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Studies & Degrees in Industrial Automation

Industrial automation is the use of control systems, robots and software to run machines and production lines with little direct human intervention. SEAS, an online technical school in Zaragoza, describes it as a system in which production tasks usually done by people are transferred to a set of technological elements (mechanical, electromechanical, fluid-powered), all controlled and operated by a programmable logic controller (PLC).

The subject combines electricity, electronics, mechanics and programming. Students learn to design an automatic installation, choose its sensors, drives and wiring, program the controller and the robots, connect the equipment over industrial communication networks, and keep the whole system running.

What students learn

The Spanish vocational title in this field gives a clear list. According to TodoFP, the vocational training portal of the Spanish Ministry of Education, students of the higher-level cycle in automation and industrial robotics learn, among other things, to:

  • configure automatic installations and systems to specification and regulation
  • select the equipment, wiring and interconnection elements an installation needs
  • write the control programs for the installation
  • configure equipment and communication networks that use the standard buses of industrial automation
  • draw plans and diagrams with computer-aided design tools

University degrees add more mathematics, electronics and control theory. Tecnun, the engineering school of the Universidad de Navarra, says graduates of its degree in industrial electronics can design industrial electronic control systems and the systems that allow a machine or device to be automated.

Qualifications and levels

  • Vocational training (FP) in Spain. The official title is Técnico Superior en Automatización y Robótica Industrial, a higher-level cycle (grado superior) of 2,000 hours in the professional family of electricity and electronics. A related title, Técnico Superior en Mecatrónica Industrial, also has 2,000 hours and belongs to the installation and maintenance family.
  • Bachelor's degree (grado). Spanish universities rarely offer a degree called automation; the subject is taught inside engineering degrees such as industrial electronics and automatic control. Official bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits. The Grado en Ingeniería en Electrónica Industrial at Tecnun takes four years, is taught in San Sebastián in Spanish and English, and its first year can be taken entirely in English.
  • Master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • Online and continuing education. SEAS teaches a Diploma de Especialización Universitaria en Automatización Industrial of 900 hours and 36 ECTS credits, fully online, and shorter courses such as a PLC course on Siemens controllers of 150 hours and 6 ECTS credits. Ask the school which university issues the diploma and what recognition it has.
  • United States. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians typically need either an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate. Community colleges teach these programmes.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists six active schools for industrial automation. Three are in Spain; the United States, Denmark and Argentina have one each. In Spain the list includes the Universidad de Navarra, the Universidad Camilo José Cela and SEAS, Estudios Abiertos, which teaches online. Abroad it includes Nashville State Community College in the United States, VIA University College in Horsens, Denmark, and the Universidad Nacional de San Luis in Argentina.

Vocational cycles in Spain are taught in Spanish or in the co-official language of the region. University programmes are mainly in Spanish, with part of the teaching in English at some schools. Because many more centres teach the official FP title than appear in this list, students who want the vocational route should also look at the public centres in the city where they plan to live.

Careers

TodoFP lists, among the jobs for holders of the Spanish title, commissioning technician for industrial automation systems, designer of control systems, and programmer-controller of industrial robots. Graduates work in public and private companies in the design, assembly and maintenance of industrial automation systems. Tecnun names robotics, industry, transport, energy and aerospace among the sectors that hire its industrial electronics graduates.

In the United States, the BLS describes electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians as workers who operate, test and maintain unmanned, automated, robotic or electromechanical equipment. The occupation had 15,700 jobs in 2025, and the BLS projects employment to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a university degree to work in industrial automation?

No. In Spain the higher-level vocational title Técnico Superior en Automatización y Robótica Industrial (2,000 hours) leads directly to technician jobs, and in the United States technicians typically need an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate, according to the BLS. Engineering posts usually require a university degree.

How long does the Spanish vocational title in automation and robotics take?

The cycle has 2,000 hours, according to TodoFP.

Can I study industrial automation online?

Yes, at continuing-education level. SEAS, for example, teaches a 900-hour online diploma in industrial automation and shorter PLC courses. Check what recognition each online qualification has before enrolling.

What is a PLC?

A programmable logic controller, the industrial computer that controls and operates the machines of an automated installation. Programming PLCs is a core skill in every automation course.