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Robotic and Autonomous Systems Safety (RASS)
Overview
This course aims to:
Physically embodied Autonomous Systems (RAS) are being increasingly proposed, and used, in safety-critical applications in a variety of domains. These systems employ Artificial Intelligence technologies, such as Machine Learning, to provide capability, such as object detection and avoidance. These systems, and associated technologies, provide many challenges to current system safety engineering methods and assurance techniques.
No prior knowledge of RAS is required for this module - we will provide an introduction to the technologies sufficient for understanding of the safety aspects during the module.
In this module, we will consider
- Systems engineering of AS and safety assurance of AS challenges and solutions
- Use of AI and safety assurance of AI challenges and solutions
- Socio-technical issues around responsible innovation and ethics, responsibility, human factors and competency
State of the art guidance on regulation and risk acceptance will be addressed. A framework for creating an appropriate AS safety case will be explored.
The module will be taught in a blended fashion, using a combination of pre-recorded lectures and live exercises sessions in which students will be taught in small groups. After the taught part of the module, students will select a topic and conduct a short critical literature review (formative). They will use this as a basis for a short talk, in a small group session, on which they will receive feedback both from other members of the group and from the course tutor. There will also be an open assessment (summative), undertaken over 5 weeks following the taught part of the module.
By the end of this module, students will be able to:
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Identify and describe the disruptors - technical, engineering and social - to existing system safety engineering practices generated by autonomous systems.
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Describe and evaluate the implications for and changes required in safety assessment and assurance practices to accommodate autonomous systems and associated emerging technologies .
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Consistently and clearly communicate concepts and issues relating to autonomous systems engineering and safety.
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Identify the societal and regulatory impact of autonomous systems and implications for risk acceptance in a range of safety-critical domains.
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Demonstrate how to provide a compelling safety case for autonomous systems.
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Who is the course for?
This course is suitable for:
- Practitioners across all domains including aerospace, military, railway, automotive, civil nuclear, civil maritime, medical devices and healthcare;
- Developers of equipment safety cases during design for software, hardware, procedures, systems and/or platforms;
- Developers of safety cases for operational safety and disposal;
- Reviewers of safety cases within an organisation or as an independent activity;
- Developers and reviewers of changes to existing safety-critical / safety-related equipment and operations;
- Project managers where development of a safety case is a significant element of projects they manage;
- Regulators of safety critical domains.
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of system safety terminology and lifecycle via prior learning or industrial experience. It is useful for you to have taken our Foundations of System Safety Engineering course.
No prior knowledge of Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) is required for this module: we will provide an introduction to the technologies to enable your understanding of the safety aspects covered in the module.
If you are unsure about your previous experience, please email the MSc SCSE and Short Courses Team at cs-safety-courses@york.ac.uk so that we can assess your suitability for this course.
How is the course taught?
During your course, you will have full access to the benefits of the York approach, with experienced and knowledgeable lecturing staff on hand throughout the week, as well as the opportunity to gain insights from your industry peers.
During the 2025/26 academic year courses will be taught in a blended format. There will be three days of face-to-face teaching in York, taking place on Tuesday to Thursday of the teaching week. In addition students will be provided with self-study materials totaling some 10 - 15 hours of study time. These will be split between work to be completed before the in-York sessions and materials to be studied afterwards.
During the teaching week there will be a combination of lecture materials and case studies to explore. The case studies give you the chance to work through an example to reinforce your learning from the lectures.
Each course ends with an optional assessed exercise that is undertaken away from the University over 5 weeks following the taught element of the module. Each assessment takes approximately 65 hours in addition to the scheduled teaching time, of which we estimate students spend 30 hours undertaking private study plus 35 hours writing up the assessment.
If you choose to take the assessment and you pass, your results can count towards the completion of one of our postgraduate awards:
You should apply for your Masters, Diploma or Certificate award after taking no more than 40 credits of modules. All components of your chosen postgraduate award, including modules taken as SCSE short courses, must be taken within a five year time period.
When will this course be taught?
The key dates for this course in the 2025/26 academic year are as follows:
Registration closes: Friday 03/04/2026
Preparatory materials released: Friday 17/04/2026
Face-to-face teaching: Tuesday 28/04/2026 - Thursday 30/04/2026
Booking conditions
Booking Conditions
- Acceptance onto a short course is at the agreement of the course leader. They will want to assure themselves that you have the relevant level of background knowledge. You may therefore be asked to provide a CV detailing your knowledge / experience in particular areas.
- Course fees quoted include all relevant course materials, tuition and examinations, lunch and refreshments.
- A completed booking form with Purchase Order or payment is required no later than one month before the course starts, or immediately for bookings made within one month of the beginning of the course.
- Fees are payable to The University of York.
- Payment can also be made by credit or debit card.
Cancellations
We regret that a fee must be charged when confirmed bookings are cancelled or transferred to future dates. In the event of a cancellation, you may nominate a substitute
(acceptance of this substitution is subject to academic and availability conditions). If a suitable substitute cannot be found the following scale of charges will apply:
- 56 days or more before the programme starts ‐ full refund
- 55 days or less ‐ 50% refund
- 28 days or less ‐ 25% refund
- 14 days or less ‐ no refund
Transfers to a postgraduate award
Students who attend any short course(s), and subsequently choose to undertake a full MSc, Diploma or Certificate will be entitled to some credit of the fees already paid, which can be used towards the cost of the full award. The credit a student is entitled to is calculated as follows:
| Module |
Credit % of the fees already paid |
| 1st module |
85% |
| 2nd module |
75% |
| 3rd module |
70% |
| 4th module |
70% |
You should apply for your chosen postgraduate award after taking no more than 40 credits of modules. All components, including modules taken as SCSE short courses, must be taken within a five year time period.
We reserve the right to amend published information.
Book your place
Please complete the Short Course Booking Form.
If your employer will be paying for your training and you would like us to raise an invoice, please complete the Short Course Payment Form.
To pay online by card payment please complete the Short Course Payment Form. You will also need to complete payment online but this option is not yet live for our 2025/26 academic year courses.
If you have any questions please contact cs-safety-courses@york.ac.uk.
Contact us
MSc SCSE and Short Courses Team
cs-safety-courses@york.ac.uk
