Robotics Master’s FAQs


Prospective Students | Accelerated Master’s | Internal Transfer & Dual Master’s Applicants | Current Students | Alumni

Prospective Students

What advantages does the Robotics Master’s program offer compared to other majors in the School of Engineering?

ROBO offers you the unique advantage and benefits associated with the GRASP Lab, with interdisciplinary curriculum, while being housed under the CIS department. As a ROBO student, you will receive all of the announcements of GRASP academic and industry related events, as well as the job and internship opportunities that are passed through our email lists from our industry connections and alumni network. The opportunity to conduct research under GRASP Lab Faculty is in high demand by all, and as a ROBO student these research connections are at your fingertips!

Requirements for the personal statement (*also required for internal Accelerated Master’s, Master’s transfer and dual Master’s requests)?

External Applicants: Please reference the personal statement recommended guidelines here.

Internal Applicants (Accelerated Masters, Internal Transfers or Dual Master’s): Please keep your personal statement to 1 page or less. In addition, feel free to describe your background, why you’re interested in the program, if you have any research experience, and what you plan to do with the ROBO degree after graduation.

Is there any Financial Aid for the Robotics Master‘s Program?

There is no departmental funding for Master’s students. A link to alternative funding sources can be found here and here for employment opportunities, here (under “Employment Resources”).

Is the MSE program based on coursework or research?

The Robotics M.S.E. requirements consist of a total of ten courses–at least three foundational courses, five technical elective courses, and at most two general elective courses. A thesis project is optional.

Can my TOEFL/IELTS score be waived?

Admissions policies are available on the Graduate Admissions How to Apply page. Please refer there for information about TOEFL/IELTS requirements. Additional information on admission policy FAQs, can be referenced here as well.

How long is the program?

The Robotics MSE program is usually 2 years and requires 10 course units. 

Can I transfer courses from other schools to count towards my Master’s degree?

Per University policy, courses counted towards and/or listed on an undergraduate degree transcript, will not be considered for graduate credit unless in an approved and awarded accelerated master’s/submatriculation program. A final transcript is required and a statement (either on the transcript or in a letter from your undergraduate department) that the course(s) was not counted towards your undergraduate degree.

If you meet the above criteria, please complete the Graduate Transfer of Credit Petition form, and obtain all related documents. If approved, a maximum of two courses may be transferred to a Master’s program, and credit will only be awarded for courses earning a grade of ‘B’ or higher.

Accelerated Master’s Course Proposal Form:
Accelerated Masters will be required to fill out the Proposed Graduate Course-Load Form and submit along with their application materials.

Accelerated Master’s Degree Program

When should I apply?

You may apply for the Accelerated Master’s Program at any point before the start of your senior year at Penn. 

What courses would be helpful to take before entering into the ROBO Master’s Program?

Linear Algebra (MATH 312) and Basic Programming (CIS 110 and CIS 120) are a great foundation. Probability and statistics is also very useful. Overall, the more programming the better, like taking CIS 240 and Python Programming can show confidence. 

Additional Application Requirements for Accelerated Master’s:

Please see the application requirements and process here. The Accelerated Master’s Application is now via CollegeNet.

In addition to the Penn Engineering requirements, undergraduate applicants must have a minimum cumulative STEM GPA of 3.2 in order to apply.

Students that entered Penn as an undergraduate in Fall 2017 or earlier fall under all Submatriculation rules. Students who entered undergraduate in Fall 2018 or later, adhere to Accelerated Master’s rules. See more here.

For students completing their undergraduate degree at Penn and enrolled in a master’s degree as a Submatriculant or Accelerated Master’s student, please note undergraduate status supersedes graduate status. All courses will appear on the student’s undergraduate transcript while still enrolled as an undergraduate.  The graduate degree cannot be conferred until all coursework for the undergraduate degree is complete. Additionally, all coursework for the master’s degree must be completed at Penn – no transfer credit, advanced standing, study abroad, or study away courses will be accepted.  Undergraduate coursework should be completed in eight semesters as a submatriculant; it must be completed in eight semesters under the accelerated master’s. The only exception is for coordinated dual-degree students in M&T and VIPER where students must complete and graduate with both undergraduate degrees in their first ten semesters.

Full information on Submatriculation and the Accelerated Master’s (Fall 2018 and later) can be found on the Engineering Undergraduate Submatriculation page.

Students external to Penn: Students at Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College may apply to the Accelerated Master’s 4+1 program. Full information on this program can be found here.

Internal Transfers & Dual Degree Students

I was accepted to another MS program at Penn, could I transfer to the Robotic’s Master Program/can I apply for a dual master’s degree?

Due to the high demand, we are unable to automatically accept transfer or dual masters requests from students in other Master’s programs at Penn. Students who are interested in applying to the Robotics Master’s Program from other programs at Penn will be afforded an opportunity to be considered as part of the regular admission process with the deadline of February 1st. Please note that acceptance to the robotics program is highly competitive and that there are typically many more applicants than places available. Applications will only be accepted after 1 semester is completed in your current program at Penn. Students may not apply during the final year of their current program.

Process for those that wish to apply to internally transfer from another department within SEAS:

  1. You must speak with your current program first. Then submit your personal statement of 1 page or less, plus any additional documents including resume, letters of recommendation, etc. which are optional to robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu by February 1st.
  2. Submit your transfer request via the form here to complete the application process.
  3. Submitting your transfer application serves as permission to access your original graduate application to Penn to be considered during the review process; GRE scores are optional.
  4. Decisions will be released 8-10 weeks after the February 1st deadline.

Process for those that wish to apply for a Dual Master’s with ROBO from another department within SEAS:

  1. You must speak with your current program first. Then submit your personal statement of 1 page or less and the Curriculum Plan, plus any additional documents including resume, letters of recommendation, etc. which are optional to robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu by February 1st.
  2. Submit your Dual Master’s request via the form here to complete the application process.
  3. Submitting your dual Master’s application serves as permission to access your original graduate application to Penn to be considered during the review process; GRE scores are optional.
  4. Decisions will be released 8-10 weeks after the February 1st deadline.

Additional Information for Internal Transfer Students:

After completing at least one semester in the original program for which you were accepted and matriculated, Penn Engineering master’s students may request to be considered for a transfer to another Engineering Master’s Program. Please see the question above on the application process. As with the request to be considered for a dual degree, candidates are expected to have the appropriate background for the second master’s program. They will be evaluated by both their original program and the new program to which they wish to transfer. Each on-campus student is only allowed to submit one transfer application during their studies at Penn Engineering. Incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline noted above will not be reviewed.

Please note program transfers are for on-campus programs only.

Additional Information for Dual Master’s Students:

Students interested in pursuing a dual Master’s degree in Penn Engineering should submit an Application for the Dual Master’s Degree in Penn Engineering after completing at least one semester with a minimum GPA of 3.50. Please see the first question in this section for more details on the application process. Approval and signatures of the Program Directors from both departments along with a personal statement explaining why they wish to pursue the dual degree are required.  Students must complete a minimum of sixteen (16) course units including up to four (4) course units that satisfy both degree requirements as indicated on the application. Each on-campus student is only allowed to submit one dual master’s degree application during their studies at Penn Engineering. If a student who has been approved for a dual degree decides to graduate with just one of the two degrees, the student can only drop the later program but not the original program that the student was admitted into. Incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline noted above will not be reviewed.

Please note dual degrees are only approved for on-campus programs.

How do I submit a recommendation letter?

Please have your letter writer email their letter directly to the ROBO Graduate Coordinator, robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu.

Current Students

How do I select an advisor?

A welcome email will be sent to all admitted students that accepted their admission after June 1st with details on course selection and advisor preferences. There is no need to reach out to an advisor ahead of time since we will be assigning the students to our faculty members.

How do I request a permit to enroll in a class or to be added to a waitlist?

Links to all departmental permit and/or waitlist forms can be found here.

I would like a course to be counted as a technical elective, how can I do that?

Students are welcome to petition for a course to be counted as a technical elective with valid reasoning, as long as the course in question is not listed on this page. Please keep in mind that approval of your petition is not guaranteed.

The petition for action form can be found on the Penn Engineering Graduate Forms page. Once the petition form is signed by your ROBO advisor, please email the completed form to robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu. The Graduate Coordinator will then submit your materials for review by the ROBO Program Chair and you can expect to hear a decision in one week.

If I enroll in ROBO 597, what happens if I decide to not continue with thesis after completing the 1st semester?

Typically students would need to take another elective in its place; finishing the degree with 11 CU’s.

Are there any TA/RA positions available in your department?

TA positions are provided through the departments. RA positions through the GRASP Lab are limited and setup directly with the faculty. Students may inquire about these opportunities towards the end or after their first semester on campus.

A new course is available but not on the Robotics master’s list, can I count it towards my degree?

Any graduate level course (500 level or above) in Mathematics, MCIT, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering, will automatically count as a general elective. If you feel you have good reasoning, you may petition for it to count as a technical elective, but it is not a guaranteed approval. Petition for Action form can be found here.

If I plan to graduate with ten courses taken, do I have to take three courses for two semesters and four courses for one semester? 

Many ROBO students decide to take courses with these splits 3-3-2-2 or 3-2-3-2 in the Fall and Spring Semesters. Some have also split up their courses 3-3-3-1. Summers are usually set aside for internships (CPT for International students) and research opportunities. The program is very flexible in that way!

International Students must be considered “full time” students in order to comply with visa regulations. Full time status consists of 3 CU’s, so international students must plan to take at least 3 CU’s per semester and apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) for their final semester. If you have any questions, please meet with your ISSS advisor to discuss your request.

Is it possible to transfer to another MSE program in SEAS?

Yes, you may apply to transfer to another Master’s Program after the completion of your first semester. Please see corresponding MSE program requirements. The transfer form can be found here.

I need a letter to (examples listed): (1) verify my Full-time status, (2) verify that I am in good academic standing, (3) verify my expected date of graduation, (4) verify my dates of enrollment, (5) verify my degree awarded, (6) confirm that Penn does not rank students, or (7) invitation letter for the graduation ceremony?

Use the “Request a Letter” Form here.

Alumni

How do I get my Alumni email?

Here are instructions for receiving your alumni email: https://www.alumni.upenn.edu/s/1587/gid2/16/interior.aspx?sid=1587&gid=2&pgid=15207

How do I request a letter?

Email rasforms@seas.upenn.edu with your specific request.