自动控制理论是研究自动控制共同规律的技术科学。它的发展初期，是以反馈理论为基础的自动调节原理，主要用于工业控制，二战期间为了设计和制造飞机及船用自动驾驶仪，火炮定位系统，雷达跟踪系统以及其他基于反馈原理的军用设备，进一步促进并完善了自动控制理论的发展。到战后，已形成完整的自动控制理论体系，这就是以传递函数为基础的经典控制理论，它主要研究单输入-单输出，线形定常数系统的分析和设计问题。
20世纪60年代初期，随着现代应用数学新成果的推出和电子计算机的应用，自动控制理论跨入了一个新阶段——现代控制理论。他主要研究具有高性能，高精度的多变量变参数的最优控制问题，主要采用的方法是以状态为基础的状态空间法。目前，自动控制理论还在继续发展，正向以控制论，信息论，仿生学为基础的智能控制理论深入。
自动控制原理课程是介绍自动控制理论的基本概念、自动控制系统的分析方法、设计方法的基础理论课程，是本科自动化专业的一门主干课程，是学习后续专业课的重要基础课。
Automatic control theory is to study the common law of automatic control of the technical sciences. Its early stage of development was based on feedback theory, which was mainly used for industrial control. During World War II, in order to design and manufacture aircraft and marine autopilots, gun positioning systems, radar tracking systems and other military equipment based on feedback theory , Further promote and improve the development of automatic control theory. After the war, a complete theoretical system of automatic control has been formed. This is the classical control theory based on the transfer function. It focuses on the analysis and design of single input - single output and linear constant system.
In the early 1960s, with the introduction of new achievements in modern applied mathematics and the application of electronic computers, the theory of automatic control stepped into a new stage - modern control theory. He mainly studies the optimal control of multivariable variable parameters with high performance and high accuracy. The main method used is the state-based state space method. At present, the theory of automatic control is still continuing to develop, and the theory of intelligent control based on cybernetics, information theory and bionics is going deep.
The principle of automatic control theory is to introduce the basic concepts of automatic control theory, automatic control system analysis methods, basic theory of design methods, is a major undergraduate automation course, is an important basic courses for follow-up professional courses.