Learning through projects is the organising idea at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a private university in Worcester, Massachusetts, founded in 1865. Its undergraduate curriculum, known as the WPI Plan, has been built around project work for more than five decades.
The Global Projects Program extends that approach beyond the campus: WPI runs more than 50 project centers around the world, where students complete project work away from Worcester.
Engineering and technology are central to the profile, and robotics is a visible strength. WPI describes its bachelor’s degree in robotics engineering as the first of its kind in the United States, and faculty and students helped write WPILib, the software library used to program robots in the FIRST Robotics Competition. The alumnus Robert H. Goddard, who launched the first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts, on 16 March 1926, is one of the best-known figures connected with the institute.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Robotics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Pioneered project-based learning in engineering (WPI Plan). Extensive network of global project centers for off-campus experiential learning, requiring students to complete major qualifying projects.
Research:
Research focused on robotics, materials science, biomedical engineering, data science, sustainable engineering, fire protection engineering, and learning sciences, often with an interdisciplinary and project-based approach.
Famous Alumnis:
Robert H. Goddard, Dean Kamen, Naveen Selvadurai, Curtis Carlson, Nancy Pimental
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1050
Current students***:
7200
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
40500
Pros
Unique project-based curriculum with global opportunities, strong focus on teamwork and real-world problem solving, excellent for engineering, robotics, and interactive media/game development.
Cons
Demanding project-based workload, Worcester is a smaller city than Boston (though with its own attractions), private university cost, intense academic pace.
Best For
Students who thrive in a hands-on, project-based learning environment, particularly in engineering, robotics, computer science, or interactive media, often valuing global experiences and collaborative work.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, lists engineering, computer science and applied sciences, a technical profile close to this institute's.
Robotics and computer science sit at the center of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, next to engineering.
Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, is a small college listed for engineering, computer science and mathematics.
Drexel University in Philadelphia combines engineering with health sciences and business.
In Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University pairs engineering with medicine and nursing.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Canada: University of Waterloo is listed for computer science, engineering and mathematics with co-op placements, a work-linked model of study.
Aalborg University in Denmark lists problem-based learning as a specialty, comparable to a project-centered curriculum.
Aalto University in Finland covers engineering and information and computer science.
Technische Universiteit Eindhoven in the Netherlands lists data science, automotive technology and photonics.
University of Limerick, in Ireland, combines materials science and aeronautical engineering.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was WPI founded and where is it?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1865 and is located in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is a private institution.
What is the WPI Plan?
It is the undergraduate curriculum that has centered on projects for more than 50 years. Project work is a core part of every student's degree.
What are WPI's project centers?
They are off-campus sites run through the Global Projects Program, with more than 50 centers around the world. Students complete project work at these sites.
Does WPI offer robotics degrees?
WPI offers a bachelor's degree in robotics engineering, which it describes as the first of its kind in the nation. Details of the graduate and minor options are given on the WPI website.
What is WPILib?
WPILib is a software library used to program robots in the FIRST Robotics Competition and the FIRST Tech Challenge. WPI faculty and students helped write it.
Who is Robert Goddard in relation to WPI?
Goddard, the rocket pioneer, is a WPI alumnus. He launched the first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts, on 16 March 1926.
Where can I find fees and admission requirements?
Tuition, admission rules and current enrollment figures are published on the official WPI website, which also lists the academic departments and degree programs.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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