project to both technical and nontechnical audiences, including design choices, testing, and results. Target internships and research roles that let you integrate hardware, software, controls, and AI rather than working in only one technical area.	Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center. Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship. Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility. Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. Ask faculty, research mentors, and internship supervisors who know your technical work whether they can serve as references. Identify employers and graduate programs in robotics, autonomy, controls, AI, mechatronics, and related fields and track their application timelines.
Excel	Year 4	Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree. Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree. Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met. Choose engineering electives that strengthen expertise in areas such as computer vision, robot manipulators, controls, cyber-physical systems, or industrial automation. Complete Senior Design Studio I and II as a culminating opportunity to integrate engineering disciplines in a team-based design project.	Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships. Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners. Consider Peace Corps Prep, or scholarship opportunities through the National Scholarship Office. Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field. Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization. Mentor newer engineering students through a project team, student organization, research lab, or maker community. Present or demonstrate your senior design or research work to audiences beyond your project team.	Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps. Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers. Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity. Refine your portfolio with senior design, research, and internship work that demonstrates systems integration, testing, and multidisciplinary problem-solving. Translate your RAS experience into resumé accomplishments that show technical depth, teamwork, communication, and responsible engineering judgment.	Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter. Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey. Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities. Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation. Apply for robotics and autonomous-systems roles early, tailoring applications to the hardware, software, controls, or AI emphasis of each position. If pursuing graduate study, identify faculty and programs whose research aligns with your interests and prepare a focused statement of purpose.