As an undergraduate, Aaron Thomas loved working with robots. He dove into Computer-Aided Design (CAD), joined a university Mars Rover team, and took part in a few research groups with medical robotics manufacturing teams. Wanting more so he could join the industry, he sought a master’s degree that would make him a competitive candidate. He got in contact with several impressive faculty at different graduate robotics programs.
But it was only at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering’s that Thomas found something special. “The main thing that set Duke’s Master of Engineering in Robotics & Autonomy program apart was that the professors were very quick to get back to me and said, ‘We’ll do our best to make this educational experience tailored to you’,” he says.
The program combines advanced technical training with leadership, ethical development, and hands-on experience—exactly what Thomas was looking for. Its mission is to equip graduates to lead impactful innovation in robotics and autonomy today – a mission Thomas has already begun to fulfill.
“During my medical robotics class, my professor set me up to work on a real project with a local company in the medical robotics field,” he says. “That led to an internship, and the plan is for that to transition into a full-time job after graduation.”
Master’s student Nohemi Sepulveda at work in the lab. For the past two years, Duke Engineering has been steadily expanding its robotics curriculum. Source: Duke University
Built for the real world
Nohemi Sepulveda, another second-year student, studied Math and Spanish in college. After graduating, she became a Fulbright Scholar, teaching in Spain, Mexico, and India. It wasn’t until she joined an internship with NASA that she got exposed to the world of engineering.
That was when she realized she wanted to strengthen her technical knowledge and pursue robotics more seriously.
“For me, coming from a non-engineering, non-robotics background, the program has been really welcoming and challenged me without being scary,” Sepulveda says. “You’re going to have support. It does a great job making you feel like you belong.”
Now in her second year, Sepulveda is loving how action-driven the program is. It feels refreshing, considering she had spent most of her undergraduate years working on theoretical math.
“I’ve been learning how to really become an engineer,” she says. “Having that hands-on project experience has been really great, because prior to Duke, I didn’t really get to have that.”
Thomas agrees. “The program has transformed me as an engineer by giving me hands-on exposure to advanced research and skilled individuals,’ he says. “I’ve gotten so much experience with professional robots and robotics tools.”
The Master of Engineering in Robotics & Autonomy program offers breadth and depth of training that is currently extremely rare to find in undergraduate programs alone. Source: Duke University
The program will train students to become full-stack roboticists ready to translate their degree directly into the marketplace. You might shadow professionals in Duke’s world-class medical center, use the surgical resident simulation lab, or work with startups in entrepreneurship programs.
Ethics isn’t taught in the abstract, either. You learn from guest speakers, including leaders from organizations like OpenAI. You’ll visit labs to see how automation is changing healthcare and take part in exercises that help you think critically about the impact of your work on future technology and society.
Most of all, you’ll be designing and building robots, using professional tools and state-of-the-art integrated systems.
The programs close connection to Duke’s research efforts further strengthens the experience. Faculty members are developing new control, optimization, and artificial intelligence methods for autonomous systems that can make intelligent decisions in uncertain and unpredictable environments. Their work span robotics, cyber-physical systems, medical devices, and more. You might even get to explore projects like creating your own chatbot for healthcare or building a quadruped robot from scratch in just one semester.
Of course, the experience at Duke is just as focused on your success and well-being. From the moment you arrive, you’ll have access to start-to-finish support. Career Services provides tailored resources for master’s students, including one-on-one coaching, resume reviews, interview prep, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. There’s even a dedicated career course specifically for robotics and autonomy students, featuring guest speakers from the industry.
For Sepulveda, the journey has opened exciting doors. “I would like to continue working in the space industry, and this year I received a grant [competitive NC Space Grant] to do space research while I’m in school,” she says. “After graduation, I’ll be working for the US Department of Defense doing flight test engineering work at Edwards Air Force Base.”
Learn more about the program at Pratt School of Engineering.
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