Robotics Minor

Coordinator: Nathan Sprague
Email: spragunr@jmu.edu
Phone: (540) 568-3312
Robotics Minor Website

Program Description

The cross disciplinary minor in robotics is intended to offer STEM majors and students with an interest in science and technology a fundamental understanding of scientific and technical issues involved in the design, construction and application of robots.

Educational Goals

• Students will have a basic understanding of robot control systems, sensors, motion, circuits and the overall design of robots.
• Students will be able to design and develop autonomous robots and robot control software.
• Students will develop an understanding of how advances in robotics technology can be used in diverse applications.
• Students will learn to work on a cross disciplinary team developing a technical product.

Minor Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Basic Preparation
Basic preparation courses consist of an introductory programming requirement, a calculus requirement and a physics requirement. A basic preparation course may be waived by the minor advisor if a student has completed a comparable course or experience.
Introductory Programming
Choose one of the following:		3
CS 149	Introduction to Programming
IA 241	Introduction to Programming and Data Science
ISAT 252	Programming and Problem Solving
Subtotal		3
Calculus Requirement
Choose one of the following:		3-4
MATH 232	Calculus with Functions II
MATH 235	Calculus I [C3QR]
ISAT 151	Topics in Applied Calculus in ISAT [C3QR]
Subtotal		3-4
Physics Requirement
Choose one of the following. Students who have completed the physical principles area of The Natural World with a course not listed below should meet with the minor advisor.		4
PHYS 140 & 140L	College Physics I [C3PP] and General Physics Laboratory I [C3L]
PHYS 240 & 240L	University Physics I [C3PP] and University Physics Laboratory I [C3L]
ISAT 152	Topics in Applied Physics in ISAT
Subtotal		4
Core Course
Choose one of the following:		3
CS 354	Introduction to Autonomous Robotics
PHYS 386	Robots: Structure and Theory
PHYS 387	Theory and Basic Principles of Mobile Robot Construction and Control
Subtotal		3
Electives
Choose at least six credits from the following. At least one elective must be from a different department from the core course.		6
CS 444	Artificial Intelligence
CS 445	Machine Learning
ENGR 440	Mechatronics
ENGR 445	Embedded System Design
ISAT 331	Cyber-Physical Industry
ISAT 341	Machine Learning and Data Science
ISAT 441	Simulation and Modeling
ISAT 449	Emerging Topics in Applied Data Science
IT 340	Data Science and Machine Learning
MATH 238	Linear Algebra with Differential Equations
MATH 248	Computers and Numerical Algorithms
MATH 300	Linear Algebra
MATH 336	Elementary Differential Equations
MATH 341	Non-Linear Dynamics and Chaos
PHYS 371	Digital Electronics
PHYS 372	Microcontrollers and Their Applications (2,4)
PHYS 388	Robots for Humanity
Subtotal		6
Robotics Project
CISE 481	Robotics Project Summary 1	1
Subtotal		1
Total Credits		20-21

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CISE 481 is intended to summarize a capstone robotics project experience. In order to register for CISE 481 students must have completed or be enrolled in an approved capstone, special topics, or independent study course that involves a robotics project. At the discretion of the robotics minor advisor, students may also qualify for CISE 481 by completing an internship, research experience or professional project that entails robotics design and/or development. Consult the minor advisor for more information.