Doctoral Program in Robotics (PhD)
The Robotics doctoral program is committed to preparing students to be world-class researchers. Graduates of the program will take a leading role in the development of future generations of integrated robotics technologies and systems.
The program is inherently interdisciplinary, bringing together areas of research that would otherwise be spread across different departments or separate universities.
Requirements for the degree include coursework, a research qualifier, and submission of a thesis that describes original, independent research.
Doctoral students typically complete the program in five to six years. In the first two years of the program, students split their time between research and coursework.
Upon completion of the coursework and other basic requirements (such as demonstrating writing and speaking skills, and TA’ing), students focus entirely on research in both independent and collaborative environments.
The following table indicates estimates for an appropriate distribution of effort in the Ph.D. program. It is based on actual student performance over the past few years; it also corresponds to the faculty's judgment of realistic estimates of the time required by various components of the program. These figures are meant to be suggestive, not prescriptive. We present them so that all faculty and students can develop a shared image of the expectations of the program.
| COMPONENT | INTENSITY | DURATION | TOTAL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robotics Orientation | full-time | one week | one week |
| Courses | 1/2 time | 1 sem each | 4 sem |
| Teaching | 1/4 time | 2 sem | 2 sem |
| Skills | variable | variable | variable |
| Directed Research | 1/2 time | * | 5-7 sem |
| Thesis Proposal | 1/2 time | 2 sem | 1 sem |
| Thesis | full-time | until done | 2-4 sem |
| Good Works | variable | often | -- |
Students are involved in every aspect of research – from initial problem formulation to the final publication of results. Research is conducted in the laboratories of the Robotics Institute under the supervision of faculty advisers and in collaboration with student colleagues. Students in the PhD program are awarded a yearly graduate fellowship, which includes tuition, activity fees, and a stipend, as long as they maintain good standing in the program.
Read More about the Course of Study (PDF)
Find out more about current Robotics Institute faculty and their ranked research interests.