This week, the University of Texas at Austin announced an exciting development: it has opened its undergraduate robotics program to high school students. This honors program is among the first in the U.S. to allow incoming freshmen to apply directly as part of their initial admission process, signaling a shift in the field of robotics from niche graduate and doctoral studies to more accessible undergraduate education.
The program offers a minor in robotics that is integrated with several key majors, including aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, computational engineering, computer science, and mechanical engineering. These disciplines serve as foundational elements of a comprehensive robotics major. As robotics education becomes more prevalent in high school STEAM curricula, this new program aims to engage and retain students’ interest in the rapidly growing field from an earlier stage.