Resources for Incoming ROBO Master’s Students

The University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science offers a unique master's degree in Robotics (ROBO). This multi-disciplinary program is jointly sponsored by the Departments of Computer and Information Science, Electrical and Systems Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics.

Getting Started

Welcome to the Robotics Graduate Program at the University of Pennsylvania! We look forward to you starting the ROBO Program at Penn and are excited to work together in making your graduate career here productive and enjoyable. Here are a few key resources to help you get started:

Registering for Courses

Path@Penn– All course listings, schedules, and registration

Some courses require permits or waitlists, links to permit/waitlist forms for each department can be found here. At the start of the Fall semester, you will have about two weeks to add and drop courses, giving you the opportunity to make enrollment changes if you wish.

Reference guides on how to use Path@Penn can be found here.

Here are some other important resources to consult throughout your time in the program:

ROBO Curriculum Page – Familiarize yourself with which courses can count towards your foundational, technical, and general electives
Penn Engineering’s Graduate Academic Calendar – Be sure to mark important deadlines (such as Add/Drop, and Advanced Registration) in your personal calendar!
Tuition Billing Schedule – Know when you will be billed for the courses you are enrolled in.
Graduate Student Request Forms – Bookmark this page! All important forms for SEAS Grad Students can be found here, from the Petition for Action form, to graduation registration links.

Advising

ROBO MSE students are able to submit 2 preferences for their Faculty Advisor from our list of GRASP Faculty Advisors. Your Faculty Advisor will provide guidance on coursework, research, and post-graduation planning throughout your time in the program. We encourage students to familiarize themselves with our GRASP Faculty, and choose a Faculty Advisor whose research areas align with their own interests and goals. If a student does not wish to choose their advisor, one will be assigned to them.

Advisor preferences may be sent to robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu after June 20.

ROBO students should plan to meet with their Faculty Advisor once per semester to discuss their course plan, post-graduation plans, or to inquire about research opportunities or other resources.

Keep in Mind: ROBO students are permitted to engage in research with any faculty member at Penn, not solely your assigned advisor.

Other than your assigned Faculty Advisor, the Robotics Graduate Program Director, Dr. Ani Hsieh, is available to provide advising assistance, as is the Robotics Graduate Coordinator.

Participating in Research

Robotics MSE students are encouraged (though not required) to participate in research during their time in the Program. If students would like to earn credit towards their degree while pursuing research at Penn, options include Master’s Thesis (ROBO 5970) and/or Independent Study (ROBO 5990).

Outside of these courses, students are welcome to participate in research independently from their coursework. We encourage ROBO students to connect with GRASP Faculty members to inquire about current projects and potential collaborations. For more information, or to find out best contacts for research inquiries, please visit the Research and Your ROBO Degree page.

International Students

All International Students at Penn will be assigned an ISSS Advisor. This is your best contact for all questions pertaining to your I-20, visa requirements, and check-in procedures.

If you are in need of a travel letter, please send an email to robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu with your full name (as it appears on your passport), birth date, and country of citizenship. With this information we will be able to produce a travel letter within 72 hours (typically sooner).

Applying for CPT – All information regarding CPT procedures at Penn Engineering can be found here.

ROBO Student Contacts

If you have a program-related question that is best suited for a current student, the following current ROBO MSE student has graciously volunteered to answer questions from the incoming class:

Anisha Singrodia – singroa@seas.upenn.edu
Derek Cheng – derekch@seas.upenn.edu
Jason Xie – jchunx@seas.upenn.edu
Vaidehi Som – somv@seas.upenn.edu
Kedar Karpe (ROBO ’23) – karpenet@seas.upenn.edu
Pankti Hitesh Parekh (ROBO ’23) – pankti81@alumni.upenn.edu
Ruchi Gupte (ROBO ’23) – ruchi123@alumni.upenn.edu
Venkata Gurrala (ROBO ’22) – vgurrala@alumni.upenn.edu
Zeeshan Islam (ROBO ’23) – zeeshan2@alumni.upenn.edu
Zhiyang Chen (ROBO ’23) – zychen@seas.upenn.edu

QUESTIONS

Graduate Coordinator for ROBO
Office: 459 Levine
robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu