MSc Control and Robotics
Advanced Robotics (CORO IMARO)

The main objective of this specialism in Control and Robotics is to master the modelling and control of complex robots evolving in dynamic environments by using proprioceptive and exteroceptive perception. The focus is on advanced robotics, but more generally the specialism deals with modern techniques in systems engineering for the modelling, simulation, optimisation, analysis, and control of a variety of robotics systems. It also takes into account the modelling and perception of the environment.

The quality of this Control and Robotics programme has been recognized by the European Union: it is currently involved in the Japan-Europe Master on Advanced Robotics (JEMARO, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters) and previously involved in the European Master on Advanced Robotics (EMARO+ Erasmus Mundus programme).

The programme of study lasts two academic years - denoted by M1 and M2 and is taught in English. It comprises three study semesters followed by a paid Master's thesis / internship in the final semester.

Our Master's programmes in Control and Robotics are fully accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

Students enrolled in the M1 year are eligible to apply for the EMARO Joint MSc Programme and spend their M2 year either the University of Genoa, Italy or Warsaw University of Technology, Poland.

• Learn more about the Joint Master Programme

Contribution to sustainable development goals

30 ECTS Credits per semester.
Language of instruction: English
 

M1 Year - 2023/24

Autumn Semester Courses	ECTS	Spring Semester Courses	ECTS
Signal Processing	5	Group Project	6
Classical Linear Control	5	Optimization Techniques	5
Artificial Intelligence	6	Mobile Robots	5
Modelling of Manipulators	4	Dynamic Model Based Control	4
Advanced and Robot Programming	4	Software Architecture for Robotics	4
Mechanical Design Methods in Robotics	4	Computer Vision	4
Modern Languages *	2	Modern Languages *	2

* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English' or Spanish (depending on sufficient demand).
NB Course content may be subject to minor changes

M2 Year - 2023/24

Autumn Semester Courses	ECTS
Advanced modelling of robots	6
Research methodology	5
Task-based control	5
Advanced visual geometry ±	4
Soft robot modelling ±	4
Autonomous vehicle ±	4
Optimal kinematic design ±	4
Modern Languages *	2

* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English' or Spanish (depending on sufficient demand).
± Elective courses (choose 3 out of 4)
NB Course content may be subject to minor changes
 

Spring Semester	ECTS
Master thesis / internship	30

 

Examples of previous internships:

• Automated prediction of road surface roughness using lidar data
• Multi-robot localization and control for infrastructure monitoring
• Epileptic seizure detection based on ECG signal processing
• Fully actuated hexarotor with tilted rotors
• Stiffness analysis of a surgical robot designed for otological endoscopic surgery
• Task allocation for multi-robot system
• Intuitive task coordination with a humanoid robot
• Dataset building strategies for semi-supervised learning and active learning applied to spatio-temporal and multi-sensors-based data
• Online trajectory planning to avoid dynamic obstacles for a 7-DoF robot arm
• Design and test of a TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) Delivery System handle actuation module

NB Internships undertaken in France are strictly regulated and are only open to current full-time students of an accredited educational institution. Interns are entitled to all the rights guaranteed to regular employees (such as social protection and redress mechanisms). For internships that exceed two months in duration a minimum level of remuneration is set by the government, at approximately €600 per month. In some professional branches, this amount may be higher.

Skills developed

• Master the different fields of advanced robotics and intelligent robots (Kinematic and dynamic modeling, Dynamic control, Dedicated computing, Perceptual organs, Mechanical design).
• Take a global approach to the design and implementation of robotic systems in their environment.
• Have a frame of reference of application cases in fast-growing sectors (production robotics, autonomous vehicle, humanoid robotics, etc.)

In addition to the above specialism-specific skills, students will also develop more general skills:

 

• Identify models, perform simulation and analyse results
• Communicate comprehensive results in a meaningful way
• Undertake bibliographic surveys of international research and professional literature
• Manage or be part of a project

Download syllabus | Control and Robotics - Advanced Robotics

• M1 Year
• M2 Year

Faculty and Research Facilities

This Control and Robotics programme relies on Centrale Nantes faculty and the research facilities of the Laboratory of Digital Sciences of Nantes (LS2N).

Focus on unique resources

The students have access to LS2N research facilities - autonomous vehicles, drones (airborne / underwater), robotic arms, parallel robots, cable robots etc. - typically during their first year project work or second year thesis.

Autonomous Vehicles

 

The "Autonomous Vehicles" research facility allows the LS2N to integrate and evaluate the approaches under development in autonomous mobile robotics around the themes of environment perception, understanding of scenarios and multi-sensor referenced control. The platform includes 3 instrumented vehicles (sensors, computers and man-machine interfaces), 2 of which are fully robotized by the "Drive-by-wire" robotization kit developed by the ARMEN research group in the LS2N.

Cable-driven parallel robots

 

This platform consists of five cable robot demonstrators and a set of end-effectors and sensors. The platform is designed to experimentally validate work on the design, modelling, identification and control of cable robots.

Companies / institutions with links to the MSc programme

• Apply online on the eCandidat platform
• 2024/25 intake: applications open on 30 October 2023

Application process

Application rounds

• Applications are reviewed in rounds. M1 applicants may apply in any of the three M1 rounds, and M2 applicants in either of the two M2 rounds. Applications should be submitted on the eCandidat platform as early as possible, but before the deadlines below;
• Applications are not considered 'complete' until all required elements are submitted. Only complete applications received by the round's deadline will be considered in that round;
• The admissions board reviews applications at the conclusion of each round and notifies each applicant of the outcome of their application;

Accepting your place

• Successful applicants must accept their place on the eCandidat platform by the deadlines below;
• The first installment of tuition fees must be paid by the deadlines below to definitively secure the applicant's place on the programme.

Deadlines for the 2024-25 intake

	M1 | Round 1	M1 | Round 2	M1 | Round 3	M2 | Round 1	M2 | Round 2
Submit your complete application by ...	13 Dec	20 Feb	28 Apr	31 Mar	28 Apr
You will be notified of the outcome of your application by ...	25 Jan	15 Mar	23 May	25 Apr	23 May
Accept your place by ...	8 Feb	29 Mar	6 Jun	9 May	6 Jun
Pay your first tuition installment by .... to qualify for a reduction in tuition fees (international non-European students)	25 Feb   *	15 Apr **	N/A	25 May ***	N/A
Pay your first tuition installment by .... with no reduction in tuition fees	25 Mar	15 May	15 Jun	15 Jun	15 Jun

Early Bird Applications 2024-25

• * A reduction of €1,500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• ** A reduction of €500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the second admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• *** A reduction of €1,500 for the M2 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements for the first year (M1)

• International students with a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Technology) or equivalent, in a field related to Science and Technology
• French and European students with a 'license' qualification or equivalent.
• Students must have graduated from the above before the end of August in order to enrol in a Master's Programme at Centrale Nantes in September.
• Applicants must have a good level in Mathematics and be fluent in English - written and spoken. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit a certificate, which is no older than three years, for a recognised international test of English*:
  • TOEFL - IBT 80, or ITP 550, paper-delivered test 60, TOEFL Home edition is accepted,
  • Cambridge B2 First Test - 173 or higher,
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced Test - 160 or higher,
  • IELTS - 6.5 or higher, IELTS Online test is accepted
  • TOEIC - 800 or higher.
• Applicants who carried out their studies in English (you must provide an official confirmation letter from your university) are eligible without passing such a test, but providing the results of a recognized international test can add value to the application.
• Students who completed their studies in the countries listed below are exempted from submitting a language certificate: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, English-speaking Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

*no other test is recognised.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.

Admission requirements for the second year (M2)

Students who have successfully completed a first year MSc programme can apply for the second year MSc programme.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.

Required documents

When applying for a Centrale Nantes MSc Programme you will be asked to provide the following documents:
 

• Your official transcripts
• A CV/Resume and cover letter
• Your diploma
• Proof of English proficiency
• Two letters of recommendation
• Your passport or other form of official identification

Your documents must be uploaded in English or French. If the original version of your documents is not in one of these two languages, a certified translation by a sworn translator is required.

Apply online

Apply online on the eCandidat platform
 

How to use the eCandidat platform:

 

• Download the user guide
• Connect to eCandidat: https://ecandidat.ec-nantes.fr
• Use the flag (page top right) to select your language.
• Start off by creating your account.
• No application fees.

Your application in 5 easy steps:

Contact and admissions support

Master Admission Office

master.admission@ec-nantes.fr
Tel: +33.2.40.37.68.36 / 33.2.40.37.68.51

Chinese students: lichunlai@ec-nantes.cn
Indian students: application@galaxy-edu.com

Tuition Fees

International students (non-European)

• * A reduction of €1,500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• * A reduction of €500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the second admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• ** A reduction of €1,500 for the M2 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.

European students

€243 per year
 

Financing your studies

Scholarships

Other ways to help you finance your way through your studies:

• Paid 6-month internship
  You will be paid for your 6-month Master's thesis / internship in France. For internships undertaken in France that exceed two months in duration a minimum level of remuneration is set by the government, at approximately €600 per month. In some professional branches, this amount may be higher.
• Work alongside your studies
  You are entitled to work part-time alongside your studies, to earn some extra money. This option is available for both European and non-European students, but different rules apply. Learn more
• Help with your rent
  French and international students are eligible to receive financial support (known as APL in French) from the CAF (Caisses d'Allocations Familiales). The CAF is a French government organism that covers part of the monthly cost of rent paid for student accommodation – the allocated amount depends on the type of accommodation and on your income. Learn more (in French)

Career Prospects

• Sectors: Aeronautics, Automotive, Transportation, Wind and Marine Energy, Materials Producers, Consulting
• Fields: Mechanical Engineering, Robotics engineering, Design, Materials, Advanced Processes, Manufacturing, Research and Innovation
• Positions: Mechanical Engineer, Robotics engineer, Process Engineer, Design Engineer, Research and Innovation Engineer (post PhD)

Where are they now?

Read what our students and graduates have to say about the programme:

• 
  Minh Quân, MSc Control and Robotics, Class of 2020

  August 2, 2023

  "I am grateful for the chance to study in Centrale Nantes and the support I’ve received from its staff ..."

Virtual Tour