Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

Overview

Do you like to take things apart to see how they work? Have you been fascinated with robots ever since you first saw R2D2 and C3PO steal the stage in Star Wars? If so, artificial intelligence and robotics could be the major for you. For years, robots have been used in many fields, from manufacturing, to transportation, to medicine. In this exciting program, you’ll gain computer, engineering, and scientific know-how to design your own robots.

Artificial intelligence and robotics is a multi-disciplinary field, and the courses you pursue depend on which aspect of the major interests you most. If you want to design the robot body, take classes in mechanical and electrical engineering. If you’re more interested in designing robot minds and behaviors, then you’ll need a background in both electrical engineering and computer science. Finally, if you’re interested in animal-inspired robotics, then take biology, animal behavior, and cognitive science classes, so you can understand exactly what you’re trying to mimic. No matter what your specialty, an artificial and robotics major will include math and computer classes covering the basics of programming languages, algorithm design, operating systems, data structures, logic, and probability theory and statistics. Finally, as with most experimental sciences, you’ll also take classes in ethics and philosophy.