The School of Automation at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) was one of the earliest in China to offer majors in automatic control, starting in 1953. It was also the predecessor of the Department of Automatic Control which was established in 1960. 

In 2017, the first-level discipline of control science and engineering in the school was selected for the "Double First-Class" discipline construction list by the Ministry of Education. It has also received an A rating in the fourth round of national discipline assessment, and in 2022 was selected for the second round of "Double First-Class" discipline construction.

Throughout its 60-year history, the school has focused on achieving world-class standards and has become a prominent talent cultivation and scientific innovation base in the field of automation in China.

The school offers four undergraduate programs: automation, electrical engineering and automation, English-taught automation, and robotics engineering. The automation program is recognized as a characteristic specialty by the Ministry of Education and ranked third in the 2021 Chinese Ranking of Academic Subjects by ShanghaiRanking.

The electrical engineering and automation program is included in the Ministry of Education's Excellent Engineer Education and Training Program. Both programs have been certified by the China Engineering Education Accreditation Association and are included in the Ministry of Education's "Double First-Class Initiative" construction. Additionally, the school offers a doctoral program in the discipline of control science and engineering, with six research directions. It also has a postdoctoral research center.

The school has 149 full-time teachers, with 80.5 percent holding senior professional titles. It has three academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, ten national leading talents and 24 national young talents. The school has excellent teaching teams, including the Basic Science Center of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Innovative Research Group, and various national-level distinguished teams.

The school is committed to deepening education reform and cultivating top-notch innovative talents. It has received numerous awards and has undertaken various teaching reform projects. It offers a wide range of courses and has been selected for national top-level courses. Its students have achieved remarkable success in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, as well as in science and technology competitions. Its graduates have excellent employment prospects, with opportunities in prestigious organizations and well-known companies. Many students also choose to further their studies at top-notch domestic and overseas institutions.

The school maintains a strong focus on research and innovation to address national strategic needs. It excels in areas such as multi-agent collaborative optimization control, high dynamic motion guidance and control of flight vehicles, and autonomous navigation of unmanned ground platforms. It has achieved numerous national and provincial science and technology awards, and has been involved in key research and development programs.

The college has a variety of innovation platforms, including national key laboratories, basic science centers, provincial and ministerial key laboratories, engineering centers, and experimental teaching demonstration centers.