- Engineering & Technology
- B.S.
- Jack Baskin School of Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
Program overview
The UCSC robotics engineering program prepares graduates for rewarding careers at the interfaces between electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering. UCSC robotics engineering graduates will have a thorough grounding in the principles and practices of robotics and control, and the scientific and mathematical principles upon which they are built; they will be prepared for further education (both formal and informal) and for productive employment in industry.
The program objectives of the UCSC B.S. in robotics engineering are:
- Graduates who choose to pursue a career in industry, government, or academia will become successful engineers, scientists, or educators who demonstrate strong leadership, technical, and team skills, and a commitment to continuing professional development.
- Graduates who choose to pursue advanced degrees will gain admission to graduate programs and will be successful graduate students.
Learning Experience
Departmental faculty focus on multidisciplinary hardware and software research including embedded and autonomous systems, digital media and sensor technology, assistive technologies, and robotics. Students complete a senior design capstone course and choose either a corporate-sponsored project or their own. Undergraduates contribute to Computer Engineering Department research activities as independent study students, paid employees and participants in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)s.
Study and Research Opportunities
- B.S. in robotics engineering
- robotics and control designated emphasis (graduate minor)
First-Year Requirements
Please see the current UC Santa Cruz General Catalog for a full description of the BSOE admissions policy.
High School Preparation
It is recommended that high school students applying to the BSOE have completed four years of mathematics and three years of science in high school, if possible one year each of chemistry, physics, and biology. Comparable college mathematics and science courses completed at other institutions may be accepted in place of high school preparation.
Transfer Requirements
This is a screening major.
- By the end of the fall term in which you are applying, you must have completed at least four (4) of the lower-division course requirements from the list below.
- By the end of your last spring term in community college, you must complete an additional two (2) lower-division course requirements from the list below.
- All lower-division requirements must be completed with a minimum 2.80 GPA.
- All lower-division requirements completed will be counted toward the GPA.
Math19A
Math 19B
AM 10/Math 21
AM 20/Math 24
PHYS 5A/L
PHYS 5C/N
Note: For students applying for admission for fall 2026 or later, CSE 12, Computer Systems and Assembly Language and Lab, will also be required for admission.
Internships and Career Opportunities
- Assistive technologies
- Control system design
- Embedded system design
- Remote sensing
- Robotics and autonomous systems
- Signal/image/video processing
These are only samples of the field’s many possibilities.
Many students find internships and fieldwork to be a valuable part of their academic experience. They work closely with faculty and career advisers in the UC Santa Cruz Career Center to identify existing opportunities and often to create their own internships with local companies or in nearby Silicon Valley. For more information about internships, visit intern.ucsc.edu.
The Wall Street Journal recently ranked UCSC as the number two public university in the nation for high-paying jobs in engineering.
Program Contact
apartment Baskin School of Engineering Building
email soeadmissions@soe.ucsc.edul
phone (831) 459-5840