Courses on the cutting edge of technology

From advanced physics to machine movement to artificial intelligence, the MRE program delivers a rounded and demanding four-year program that covers every aspect of the field. Many of the MRE instructors are award-winning educators, having received student-nominated teaching awards while leading the newly developed MRE courses. 

 

From advanced physics to machine movement to artificial intelligence, the MRE program delivers a rounded and demanding four-year program that covers every aspect of the field.

  • Signals and Systems
  • Sensors and Electric Actuators
  • Introduction to Robotics
  • Industrial Automation
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power
  • Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
  • Data Structures and Algorithms
  • Intelligent Machines and Autonomous Systems
  • Mechatronics and Robotics Design I to IV

Tools that bring the future to the classroom

Queen’s MRE program brings globally leading hardware and software into the classroom, letting students get hands-on with some of the planet’s most sophisticated equipment.

Curriculum & Scheduling

Each graduating cohort is named after the year they would have graduated following the standard four-year track without an internship (e.g., if your first year is 2026-2027, then you are "Class of 2030"). Cohorts follow the academic calendar based on their year of admission to ensure graduation requirements remain consistent. If there are curriculum changes, your cohort will continue to follow the original requirements from when you started the program, allowing you to complete your degree on your planned timeline without facing new course or credit distribution changes. Even if you take an internship, you will still follow the cohort requirements corresponding to the graduation year four years from your entry. For example, if you enter first year Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering in 2026, then you follow "Class of 2030" Academic Plan even if you choose to complete an internship and you graduate in 2031. The same rule applies to students who have off-cycle academic plans due to any other reason, including accomodations.  

 

Please consult the Academic Calendar or contact the program directly if you have any questions about course/credit requirements for your cohort. Please note that the SOLUS Academic Progress report is not accurate for MREN at this time. 

MRE Curriculum (as of the 2026-2027 Academic Year)

  Fall Winter
First Year APSC 101/102 Engineering Practice (Modules 1 and 2) MREN 103 Mechatronics & Robotics Design I
APSC 111 Physics I APSC 112 Physics II
APSC 131 Chemistry and Materials APSC 172 Calculus II
APSC 143 Intro. to Computer Programming APSC 174 Introduction to Linear Algebra
APSC 162 Engineering Graphics APSC 182 Applied Engineering Mechanics
APSC 171 Calculus I MREN 178 Data Structures and Algorithms
Second Year MREN 230 Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer  MREN 203 Mechatronics & Robotics Design II
MTHE 237 Differential Equations ELEC 232 Mathematical Methods II
MECH 221 Statics and Solid Mechanics MREN 223 Signals and Systems
MECH 229 Kinematics and Dynamics MREN 241 Fluid Mechanics & Fluid Power
ELEC 221 Electric Circuits ELEC 252 Electronics I
ELEC 271 Digital Systems ELEC 274 Computer Architecture
**Transfer students only: MREN104 Mechatronics and Robotics Design Project
Third Year MREN 318 Sensors and Electric Actuators MREN 303 Mechatronics & Robotics Design III
MECH 350 Automatic Controls  MREN 320 Introduction to Industrial Automation
ELEC 326 Probability and Random Processes MREN 348 Introduction to Robotics
ELEC 371 Microprocessor Interfacing and Embedded Systems ELEC 372 Numerical Methods and Optimization
*ELEC 353 Electronics II AND/OR
MECH 321 Solid Mechanics II
*ELEC 373 Computer Networks OR
MECH 323 Machine Design I
Complementary Studies #1 APSC 221 Economics & Business

*Note: Third year MRE students have an alternate core choice involving ELEC 353 (Electronics II, Fall), ELEC 373 (Computer Networks, Winter), MECH 321 (Solid Mechanics II, Fall), and MECH 323 (Machine Design I, Winter). The combination options are: ELEC 353 and ELEC 373; MECH 321 and MECH 323 (321 is a prereq to 323); MECH 321 and ELEC 373; or ELEC 353 and MECH 321 (please consult with MRE office if you are interested in this combination as both are in the fall term, which would move your complementary studies to the winter term). 

Fourth Year MREN 403 Mechatronics & Robotics Design IV (2 terms, Fall and Winter)
MREN 410 Intelligent Machines and Autonomous Systems (Fall term)
Two Complementary Studies (term dictated by timetable)
Three Free Technical Electives (any course at the 200, 300 or 400 level from the Engineering Calendar, timetable permitting)
Four Primary Technical Electives (example concentration themes below)

Recommended Concentration Themes

Although there is no formal concentration of electives in the Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering Curriculum, the following groupings are provided in order to give students some guidance in areas where they may wish to concentrate their studies.

Class of 2025 and 2026 may select any five courses from the "Recommended Concentration" list in any combination (dependent on schedule), and are not limited to courses within a specific theme grouping. For class of 2027 and later, students may select any four courses from the "Recommended Concentration" list in any combination (dependent on schedule), and are not limited to courses within a specific theme grouping. 

In the event of any discrepancies, the Smith Engineering Academic Calendar serves as the definitive and official record. Please confirm course availability each year in the Smith Engineering Calendar.

Automation Robotics
MECH 423 Introduction to Microsystems (W) MTHE 430 Control Theory (F)
MECH 465 Computer Aided Design (F) ELEC 436 Electric Machines and Control (F)
MECH 495 Ergonomics and Design (F) ELEC 446 Autonomous Mobile Robotics (F)
ELEC 345 Sensor Fabrication Technologies (not offered 26/27) ELEC 472 Artificial Intelligence (W)
ELEC 436 Electric Machines and Control (F) ELEC 475 Computer Vision with Deep Learning (F)
ELEC 431 Power Electronics (F) CMPE 454 Computer Graphics (W)
Biomedical Intelligent Systems
MECH 393 Biomechanical Product Design (W) ELEC 425 Machine Learning and Deep Learning (F)
MECH 394 Frontiers in Biomechanical Engineering (F) ELEC 472 Artificial Intelligence (W)
MECH 478 Biomaterials (F) ELEC 475 Computer Vision with Deep Learning (F)
MECH 495 Ergonomics and Design (F) CMPE 351 Advanced Data Analytics (W)
ELEC 408 Biomedical Signal & Image Processing (W) CMPE 325 Human Computer Interaction (W)
Research
MECH 461 Research Project (W) OR ELEC 497 Research Project (FW) can also be taken as primary technical electives and each course counts as one primary elective. Projects in ELEC 497 and MECH 461 must be mechatronics and robotics in nature.

 

Full technical elective list here.

Glossary

Complementary Studies: A Complementary Studies course is designed to enhance and support core engineering concepts by covering a range of interdisciplinary topics. These courses include subjects such as Engineering Economics, Communications, Management, Humanities and Social Sciences, Linkage and Professional Issues, as well as Performance Arts and Languages. They help broaden your understanding and skills beyond technical engineering knowledge. Complementary Studies courses are different than Technical Electives. 

Primary Technical Electives are courses chosen from a designated list within MRE that focus on deepening your knowledge in core or closely related engineering disciplines. These electives give you the opportunity to tailor your education to your interests and career goals, deepening your technical knowledge beyond the core curriculum. Technical electives can include subjects like automation, robotics, intelligent systems, biomedical engineering, and other related fields (as long as they appear on the list).

Free Technical Electives provide greater flexibility by allowing you to select technical courses outside of the primary elective list. These can include courses from other engineering fields or related technical areas, enabling you to broaden your skills and explore interdisciplinary interests. For MRE, this includes any Smith Engineering course at the 200, 300 or 400 level (timetabling permitted) and permission of the program.