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Studies & Degrees in Engineering in Automatics and Industrial Electronics

Automatics and industrial electronics is the branch of engineering that designs the electronic systems and automatic controls on which modern industry runs: production lines, robots, power converters, sensors and the software that supervises them. Depending on the country, the degree is called industrial electronics and automation engineering, electronics and automation, or automation and control engineering.

The Spanish ministerial order that regulates the degree lists what students must learn. It covers analogue and digital electronics and microprocessors, power electronics, electronic instrumentation, the modelling and simulation of systems, automatic regulation and control techniques, robotic systems, and industrial computing and communications. Graduates must be able to design electronic systems and industrial control and automation systems. The programme at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Ecuador has a similar outline. It is organised around electronic systems, including industrial and medical electronics and signal processing, and automated systems, including process instrumentation, computer vision, industrial and service robotics, and classical and advanced control.

Qualifications and levels

In Spain the subject is taught as the Grado en Ingeniería Electrónica Industrial y Automática, an official bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits. Order CIN/351/2009 sets its structure:

  • 60 credits of basic training
  • 60 credits common to the industrial branch
  • 48 credits of specific technology, in this case industrial electronics
  • A final degree project of 12 credits

A degree that meets the order qualifies its holder for the regulated profession of Ingeniero Técnico Industrial. The Universidad de Salamanca (USAL) states that its degree does so. USAL has taught the degree since 2010-11, when it replaced the earlier Ingeniero Técnico Industrial diploma specialising in industrial electronics. A new study plan starts in the 2026-27 academic year, with 60 ECTS of basic subjects, 150 of compulsory subjects, 18 of optional subjects and a final project of 12. USAL also offers a double degree with Ingeniería Eléctrica.

The next step in Spain is a master's degree. Official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits under Royal Decree 822/2021. The master's degree that qualifies for the profession of Ingeniero Industrial is regulated by Order CIN/311/2009: bachelor's and master's studies together must total at least 300 credits. USAL lists Ingeniería Industrial first among the master's degrees it suggests to its graduates, together with programmes in semiconductors and electronic technologies and in intelligent systems.

In Ecuador, ESPOL awards the title Ingeniero en Electrónica y Automatización after a campus-based programme of 8 semesters. ESPOL states that the programme is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET and holds the EUR-ACE label. Its page recalls that, under Article 356 of Ecuador's Constitution, public higher education at this level is free of charge, linked to the student's academic responsibility.

Admission and language

USAL sets no special entrance test beyond the general Spanish admission rules. It recommends the science and technology branch of the Bachillerato with mathematics, physics and technical drawing. It also addresses the degree to holders of a higher vocational training (FP) qualification in industrial automation, electronics, robotics or mechatronics, who can have up to 60 ECTS credits recognised. Students whose first language is not Spanish must prove CEFR level B2 in Spanish. At ESPOL the programme is taught in Spanish and includes English courses, since communicating effectively in English is one of its learning outcomes.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists three active schools for this subject, in three countries: the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain, the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and VIA University College in Horsens, Denmark. Many other technical universities teach the subject under one of the names given above. For any school, check the exact degree title and what professional recognition it carries.

Careers

Graduates work wherever processes are automated. USAL names the fields in which its own graduates most often work:

  • Energy: supervision and control of systems in conventional power plants and in wind and photovoltaic generation
  • Automotive: automation, supervision and control in manufacturing plants and their suppliers
  • Agri-food: supervision, control and maintenance in processing plants
  • Research and development, in university groups and technology companies

Official statistics rarely count automation engineers separately. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports about 297,900 jobs for electrical and electronics engineers in 2025 and projects growth of 8 percent from 2025 to 2035. These figures cover the wider occupation, not this speciality alone.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a regulated profession in Spain?

Yes. A bachelor's degree that meets Order CIN/351/2009 qualifies for the regulated profession of Ingeniero Técnico Industrial. The profession of Ingeniero Industrial requires a master's degree that meets Order CIN/311/2009.

How long does the degree take?

In Spain the bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits, which is four academic years at 60 credits a year. At ESPOL in Ecuador the programme lasts 8 semesters.

Can I enter from vocational training?

In Spain, yes. USAL addresses the degree to holders of higher FP qualifications in related fields and recognises up to 60 ECTS credits from those studies.

Do I need Spanish?

At the Universidad de Salamanca, students whose first language is not Spanish must prove CEFR level B2. Ask each school about its own language requirement.