Master of Science (MSc) Control and Robotics
Data Science, Signal and Image Processing

• 2-year fully accredited master’s degree
• Fully taught in English
• Open to applicants with a bachelor's degree or equivalent, in a field related to Science and Technology
• M1 & M2 entry
• 6-month Master's thesis/internship
• Next intake: every year in September

Interested in applying?

Find out about eligibility, application deadlines, English-language requirements, tuition fees and funding opportunities for Centrale Nantes MSc programmes.
 

• Visit our admissions page
• Apply online
• Contact our admissions team (admission6a572bfb-036c-4431-a54b-894e74fa1ee9@ec-nantes.fr)
• Applications for the 2027-28 intake open on 28 October 2026

About the programme

• The MSc in Data Science, Signal and Image Processing* (CORO DASSIP) focuses on understanding and developing state-of-the-art methodology for data analysis, machine learning and signal and image processing.
• The acquired knowledge concerns both theoretical foundations and practical applications of data science and information retrieval, essential for the development of cutting-edge numerical methods.
• The courses delve into advanced data analysis techniques, encompassing numerical mathematics, computational statistics, information theory, and scientific computing. Practical use is explored across various domains, including biomedical engineering, computational imaging, audio processing, industrial manufacturing, or remote sensing.
• A distinguishing feature of the program lies in its emphasis on designing methods and algorithms tailored to the specificity of the data. Both model-based (taking into account physical models and sensing devices) and data-based (relying on statistical and deep learning) approaches are considered, ensuring that the numerical implementation aligns with the specific requirements of the application context, data volume, and available computational resources.

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 of Science (MSc) in Data Science, Signal and Image Processing is fully accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space.

Customise your programme

Students applying for this programme can also apply to join the Integrated Master-PhD track, which brings together the two years of the Master's degree and three years of PhD studies. The Integrated Master-PhD track is designed to give high-potential students exposure to research activities from the M1 year.

Learn more about the Integrated Master-PhD track in Data Science, Signal and Image Processing

*previously entitled Signal and Image Processing

Meet the Programme Supervisors

Sébastien Bourguignon, M2 Programme Supervisor

Sébastien Bourguignon is a professor in Signal and Image Processing at Centrale Nantes. His interests concern inverse problems methodology, statistical inference and optimization algorithms, with applications in ultrasonic imaging, nondestructive testing, hyperspectral imaging, and astronomical and planetary data analysis.

Contact: sebastien.bourguignond782c9d4-6f67-4011-9221-9fbe1916e4e1@ec-nantes.fr

Elwan Héry, M1 Programme Supervisor 

Elwan Héry is an associate professor at Centrale Nantes and at the LS2N (Laboratory of Digital Sciences of Nantes) in the ARMEN team (Autonomous Robots and Control of Interactions with the Environment). His main research interests are in perception, localization and mapping for autonomous vehicles and mobile robots.

Olivier Kermorgant, Programme Supervisor Control and Robotics

Olivier Kermorgant is a graduate of Centrale Paris, with a PhD from Inria Rennes-Bretagne Atlantique. His career history includes a teaching position at Télécom Physique Strasbourg and a research engineer position at IRT Jules Verne, working on the prototyping of an autonomous mobile robot in the ship industry. Since 2015 he has been an associate professor at Centrale Nantes and a researcher in the LS2N in the ARMEN team.

 

Course Content

30 ECTS Credits per semester.
Language of instruction: English
 

M1 Year

M1 Year 2026/27

Autumn Semester Courses	ECTS	Spring Semester Courses	ECTS
Algorithmics and programming	4	Computer Vision	4
Artificial Intelligence	6	Image Processing	5
Classical Linear Control	5	Optimization Techniques	5
Mathematical Tools for Signals and Systems	4	Systems Identification and Signal Filtering	4
Embedded Computing	4	Spectral and Time Frequency Analysis	4
Signal Processing	5	Group Project	6
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

M2 Year 2026/27

Autumn Semester Courses	ECTS
Biomedical signals, images and methods	4
Design of signal and image representations	4
Machine learning, data analysis and information retrieval	4
Mathematical tools for signal and image processing	4
Signal and image restoration, inversion methods	4
Stochastic Methods	4
Advanced research project	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).

NB Course content may be subject to minor changes

 

M2 Year 2026/27

Spring Semester	ECTS
Master Thesis/Internship	30

 

Examples of previous internships:

 

• Analysis and visualization of physiological signals
• Inverse problems for lens-free imaging of nanostructured surfaces
• Survival analysis and graph representations
• Early fusion of multiple MRI sequences for enhancing pathologic case retrieval systems in radiology
• Coherence-based denoising for ultrasound small vessels imaging
• Target detection and segmentation algorithm based on deep learning and application of big data technology in satellite remote sensing
• Automatic reading recognition for pointer meters based on machine vision
• Synthetic data generation for privacy purposes
• Recognition of infrared protocols for AC systems using machine learning
• 3D and 4D data processing with quaternion tensor decompositions
• Simulation study of linearized weighted least square estimation for inverse polynomial model
• Joint sparse decomposition of multivariate signals based on optimal transport
• Machine vision for the quality Inspection of aircraft surfaces

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

• Understand the theoretical concepts underlying modern data processing methods (assumptions, limitations) and master their practical implementation
  • Informed user: make the best choice for analyzing a given data set (choose a method, set the parameters, implement)
• Identify how advanced data processing can achieve new results in science and engineering
  • Research: develop novel methodological tools and make scientific progress
• Acquire a solid background on real-life applications of signal, image and data processing in research and innovation
• Be aware of latest trends in AI-based techniques and become an expert in data science

 

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

• Identify models, perform simulations and analyse results
• Undertake a literature survey of existing works on a scientific problem
• Communicate comprehensive results in a meaningful way
• Manage and supervise research and innovation projects

Contribution to sustainable development goals

  Learn more about Centrale Nantes' commitment to the 17 sustainable development goals

Download syllabus | Control and Robotics | Data Science, Signal and Image Processing

• M1 Year
• M2 Year

Facilities and Research

Faculty and Research Facilities

The Master of Science (MSc) Data Science, Signal and Image Processing relies on Centrale Nantes’ faculty and the research facilities of the Laboratory of Digital Sciences in Nantes (LS2N) and, in particular, of the SIMS (Signal, Image and Sound) research group. The activity of the SIMS group is in the field of statistical signal and image processing. The research work carried out by the team members is based on methodological questions most often inspired by applied problems from a wide variety of fields, such as physics, biology, health, engineering and industrial instrumentation.

Collaboration

• Examples of companies with whom the programme has internship links: Airbus, Netatmo, Reliev, Octopize Mimethik Data, Changlan Technology Group Co.
• Examples of laboratories with whom the programme has internship links: Laboratory of Digital Sciences in Nantes (LS2N), Center for Research in Acquisition and Signal Processing for Health (CREATIS), Paris Institute of Earth Physics (IPGP), Centre for Studies on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Urban Planning (CEREMA), The computer science department, Laboratory of Informatics Paris Descartes (LIPADE), Institute of Research in Astrophysics and PLanetary Science, Toulouse, (IRAP), Nancy Centre for Research in Automatic Control (CRAN)

 

Campus facilities

Centrale Nantes houses 17 buildings on a 40-acre green campus.
In addition to the standard facilities of a university campus (classrooms, media library, computer rooms, etc.), it is home to a total of 13 research platforms, some of which are unique in France, and modern and varied sports facilities, the Kivo incubator and vibrant student life.

► Learn more about the campus

After the MSc

Where are our Control & Robotics graduates now?

Results of surveys conducted in 2025 of our 2023 graduates and in 2026 of our 2024 graduates. 57 respondents.

Image transcript

Job/PhD search duration:

• 74% find their first job in 6 months or less
• 67% secured their PhD in less than 6 months

Country of origin

• France - 4%
• Asia Pacific - 39%
• Europe other - 23%
• Africa - 12%
• Americas - 11%
• Middle East - 7%

Current country of residence

• France - 42%
• Europe other - 47%
• Asia Pacific - 9%
• Americas - 1%

 

• 50% earn a starting salary in excess of €40K
• 1 in 2 graduates pursuing a PhD continue in thir Master's thesis lab 
• 87% have a permanent work contract
• 93% recommend the programme

Career Prospects

• Sectors: health, communication, instrumentation technology, computer science, research and development
• Fields: biomedical engineering, industrial imaging, medical imaging, telecommunication engineering, audio engineering, data science, applied mathematics

Some examples of companies where our programme graduates are working:

• French Wine and Vine Institute
• Netatmo
• unabiz
• RF-TRACK
• Ellcie-Healthy
• Institute of Geochemistry
• Chinese Academy of Sciences

And of the positions they hold:

• Digital signal processing engineer
• Algorithm engineer

PhD Prospects

Examples of PhD theses pursued after the programme:

• Technical University of Munich, Germany,
  'Artificial Intelligence in Medicine'
• ENS Paris Saclay,  Laboratory of Signals and Systems
  'Data fusion and reconstruction algorithms in non-destructive testing of manufactured parts'
• Centrale Nantes, Laboratory of Digital Sciences of Nantes
  'Branch-and-bound algorithm for efficient resolution of sparse optimization problems'
  'Ultrasound image reconstruction with deep learning and optimization'
  'Development of the digital twin of a thermal-hydraulic system for predictive maintenance and supervision by machine learning'
  'Development and deployment of anonymous synthetic data solutions'
• Université de Rennes, Laboratory of Signal and Image Processing
  'Detecting and analyzing physical activity in older adults using wearable sensors towards frailty trajectory assessment'
• INSA Lyon, Center for Research in Acquisition and Signal Processing for Health (CREATIS)
  'Passive imaging of ultrasonic cavitation'

Why choose this MSc?

Five reasons why you should choose the MSc in Data Science, Signal and Image Processing at Centrale Nantes:
 

• Master advanced data processing techniques used across multiple sectors: health, biology, industrial manufacturing, audio, etc.
• Become an expert in AI-based techniques and data science 
• Fully taught in English for a cohort of international students
• Centrale Nantes is ranked 355th in the world for Engineering and Technology - QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026
• Accredited Master of Science (MSc) preparing for a PhD in France or abroad or for direct entry into the workplace

What our students say

Video transcript

Discover the Master of Science Control & Robotics
Precious: "I fell in love with the concept of control theory."
2 programmes:
 
MSc Advanced Robotics:
Modelling and control of complex robots in dynamic environments.
 
MSc Data Science, Signal and Image Processing
Data analysis, machine learning and signal processing.
 
Precious: "We are learning about modeling of robots, kinematics, and dynamics. We learn some signal and image processing."
Rafael: "We have very intensive math courses, so there's also a lot of practice, but there's also a lot of theory, which can be very good."
Precious: "We learn machine learning, artificial intelligence, we learn how to do lots of programming, and we learn French too."
Rafael: "We learn a little bit of everything and then put everything together to make something work."
M1 & M2 entry
2-year fully accredited master’s degree
Fully taught in English
6-month paid Master's thesis/internship
Research-led teaching with access to experimental facilities
 
Precious: "One thing I like about Centrale Nantes is that they give a lot of time to practical and laboratory work. Laboratories are giving enough time so that students can be able to achieve learning objectives."
Rafael: "Here they don't really focus on research and industry. You can have both options at the end of your studies here."
Precious: "One of the projects that stood out to me, it was titled: "Control of a Space Shuttle"."
Rafael: "I chose Centrale Nantes, mainly because of the reputation of the group Ecole Centrale here in France or even in Europe, and also because I really like the approach that the program takes in some of the robotic topics."
What do graduates do?
"44% went on to pursue a PhD 2 in 3 graduates in employment joined the company where they completed their Master’s thesis internship 90% remained in Europe for their first job or PhD"
Precious: "My core objective is to apply my knowledge of control and robotics to facilitating energy development in upcoming countries like Nigeria and some places in Africa too."
 
Rafael:" I think it was the best choice of my life. I really enjoyed the city, the university, my classmates, the professors."
Precious: "This place is so full of life. It's so full of so much to learn, so full of history. It's so inspiring."
Rafael: "I think you will not regret coming here. So yeah, come, do it !"
Ready to take the next step?
Explore, connect and discover:
Site : www.ec-nantes.fr
Instagram : centralenantes
LinkedIn : Centrale Nantes

• 
  Minghao | MSc Signal and Image Processing, Class of 2024

  September 25, 2023

  "I like the teaching style here. Professors teach from the easier to the deeper and they can talk hours about their fields confidently while fully open to doubts and questions as well."
• 
  Yuxin, PhD student | MSc Signal and Image Processing, Class of 2021

  January 3, 2024

  "After graduation, I hope to join a company specializing in medical ultrasound imaging, where I can actively contribute by addressing specific challenges and solving real-world problems for end-users."
• 
  Gargee, MSc Signal and Image Processing, Class of 2023

  May 13, 2024

  "Without the training and practical experience gained through this programme, I would not have been adequately prepared to contribute effectively to the project I am currently engaged in."