117-552: Education in France is organized in a highly centralized manner, with many subdivisions. It is divided into the three stages of primary education ( enseignement primaire ), secondary education ( enseignement secondaire ), and higher education ( enseignement supérieur ). Two year olds do not start primary school, they start preschool. Then, by the age of six, a child in France starts primary school and soon moves onto higher and higher grade levels until they graduate. In French higher education,
234-456: A doctorat (PhD), which took at least three years. The DESS was created in 1975 for students who completed four-year degrees. Intended as a doctorate with a more practical approach than research, it included the production of a 120-page paper which was defended to a jury of three international specialists in the field. The mini-thesis was kept in the libraries of the university issuing the DESS, unlike
351-428: A grande école . National rankings are published every year by various magazines. While the rankings slightly vary from year to year, the top grandes écoles have been very stable for decades: Private higher education in France is made possible by the fundamental principle of freedom of education. The Laboulaye Law of 12 July 1875, repealed in 2000, on the freedom of higher education stipulated that "higher education
468-458: A thesis requirement (including final examination and thesis defence) and can be obtained after four to six years of study. In 2000 many curricula began to be converted into bachelor's degrees ( Bakkalaureat ; the term was replaced by "bachelor's" in most curricula by 2007) and master's ( Magisterstudium ) programmes, with nominal durations of six semesters (three years) and three to four semesters (18 months to two years) respectively. Enrollment in
585-499: A Ciclo Unico (Single-cycle Master's Degree) is awarded in medicine (Medicina) and dentistry (Odontoiatria). The title for BA and BS undergraduate students is Dottore and for MA, MFA, MSc, MD and MEd graduate students Dottore magistrale (abbreviated Dott. , Dott.ssa or Dr. ). This should not be confused with PhD and post-MA graduates, whose title is Dottore di Ricerca (Research Doctor). The Italian system has two types of postgraduate degree (called "Master", not to be confused with
702-465: A PhD dissertation (distributed by its author to every French university library). Higher education in France is also provided by non-university institutions dedicated to specific subjects. The Diplôme d'ingénieur (engineering diploma) is awarded to students after five years of study in state-recognized Écoles d'ingénieurs , particularly the Grandes Écoles such as Mines , Centrale and ENAC . Although
819-623: A PhD usually takes three years). A five-year degree, Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico (Single-cycle Master's Degree) is awarded in law (Giurisprudenza), in Primary teacher education (Scienze della Formazione Primaria), in Architecture (Architettura), in Pharmacy (Farmacia) and Pharmaceutical Sciences (Chimica e Tecnologia Farmaceutiche), as well as in visual arts ( Accademia di Belle Arti ) and music (Conservatorio di Musica). A six-year degree, Laurea Magistrale
936-464: A concern. Between 2005 and 2016, the proportion of students who received an honour in the general baccalaureate doubled. A European section is an option in French high schools to teach a subject through a European language other than French. It also gives pupils the opportunity of having more hours in the language studied. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the culture of the country of which
1053-537: A doctoral programme generally requires a master's degree in a related field. Although the nominal duration of doctoral programmes is two or three years, the time to graduate varies considerably and is generally longer. Armenia ratified the Bologna Process in 2005 and is a member of the European Higher Education Area. Azerbaijan is a full member of the Bologna Process since 2005. Belarus became
1170-447: A fairly small demographic, they tend to be spread over a far larger area than would traditionally be expected of a normal lycée or secondary school. As a consequence, many of these students must commute long distances, with one-hour trips each way being fairly common. The long commutes, longer days, and increased workload that come with the OIB place great demands on students; many cannot handle
1287-666: A given cohort is admitted to a prépa . CPGEs are usually located within high schools but are a part of tertiary education, which means that to be admitted, each student must have already successfully passed their Baccalauréat (or equivalent). Most CPGE receive applications from hundreds of applicants every year in April and May, and then selects students based on their own criteria. A few mainly private CPGEs, accounting for 10% of CPGEs, also have an interview process and ‘ or expect student participation in local community initiatives. The ratio of CPGE students who fail to enter any grande école
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#17330849761351404-492: A literature exam in terminale . Each baccalauréat stream has its own set of subjects that each carry a different weighting ( coefficient ). That allows some subjects to be more important than others. For example, in the ES stream, Economics & Social Sciences carries more weight than the natural sciences and so the former is more important than the latter. Students usually study more for exams that carry heavier weightings since
1521-435: A master's degree (in 5 years) for about €750–3,500. For other international students, these fees range from 2,770 to 3,770 euros. Students from low-income families can apply for scholarships, paying nominal sums for tuition or textbooks, and can receive a monthly stipend of up to €450 per month. The tuition in public engineering schools is comparable to universities but a little higher (around €700). However, it can reach €7,000
1638-508: A master's degree as well. Strikes occurred in 2002 and 2003 and 2007 protesting LMD reform, focusing more on under-funding of French universities since May 1968 than on the Bologna Process. Although the two major student organisations object to some aspects of its application to the French system, they generally welcome the European process. Although Georgia joined the Bologna Process in 2005 at
1755-509: A maximum of 60 ECTS credits of additional studies before beginning master's-level studies. In conjunction with the Bologna Process, polytechnics have the right to award master's degrees. In France the baccalauréat , awarded at the end of secondary education, allows students to enter university. Before the LMD reform amid the 2000s which implemented the Bologna Process, it was followed by a two-year Diplôme d'études universitaires générales (DEUG) and
1872-667: A member of the European Higher Education Area at a conference in Yerevan , Armenia , in May 2015. In Croatia , implementation of the Bologna Process began during the 2005–2006 academic year. Diploma degree became baccalaureate (bachelor's degree, Croatian : prvostupnik ), and the programmes were shortened from four to about three years. Magisterij (master's degree) is achieved after two additional years of post-graduate study. The doktorat degree (doctorate) may be received after three more years (eight years total). The typical length of study
1989-479: A more-or-less broad spectrum of areas. A middle-sized French city, such as Grenoble or Nancy , may have 2 or 3 universities (focused on science, sociological studies, engineering, etc.) as well as a number of other establishments specialised in higher education. In Paris and its suburbs, there are currently 11 universities (there were 13 from 1970 to 2017), none of which is specialised in one area or another, plus many smaller institutions that are highly specialised. It
2106-742: A reform, the Bologna process , which aims at creating European standards for university studies, most notably a similar time-frame everywhere, with three years devoted to the bachelor's degree (" Licence " in French), two for the Master's degree , and three for the doctorate. French universities have also adopted the ECTS credit system (for example, a licence is worth 180 credits). The traditional curriculum based on end of semester examinations tends to remain in place in some universities. That double standard has added complexity to
2223-518: A serial number, with all personally identifying material stripped away and forbidden from appearing, thus curbing any favoritism based upon sex, religion, national origin, or ethnicity. Unlike the English GCSEs , Scottish Standard Grades and the American SAT , the French baccalauréat is not a completely standardised test. Since most answers, even for biology questions, are given in essay form,
2340-443: A set common to all : French , philosophy , history & geography , languages , sciences and sport . A large part of the tests is now in continuous control but the students also have a final oral test. The technological baccalaureate is one of the three tracks of the French baccalaureate. It is obtained in a Lycée technologique . The teaching of the lessons is based on inductive reasoning and experimentation. It allows
2457-431: A short translation section as well. The Mathematics and Earth & Life Sciences examinations may occasionally contain some multiple-choice questions ( choix multiples ), but this is rare and, when it occurs, does not constitute the majority of the exam. Students of the baccalauréat général also have to work on an oral research project ( travaux personnels encadrés or TPE). It focuses on their specialties, under
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#17330849761352574-441: A significant amount of required reading and homework attached as well) than the other general baccalaureate students, and many of them tend to go to foreign universities. University admissions tutors often consider reducing the entrance requirements for students taking the OIB compared with those taking the standard French baccalaureate to reflect the additional demands of the OIB. Since the students that attend these schools make up
2691-410: A single teacher (or two) who teaches the entire curriculum, without specialist teachers. After kindergarten, the young students move on to the école élémentaire (elementary school). In the first 3 years of elementary school, they learn to write, develop their reading skills and get some basics in subjects such as French, mathematics, science and the arts, to name a few. The French word for a teacher at
2808-420: A system. It is difficult to change a major during undergraduate studies without losing a semester or even a whole year. Students usually also have few course selection options once they enroll in a particular diploma. There are about 4,000 Master programmes offered in the French university system (listed at trouvermonmaster.gouv.fr ), and 17,000 undergraduate programmes (offered by Parcoursup ). There are also
2925-461: A third-year Licence (the equivalent of a UK bachelor's degree). Students could then pursue a Maîtrise, a one-year research degree which could be followed by a one-year vocational degree (the Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées or DESS) or research degree (the Diplôme d'études approfondies , or DEA ). The DEA, preparation for a doctorate, was equivalent to the M. Phil . Students could then pursue
3042-577: A two-year master's degree ( maisteri ). In these fields, the Bologna Process resulted in no change. In engineering, universities only offered a 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 -year master's program ( diplomi-insinööri ). This has been replaced by a three-year bachelor's degree ( tekniikan kandidaatti ) and a two-year master's degree ( diplomi-insinööri ), for which the English names are Bachelor of Science (Technology) and Master of Science (Technology). A corresponding change has been made in military higher education, where
3159-543: A year and covers most of the medical expenses. Some public schools have other ways of gaining money. Some do not receive funds for class trips and other extra activities and so those schools may ask for a small entrance fee for new students. The public universities in France are named after the major cities near which they are located, followed by a numeral if there are several. Paris, for example, has 13 universities, labelled Paris I to XIII. Some of them are in Paris itself, some in
3276-405: A year for private engineering schools. Private business schools typically charge up to €12,000 a year for Bachelor programmes and up to €24,000 for Master programmes, while some elite institutions may charge €40,000 and more. Health insurance for students is free until the age of 20 and so only the costs of living and books must be added. After the age of 20, health insurance for students costs €200
3393-406: Is amended multiple times each year. Since 2021, schooling is mandatory and families may only provide teaching outside of a school in exceptional circumstances: In Metropolitan France , the school year runs from early September to early July. The school calendar is standardized throughout the country and is the sole domain of the ministry. In May, schools need time to organize exams (for example,
3510-464: Is awarded once 180 ECTS have been obtained; a master is awarded once 120 additional credits have been obtained. Licence and master's degrees are offered within specific domaines and carry a specific mention . Spécialités , which are either research-oriented or professionally oriented during the second year of the Master. There are also professional licences whose objective is immediate job integration. It
3627-592: Is free", albeit with a few conditions to be met: declaration to the State ;; administrators and professors who have not been convicted ; annual publication of corporate accounts. In France, there are two main categories of private higher education colleges and universities: Since 2018, a public university can integrate not only public faculties, but also private colleges (which have EESPIG accreditation, which means of general interest) as part of an experimental public-private partnership. Voices have been raised in
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3744-550: Is lower in scientific and business CPGEs than in humanities CPGEs. Bologna Process The Bologna Process is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements between European countries to ensure comparability in the standards and quality of higher-education qualifications. The process has created the European Higher Education Area under the Lisbon Recognition Convention . It is named after
3861-593: Is not legally required, the vast majority of students in their final year of secondary school take a final exam. The word bac is also used to refer to one of the end-of-year exams that students must pass to get their baccalauréat diploma: the bac de philo , for example, is the philosophy exam, which all students must take, regardless of their field of study. Within France, there are three main types of baccalauréat obtained in different places, and which are completely different: For entrance to regular universities within France, however, there are some restrictions as to
3978-591: Is not uncommon for graduate teaching programmes (master's degrees, the course part of doctorate programmes etc.) to be operated in common by several institutions, allowing the institutions to present a larger variety of courses. In engineering schools and the professional degrees of universities, a large share of the teaching staff is often made up of non-permanent professors; instead, part-time professors are hired to teach one specific subject. Part-time professors are generally hired from neighbouring universities, research institutes or industries. Another original feature of
4095-522: Is now in continuous control. Most examinations are given in essay form. The student is given a substantial block of time (depending on the exam, that is from two to five hours) to complete a multiple-page, well-argued paper. The number of pages varies from exam to exam but is usually substantial considering all answers have to be written down, explained and justified. Mathematics and science exams are problem sets but some science questions also require an essay-type answer. Foreign-language exams often have
4212-520: Is obtained in a Lycée général . Before 2021, students who would sit for the baccalauréat général chose one of three streams (termed séries ) in their penultimate lycée year (S for Sciences; ES for Economics and Social sciences; and L for Literature). Each stream assigned different weights ( coefficients ) to each subject and resulted in a specialization. The streams of the Baccalauréat général before 2021 were as follows: Another terminology
4329-399: Is obtained in a Lycée professionnel . The professional baccalaureate includes nearly 100 specialties like : leather crafts; building technician; maintenance of industrial equipment; cook; road freight transport driver; butcher; etc. The baccalauréat général examination takes place in the two last years of the lycée : première and terminale . From 2021 a large part of the tests
4446-536: Is one of the official languages, offers an English-medium curriculum other than the country's national curriculum and is international in its orientation." That definition is used by publications including The Economist . France has its own international school regulator, the AEFE (Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger). Higher education in France is organized in three levels, which correspond to those of other European countries, facilitating international mobility:
4563-487: Is possible to return to school later by continuing education or to validate professional experience (through VAE, Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience). Higher education in France is divided between grandes écoles and public universities. The grandes écoles admit the graduates of the level Baccalauréat + 2 years of validated study (or sometimes directly after the Baccalauréat ) whereas universities admit all graduates of
4680-545: Is set by the Ministry of National Education and applies to most collèges in France and also to AEFE-dependent institutions. Académies and individual schools have little freedom in the State curriculum. Class sizes vary from school to school, but usually range from 20 to 35 pupils. After primary school, two educational stages follow: Primary and secondary private schools in France are divided into two categories: As of January 2015,
4797-570: Is sometimes used that pertains to the curriculum before 1994, which further divided two of the séries . Until then, it was possible to sit for a bac C or D (which comprise the current S), a bac B (currently ES), or a bac A1 , A2 or A3 (which comprise the current L). People who passed the baccalauréat before the reform still use that terminology in referring their diploma. The baccalauréat permits students to sit exams in over forty languages, including French regional languages such as Alsatian , Breton , Catalan or Norman . Students in
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4914-421: Is three years for a bachelor's degree ( baccalaureus ), two years for a master's degree ( magistar ) and three years for a doctor of science ( doktor znanosti ). A local distinction is made between vocational and academic degrees at the baccalaureate level, and between engineering and other programs at levels below the doctoral. There are several exceptions. The first degree in economics still takes four years, and
5031-587: Is very similar to a Bachelor of Applied Science . France also hosts rare catholic universities recognized by the French Government as "free" private colleges ( Facultés Libres ), the largest one being the Catholic University of Lille , as well branch colleges of foreign universities. They include Baruch College , the University of London Institute in Paris , Parsons Paris School of Art and Design and
5148-932: The baccalauréat ). Outside Metropolitan France, the school calendar is set by the local recteur . Major holiday breaks are as follows: Most parents start sending their children to preschool ( maternelle ) when they turn 3. Some even start earlier at age 2 in toute petite section (" TPS "). The first two years of preschool (TPS and petite section " PS ") are introductions to community living; children learn how to become students and are introduced to their first notions of arithmetic, begin to recognize letters, develop oral language, etc. The last two years of preschool, moyenne section and grande section, are more school-like; pupils are introduced to reading , writing and more mathematics. A preschool can be stand-alone (mostly true in towns and cities) or be affiliated to an elementary school (mostly in villages). As in other educational systems, primary school students in France usually have
5265-628: The baccalauréat général (general baccalaureate), the baccalauréat technologique (technological baccalaureate), and the baccalauréat professionnel (professional baccalaureate). Much like the European Matura or English A levels , the baccalauréat allows French and international students to obtain a standardised qualification, typically at the age of 18 (end of the lycée ). It qualifies holders to work in certain areas, go on to tertiary education ( universités ), or acquire some other professional qualification or training. Even though it
5382-579: The Titre ) by the public vocational training agency France Compétences , under the authority of the French Ministry of Labor. Preparatory classes (in French " classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles " or CPGE), widely known as prépas , are courses whose main goal is to prepare students for enrollment in a grande école . Admission to CPGEs is based on academic performance during the last two years of high school, called Première and Terminale . Only 5% of
5499-461: The American University of Paris . The grandes écoles of France are elite higher-education institutions. They are generally focused on a single subject area (e.g., engineering or business), have a small size (typically between 100 and 300 graduates per year), and are highly selective. They are widely regarded as prestigious, and most of France's scientists and executives have graduated from
5616-468: The Baccalauréat . Higher education in France was reshaped by the student revolts of May 1968 . During the 1960s, French public universities responded to a massive explosion in the number of students (280,000 in 1962–63 to 500,000 in 1967–68) by stuffing approximately one-third of their students into hastily developed campus annexes (roughly equivalent to American satellite campuses ) which lacked decent amenities, resident professors, academic traditions, or
5733-561: The Licence and Licence Professionnelle ( bachelor's degrees ), and the Master's and Doctorat degrees. The Licence and the Master are organized in semesters: 6 for the Licence and 4 for the Master. Those levels of study include various "parcours" or paths based on UE (Unités d'enseignement or Modules), each worth a defined number of European credits (ECTS). A student accumulates those credits, which are generally transferable between paths. A licence
5850-653: The Licentiate (higher than a master's degree, but less extensive than Doctor of Medicine or Dentistry degrees) is the basic degree. A six-year program of at least 360 ECTS credits leads to the Licentiate of Medicine ( lääketieteen lisensiaatti ) degree. There is an intermediate title (but not an academic degree) of lääketieteen kandidaatti , and no master's degree. Polytechnic degrees are considered bachelor's degrees in international use. In domestic use, bachelors transferring from polytechnics to universities may be required to amass
5967-643: The University of Bologna , where the Bologna declaration was signed by education ministers from 29 European countries in 1999. The process was opened to other countries in the European Cultural Convention of the Council of Europe , and government meetings have been held in Prague (2001), Berlin (2003), Bergen (2005), London (2007), Leuven (2009), Budapest - Vienna (2010), Bucharest (2012), Yerevan (2015), Paris (2018), and Rome (2020). Before
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#17330849761356084-407: The bac upon completion of secondary school (or did not manage to pass it) and would like to attend university, or feel that the bac would help them accomplish professional aspirations, may exercise that option. The main purpose of the general baccalaureate is to access universities and grandes écoles to pursue higher academic education. It attests to an advanced level in general skills. It
6201-542: The baccalauréat and doctorat are unchanged in the Bologna system (known in France as LMD reform), the DEUG and licence have been merged into a three-year Licence. The Maîtrise, DESS and DEA have been combined into a two-year master's degree, which can be work- ( master professionnel ) or research-oriented ( master recherche ). The Diplôme d'ingénieur degree is still separate from a university degree, but holders may legally claim
6318-425: The grande école examinations, are decided months before the examination. French educators seldom use the entire grading scale. The same applies when marking the baccalauréat . Therefore, students are very unlikely to get a 20 out of 20 or more (it is actually possible to get more than 20 because of options like Arts, Music, Latin, etc.). It is also very rare to see scores lower than 5. Grade inflation has become
6435-461: The second groupe ), a supplemental oral examination is given in two subjects of the student's choice. A student who does well enough in those examinations to raise the overall weighted grade to a 10 gets the baccalauréat . A student who does poorly in the orals and receives below a 10 may choose to repeat the final year of lycée ( terminale ). Students may not redo the entire examination in September;
6552-472: The "French international baccalaureate", it is unrelated to the International Baccalaureate (IB). The OIB adds additional subjects to the French national exam. Students choose one of the L, ES or S streams. It differs, as students take a two-year syllabus in literature, history, and geography in a foreign language. That syllabus and the way that it is examined is modelled on the national exam of
6669-453: The Bergen summit, steps towards the establishment of the European Higher Education Area were completed earlier. Since the end of the 1990s, many Georgian universities (mostly private) have introduced limited educational programs allowing students to graduate with a bachelor's degree (four years) and earn a master's degree (one to two years) while preserving the old five-to-six-year scheme. During
6786-556: The Bologna Agreement. The degree workload is counted in European credits, with a European equivalent of 180 credits (three years) for bachelor's degrees and 120 credits (two years) for master's degrees. Austria 's situation is similar to Germany's, with the lowest undergraduate degrees the Magister (FH) and Diplom (FH) (designed to take three or four years). The lowest graduate degrees are Magister and Diplom , which typically fulfill
6903-645: The Council of Europe, although it has observer status. Although Israel is not geographically part of Europe, it is part of the UNESCO European Region (although not a UNESCO member). Israel has also ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention but, under the criteria of the 2003 Berlin Communiqué , it is ineligible for the Bologna Process. Kosovo is not a party to the European Cultural Convention of
7020-493: The Council of Europe. Although Serbia is a party, Kosovo declared independence from it and has theoretically been a part of the Bologna Process since the Kosovo War . It was suggested that Kosovo could be associated with the process in a category appropriate to its situation, such as guest or special-observer status. Kyrgyzstan is not a party to the European Cultural Convention of the Council of Europe, although has also ratified
7137-399: The French higher education system is that a large share of the scientific research is carried out by research establishments such as CNRS or INSERM , which are not formally part of the universities. However, in most cases, the research units of those establishments are located inside universities (or other higher education establishments) and jointly operated by the research establishment and
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#17330849761357254-645: The IUTs ( University Technical Institutes ). This is a type of university college , usually in small and medium-sized towns, at satellite campuses of larger universities, that offers post-secondary study programmes designed to provide higher vocational education or the technical skills needed to perform the tasks of a particular and specific job. The degree awarded by IUTs is the Bachelor Universitaire de Technologie , (in English: "Bachelor of Technical Studies") which
7371-478: The International Schools Consultancy (ISC) listed France as having 105 international schools. ISC defines an 'international school' in the following terms: "ISC includes an international school if the school delivers a curriculum to any combination of pre-school, primary or secondary students, wholly or partly in English outside an English-speaking country, or if a school in a country where English
7488-584: The L stream prepare for careers in education , linguistics , literature , philosophy , public service , politics , sociology , management , business administration , law , and economics . They also have interests in the arts . The most important subjects in the literary stream are Philosophy , French language , Literature , Arts and other Languages , usually English, German and Spanish. (same school curricula as ES stream) Only points above 10 out of 20 (50%) are taken into consideration. Multiplied by two for first subject (except Latin and Greek, where
7605-612: The Lisbon Recognition Convention. Northern Cyprus is not a party to the European Cultural Convention of the Council of Europe and not recognized as an independent political entity by any member of the Bologna Process except Turkey. The basic framework is three cycles of higher-education qualifications . The framework adopted by the ministers at their meeting in Bergen in 2005 defines the qualifications in terms of learning outcomes, which are statements of what students know and can do on completing their degrees. In describing
7722-450: The Ministry of National Education and Youth (officially called Ministère de l'Éducation nationale et de la Jeunesse ). The head of the ministry is the Minister of National Education . All teachers in public primary and secondary schools are state civil servants, making the ministère the largest employer in the country. professors and researchers in France's universities are also employed by
7839-808: The National Tertiary Education Information Centre, 65 percent of respondents thought it unnecessary to adopt the system. The new system provides less of a guarantee that students will obtain a master's degree, because many will complete their education after the three-year bachelor's degree. Students are expected to study more unrelated subjects during the first three years, due to the smaller number of majors. In Iceland , bachelor's degrees are usually three years in duration; master's degrees are two years, and doctoral degrees range from three to six years. In Ireland , bachelor's degrees are commonly three to four years in duration; master's and doctoral degrees are basically similar to those in
7956-590: The OECD average of 493. The average OECD performance of French 15-year-olds in science and mathematics has declined, with the share of low performers in reading, mathematics and science developing a sharp upward trend. France's share of top performers in mathematics and science has also declined. France's performance in mathematics and science at the middle school level was ranked 23 in the 1995 Trends in International Math and Science Study . In 2019, France ranked 21 in
8073-501: The Soviet era, the only degree was the discontinued Specialist. Cycles of higher education are divided into first (bachelor's degree with 240 credits ), second (master's degree, 120 credits) and third (doctorate, 180 credits). Human and veterinary medicine and dentistry (300–360 credits) are integrated programs with a qualification equal to a master's degree. Greece joined the Bologna Process in 1999. Since 2007, more-intensive steps towards
8190-569: The TIMSS Science general ranking. Napoleon began the French university and secondary educational systems. Guizot started the elementary system. Intense battles took place over whether the Catholic Church should play a dominant role. The modern era of French education begins at the end of the 19th century. Jules Ferry , the Minister of Public Instruction in 1881, is widely credited for creating
8307-619: The UK. Bachelor's degrees are first-cycle qualifications. Except for the MA at the Trinity College Dublin , a master's degree is always a postgraduate degree (teaching or research). The generic outcomes for Irish degrees are laid out in the 2003 National Framework of Qualifications. In 2006, Ireland was the first country to verify the compatibility of its national framework with that of the EHEA. Italy fits
8424-456: The additional two years required for a master's degree. Mid-length (two-to four-year) professional degrees have been adapted as professional bachelor's degrees ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 years). In the Finnish pre-Bologna system, higher education was divided between universities and polytechnics . In universities, degrees were divided in most fields into a three-year bachelor's degree ( kandidaatti ) and
8541-642: The architecture of the European Higher Education system". The Bologna Process has 49 participating countries. Signatories of the Bologna Accord, members of the European Higher Education Area , are: All member states of the EU are participating in the process, with the European Commission also a signatory. Monaco and San Marino are the only members of the Council of Europe which did not adopt
8658-885: The baccalaureate is administratively supervised by full professors at universities. Similar academic qualifications exist elsewhere in Europe, variously known as Abitur in Germany , maturità in Italy , bachillerato in Spain , maturita in Slovakia and Czech Republic . There is also the European Baccalaureate , which students take at the end of the European School education. In France, there are three main types of baccalauréat , which are very different and obtained in different places:
8775-416: The clergy. The French curriculum predominantly emphasized the works of French writers of European descent. Ferry and others considered literature the glue of French identity. The ethnic and cultural demographics of the student body did not factor in to the quest to transmit a "common culture" to the students. Like literature, history education is seen as critical to shaping the identity of young people and
8892-646: The cycles, the framework uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS): In most cases, it would take three to four years to earn a bachelor's degree and another one or two years for a master's degree . Doctoral degrees usually require another two to four years of specialization, primarily individual research under a mentor. Degree names may vary by country. One academic year normally corresponds to 60 ECTS credits, equivalent to 1,500–1,800 hours of study. The process, an intergovernmental agreement between EU and non-EU countries, does not have
9009-438: The dignity of university status. With so many students ripe for radicalization after being forced to study in such miserable conditions, change was necessary and inevitable. Rather than expand already-overwhelmed parent campuses, it was decided to split off the annexes as new universities. As a result, French higher education, compared with other countries, is small in size with a multiplicity of establishments, each specialised in
9126-515: The end of terminale , OIB students have extra exams in Literature and History/Geography, with a written and oral component to both exams, and since 2024 an oral on a free project linked to the country of the section, known as Connaissance du monde . These exams have a high weighting in the final mark of the baccalaureate and do not give extra points to OIB students. Overall, these students work more (up to an additional 10 hours per week of classes, with
9243-418: The end of the lycée ) by meeting certain requirements. Though it has only existed in its present form as a school-leaving examination since Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte 's implementation on March 17, 1808, its origins date back to the first medieval French universities. According to French law, the baccalaureate is the first academic degree, though it grants the completion of secondary education. Historically,
9360-451: The establishment of the European Higher Education Area were completed. In Hungary , the Bologna system applies to those who began their university education in or after September 2006. One hundred and eight majors were available for selection (compared with over 400 in 2005), of which six are exempt from the bachelor's-master's division: law, human and veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and architecture. According to an online poll by
9477-437: The examination sheet(s). That way, anonymity is respected. The papers are usually marked by a member of the teaching staff in the same district or, at a larger scale, in the same académie . To avoid conflicts of interest, a teacher who has lectured to a student or group of students cannot grade that exam. Also, to ensure greater objectivity on the part of the examiners, the test is anonymous. The grader sees only an exam paper with
9594-428: The exams are unsealed by a high-ranking school officer (usually a principal or vice-principal) in front of the examinees only a few minutes prior to the start of the examination. The procedure is the same for each subject, in each stream. Students usually have an identification number and an assigned seat. The number is written on all exam material and the name is hidden by folding and sealing the upper right-hand corner of
9711-528: The following degrees are recognized by the Bologna Process (EU recognition): Licence and Licence Professionnelle (bachelor's degrees), and the comparably named Master and Doctorat degrees. The Programme for International Student Assessment coordinated by the OECD in 2018 ranked the overall knowledge and skills of French 15-year-olds as 26th in the world in reading literacy, mathematics, and science, below
9828-503: The former and a master's and doctorate in the latter). In mainland Europe, five-year-plus first degrees are common. Many do not complete their studies, and many countries are introducing bachelor-level qualifications. The situation is evolving as the Bologna Process is implemented. Some countries introduced the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and discussed their degree structures, qualifications, financing and management of higher education and mobility programmes. At
9945-687: The framework since its 1999 adoption of the 3+2 system. The first degree is the Laurea triennale , which may be obtained after three years of study. Selected students may then complete their studies with two additional years of specialization leading to the Laurea Magistrale . The Laurea corresponds to a bachelor's degree; the Laurea Magistrale, corresponding to a master's degree, grants access to third-cycle programmes (post-MA degrees, doctorates or specialized schools) lasting two to five years (completing
10062-410: The general baccalaureate underwent a reformation. Since November 2017, an initiative spearheaded by minister Jean-Michel Blanquer has united numerous actors from the field of education to reinvent this system to have less exams (now only four) in conjunction with a large oral examination. The old streams (S, ES and L) equally disappeared and, rather than being entirely decided by final examinations, 40% of
10179-496: The general requirements established at national level, but it is offered under the autonomous responsibility of each university". Baccalaur%C3%A9at The baccalauréat ( French pronunciation: [bakaloʁea] ; lit. ' baccalaureate ' ), often known in France colloquially as the bac , is a French national academic qualification that students can obtain at the completion of their secondary education (at
10296-509: The grades may vary from grader to grader, especially in subjects like philosophy and French literature . Students generally take the French Language & Literature exam at the end of première since that subject is not taught in terminale , where it is replaced with Philosophy. It also has an oral examination component, along with the written part. The oral exam covers works studied throughout première . However, in L, students do have
10413-433: The grades that they obtain in these exams have a bigger impact on their overall grade. Whether or not one passes the bac and/or receives eventual honours is determined by the calculation of that overall grade. The general baccalaureate offers several additional variants. The best-known subset is the baccalauréat français international (named option internationale du baccalauréat , OIB, until 2022). Sometimes translated as
10530-428: The institutional level, the reform involved higher-education institutions, their faculties or departments, student and staff representatives and other factors. Priorities varied by country and institution. In Andorra, degrees are awarded by the state in all three cycles (bachelor's, master's and doctoral). The University of Andorra has adapted its classroom studies to the European Higher Education Area in accordance with
10647-491: The integration of immigrants to French identity. Ferry's views continue to exert influence today. Ministry reports have confirmed that the rule of schools in promoting "common culture" is only made more critical by the rising levels of student diversity. According to the ministry, history education in France has, over the course of one century made possible "the integration of children of Italians, Poles, Africans and Portuguese". All educational programmes in France are regulated by
10764-563: The language is being spoken. For example, if learning History in Spanish, the history of Spain and that of Central and South America would be emphasized. Teachers present their lessons in English , German , Italian or Spanish . At the end, students can receive a "European section" mention on their baccalaureat . To have that mention, they need to get at least 12/20 on their language examination and at least 10/20 at an additional oral examination on
10881-528: The master's degree is obtained after an additional year at the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Economics and Zagreb School of Economics and Management . The four-plus-one-year system also applies to fine arts and music. Medical and related studies replace the bachelor's degree with six-year first professional degrees and graduate Doctor of Medicine ( doktor medicine ) degrees. The old degrees are translated as follows: In May 2008, about 5,000 students protested weak funding, imprecisely defined new rules and
10998-406: The master's degree). Laurea Magistrale (120 ECTS) allows access to third-cycle programmes, and Master universitario (at least 60 ECTS) may be divided into first- (second cycle) and second-level master's degrees (third cycle). A first-level master's degree is accessible by a first-cycle degree and "does not allow access to PhD and to 3rd cycle programmes, since this type of course does not belong to
11115-514: The modern school ( l'école républicaine ) by requiring all children between the ages of 6 and 12, both boys and girls, to attend. He also made public instruction mandatory, free of charge , and secular ( laïque ). With those laws, known as French Lubbers, Jules Ferry laws , and several others, the Third Republic repealed most of the Falloux Laws of 1850–1851, which gave an important role to
11232-458: The multiplier is 3) and by one for the second subject. Students of the ES stream prepare for careers in politics , sociology , management , business administration , law , and economics . The main and important subjects of this stream are Economics & Social Sciences , History & Geography , and Mathematics . From 2021, the S, ES and L streams of the general baccalaureate have been replaced by three specialty streams, taken during
11349-826: The multiplier is three) and by one for the second subject. The S stream prepares students for work in scientific fields such as medicine , engineering and the natural sciences . Science students must specialise in Mathematics , Physics & Chemistry , Computer Science or Earth & Life Sciences . Students in this stream must generally have a good result in Physics & Chemistry , Mathematics , Earth & Life Sciences and, if available, Engineering Sciences and Computer Science . Added to general subject above, except for Computer Science. Only points above 10 out of 20 (50%) are taken into consideration. Multiplied by two for first subject (except Latin & Greek, where
11466-404: The officer's degree was divided between bachelor's and master's programmes. Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences , which have offered bachelor's-equivalent engineering programmes, began offering master's-degree programs in 2005. Some Master of Engineering ( insinööri (ylempi AMK) ) programmes are taught in English. Only medicine and dentistry retain their non-standard degree structure, where
11583-473: The penultimate year (Première), only two of which are kept in the final year (Terminale). There are 12 subjects specific to the three spécialités (majors, litt. "specialities") : arts , ecology , history , geography & geopolitics , humanities , languages , literature , mathematics , computer science , physics & chemistry , economic & social sciences , engineering sciences , and biology & geology . These subjects are added to
11700-679: The poor results of the Bologna reform. Denmark introduced the 3+2+3 system in 1971 with an education-management working group of the Society of Danish Engineers and a 1984–85 group of the Federation of Danish Industries, both headed by Hans Bruno Lund. Before the adoption of international standards, the lowest degree normally awarded at universities in Denmark was equivalent to a master's degree (Kandidat/cand.mag). Although bachelor's degrees have been obtained after three years of study, most students continue
11817-636: The primary school level is professeur or professeure des écoles (previously called instituteur , or its feminine form institutrice ). Children stay in elementary school for 5 years until they are 10–11 years-old. The grades are named: CP ( cours préparatoire ), CE1 ( cours élémentaire 1 ), CE2 ( cours élémentaire 2 ), CM1 ( cours moyen 1 ) and CM2 ( cours moyen 2 ). The compulsory middle and high school subjects cover French language and literature, history and geography, foreign languages, arts and crafts, musical education, civics, mathematics, physics, chemistry, natural sciences, technology, and PE. The curriculum
11934-419: The process. The ESU , EUA , EURASHE , EI, ENQA , UNICE, the Council of Europe and UNESCO are part of the process' follow-up. Other groups at this level are ENIC , NARIC and EURODOC . Four countries, Israel , Kyrgyzstan , and the unrecognized Northern Cyprus and Kosovo , have applied to join but did not meet the membership criteria. Israel is not a party to the European Cultural Convention of
12051-402: The process. Most countries do not fit the framework, using their traditional systems. The process, which will result in bilateral agreements between countries and institutions which recognise each other's degrees, is moving from strict convergence in time spent on qualifications towards a competency-based system which will have an undergraduate and postgraduate division (with a bachelor's degree in
12168-574: The regional languages Basque , Breton , Catalan , Corsican , Auvergnat , Gascon , Languedoc , Limousin , Niçard , Provençal , Vivaro-Alpine , regional languages of Alsace , regional languages of Moselle , Tahitian , Albanian , Amharic , Melanesian languages , Bambara , Berber , Bulgarian , Cambodian , Korean , Croatian , Hausa , Hindi , Hungarian , Indonesian , Malaysian , Laotian , Lithuanian , Macedonian , Malagasy , Persian , Fulani , Romanian , Serbian , Slovak , Slovenian , Swedish , Swahili , Tamil , Czech . In 2021,
12285-594: The signing of the Bologna declaration, the Magna Charta Universitatum was issued at a meeting of university rectors celebrating the 900th anniversary of the University of Bologna (and European universities) in 1988. One year before the declaration, education ministers Claude Allègre (France), Jürgen Rüttgers (Germany), Luigi Berlinguer (Italy) and Baroness Blackstone (UK) signed the Sorbonne declaration in Paris in 1998, committing themselves to "harmonising
12402-537: The state. At the primary and secondary levels, the curriculum is the same for all French students in any given grade, which includes public, semi-public and subsidised institutions. However, there exist specialised sections and a variety of options that students can choose. The reference for all French educators is the Bulletin officiel de l'éducation nationale, de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche (B.O.) , which lists all current programmes and teaching directives. It
12519-534: The status of EU legislation. Since the Bologna Declaration is not a treaty or convention, there are no legal obligations for the signatory states; participation and cooperation are voluntary. Although the declaration was created without a formal affiliation with EU institutions, the European Commission (which has supported European projects such as the Tuning and TEEP projects) plays an important role in implementing
12636-707: The student to work or to pursue short and technical studies (laboratory, design and applied arts, hotel and restaurant management, etc.). It currently has eight sections : STMG (Sciences and Technologies of Management), ST2S (Sciences and Technologies of Healthcare), STI2D (Sciences and Technologies of Industry and Sustainable Development), STD2A (Sciences and Technologies of Design and Applied Art), STHR (Hospitality Industry and Business), STL (Science and Technologies of Laboratory), STAV (Science and Technologies of Agronomy and Living Organisms), S2TMD (Science and Technologies of Theatre, Music and Dance). The professional baccalaureate allows rapid integration into working life. It
12753-413: The student's final grade will consist of demonstrated success over the course of the school year. The pass mark is 10 out of 20. The 2014 success rate for the baccalauréat in mainland France was 87.9%. For the baccalauréat , four levels of honours are given: Honours are prestigious but not crucial, as admissions to the classes préparatoires (preparatory classes), which prepare students for
12870-432: The subject in the language. For example, those who choose History in Spanish as an additional subject would take their Spanish examination like the rest of their classmates, who do not have History in Spanish, and get at least 12/20. They then have to pass an oral examination on history in Spanish and get at least 10/20. A student who averages between 8 and 10 is permitted to sit for the épreuve de rattrapage (also called
12987-508: The suburbs. In addition, most of the universities have taken a more informal name that is usually that of a famous person or a particular place. Sometimes, it is also a way to honor a famous alumnus, for example the science university in Strasbourg is known as "Université Louis-Pasteur " while its official name is "Université Strasbourg I" (however, since 2009, the three universities of Strasbourg have been merged). The French system has undergone
13104-407: The supervision of a faculty member. The oral examination takes place in front of a jury of teachers. There are also several oral exams in languages; practical work in science or arts; or physical evaluation in sport. When taken in mainland France, the baccalauréat material is the same for all students in a given stream. The secrecy surrounding the material is very tight, and the envelopes containing
13221-550: The target nation. For instance, the British Section (administered by the University of Cambridge ) models the programmes on A-levels in English, History, and Geography. It is therefore necessary to be fully bilingual to complete this qualification. To date there are 16 different sections supporting 14 different languages: American, Arabic, British, (mainland) Chinese, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. At
13338-516: The teaching community, fearing the privatization of French public higher education and tuition fee increases. In France, private colleges and universities cannot award national Bachelor's ( Licence ) and Master's degrees. They can, however, either: set up co-diploma partnerships with public universities to deliver their national diplomas, or have their own diplomas accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education (the accredited diploma , or " Diplôme Visé "), or have their programs certified (with
13455-414: The type of baccalauréat that can be presented. In some cases, it may be possible to enter a French university without the bac by taking a special exam, the "diploma for entrance to higher education". Though most students take the bac at the end of secondary school, it is also possible to enter as a candidat libre (literally, "free candidate") without affiliation to a school. Students who did not take
13572-423: The university. In 2021, 1.65 million students are enrolled in French higher education institutions (61% in licence, 35% in master, 4% in doctorat). Higher education is mostly funded by the State which leads to very low tuition fees. For citizens of the EU, EEA, Switzerland or Quebec, the annual fees range from 170 to 380 euros per year depending on the level ( licence, master, doctorat ). One can therefore get
13689-608: The workload and transfer to schools offering the standard French baccalaureate. Thus, many consider the OIB qualification to be highly challenging and a sign, not only of academic prowess, but also of tenacity and hard work. To test their foreign or regional language students can choose among these different languages (though not at all schools): the foreign languages English , German , Arabic , Armenian , Cambodian , Chinese , Danish , Spanish , Finnish , Modern Greek , Hebrew , Italian , Japanese , Dutch , Norwegian , Polish , Portuguese , Russian , Turkish , Vietnamese ; and
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