The universities and schools offer a variety of degrees recognized by the French government. That recognition is a guarantee of quality and adherence to the highest international standards.

Students at universities may earn a degree of ingénieur maître (master engineer)Two professional degrees-the license and maîtrise-can be earned in three or four years, respectively. in management, banking, or finance after just one year of general university study in business economics. Students in both the license and maîtrise programs receive an intermediate postsecondary credential, the DEUG, in business economics.

Advanced study leading to the mastaire (5 years of postsecondary education) can take one of several paths:

• Some students specialize in a specific area of management such as marketing, finance, auditing, or human resources.

• Other students obtain the mastaire as a step toward a doctorate. A doctorate requires eight years of study.

• Still others pursue joint degree programs, earning a magistère together with one of two traditional academic degrees (a DESS or DEA)

Beginning with the fifth year of postsecondary education, most universities provide their management training in so-called IAEs (Institutes d’administration des entreprises, or institutes of business administration). The DESS CAAE degree, a general management credential that complements other non management specializations such as engineering or medicine, is a unique feature of the IAEs that is much appreciated by international students.

The freestanding business schools grant a nationally recognized diploma after three years of postsecondary study. They also offer specialized professional programs, including specialized master’s degrees and MBAs, for students who have completed five years of higher education. In some areas, business schools and universities have joined together to design innovative programs and degrees that share features of both systems.

Nearly all of the universities and schools offer a concentration on Europe, which gives their graduates a truly European perspective. For example, EAP (the Ecole Européenne des Affaires or European business school has four campuses in Europe among which students may move. France’s largest business schools have spent considerable sums to attract eminent faculty that allow them to compete with top institutions like Stanford and the London Business School.

Several university and business school programs are recruiting a diverse body of international students into innovative programs taught partially or entirely in English. Students receive not only advanced management education but also an introduction to France and Europe. Most of these internationally oriented institutions belong to Agence EduFrance, a new agency formed by the French ministries of education and foreign affairs to recruit highly qualified international students into France’s best degree programs. The EAP-ESCP graduate program, for example, trains students in multicultural management. The specialized master’s program in industrial management at the ISGI in Lille is a bilingual program that trains engineer-managers in project management. ESSEC’s MBA in international luxury brand management is taught in English and prepares graduates for careers in the prestige-goods sector, where France is a world leader.

Although mastery of French is not absolutely necessary for business study in France, a good command of the language is highly recommended as a path into other business-related areas of French higher education. Students who take the time to learn French will also gain a better understanding of French life and add yet another accomplishment to their resume-always a plus. International students may choose to learn French in their home country before coming to France to study, through the international network of Alliances Françaises around the world, at one of the Instituts Français, or at a French cultural center, club, or other institution.

It is also possible to study French in France, of course. Students can even focus on business French through short- or long-term courses in Paris or elsewhere. Many universities and schools offer intensive French-language courses of very high quality. These are described in an annual booklet published by the French ministry of foreign affairs.

International students wishing to learn more about management education in France are encouraged to visit the EduFrance web site at www.edufrance.fr

Written by: Nicole Lefour
Agence Edufrance