The articulation between masters and doctoral studies: the french experience

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The articulation between masters and doctoral studies:

the french experience

Jean-Marie Boisson, . European University Association

To cite this version:

Jean-Marie Boisson, . European University Association. The articulation between masters and doc- toral studies: the french experience. EUA-BFUG workshop: doctoral studies in Europe, Oct 2006, Bruxelles, Belgium. 14 p. �hal-02815003�

Doctoral Programmes in Europe:

Master-PhD link

Doctoral/ Graduate/ Research Schools

The Articulation between Masters and Doctoral Studies

The French Experience

J.M. Boisson

Université Montpellier 1 (France)

EUA-BFUG Workshop 26-27 October 2006

OUTLINE

I. MAIN FEATURES OF THE FRENCH HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

II. IMPACT OF THE LMD (Bologna process) on the link between Masters and PhD

III. IMPLEMENTATION OF DOCTORAL SCHOOLS

I. Main features of the French higher education system

• DUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

• “Grandes Ecoles”

• Universities

• LARGE NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche scientifique)

• and many others

• without forgetting that

EVERYTHING IS FIXED IN AND BY PARIS

A strong weakness, but sometimes a (weak) strength

I. Main features of the French higher education system

THE ORIGINS OF THE DUALITY

• BEFORE THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

- the traditional European model of Universities

• THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEONIC LEGACY - abolishment of the traditional universities

- Schools and Faculties: a H.E. system at the service of the State

• THE EVOLUTION

- the needs of the economy

- the demographic/democratic pressure

- 1968 – Re-establishement of the Universities

I. Main features of the French higher education system

THE “GRANDES ECOLES”

TRADITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS - highly selective

- professionally oriented

- engineering ( and military) - agriculture

- civil service - business

- traditionally not research oriented THE EVOLUTION

- more and more private sector oriented

- recent and fast growing participation in research

with Universities and national research Centres

I. Main features of the French higher education system

THE UNIVERSITIES

TRADITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS (Æ1968)

- Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy and Law - Faculties of Sciences and Humanities - links between education and research

Universities were the names of administrative constituencies for the Ministry of Education: the Rector, a Civil Servant

THE EVOLUTION (1968Æ)

- splitting apart and specialisation

- development of professional education

- development of doctoral studies and research

- joint research teams with national research Centres

II. Impact of the LMD on the link between Masters and PhD

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

• B.P. (Bachelor/Master/Doctorate) implemented since 2003/2004

under the name of “LMD” = LICENCE-MASTER-DOCTORAT

• Not too difficult to implement because the studies were already split into 3 cycles

IN “GRANDES ECOLES”

• More difficult to implement because:

• Studies mostly split into 2 cycles in different places

- 2 years of preparatory classes in a lycée, 3 years of School

• Reluctance to abandon their prestigious title (Ingénieur)

• Doctoral cycles always developed in conjunction with

Before LMD After LMD

M-PRO

DEUG 1 DEUG 2 LICENCE MAITRISE

DESS DEA

DOCTORATE 1 DOCTORATE 2 DOCTORATE 3

…

M-Research

LICENCE 1 LICENCE 2 LICENCE 3 MASTER 1

DOCTORATE 1 DOCTORATE 2 DOCTORATE 3

…

3^rd cycle

MASTER 2

2^nd cycle

1^st cycle

II. Impact of the LMD on the link between Masters and PhD

BEFORE THE LMD Æ2003

DESS (Specialised D.) - professionally oriented

- 4-6 months internship in a firm

- no right to register in a PhD Programme

DEA (Advanced D.) - theoretical and methods courses - stay in a lab and research essay

- normal registration in a PhD Programme

AFTER THE LMD 2003Æ

Master-“PRO” - same as DESS Master-Recherche - same as DEA

BUT - Implementation of

Doctoral Schools

- Selection of PhD Students with agreement of a research team Last regulation (7th August 2006) eliminated distinction between Masters.

III. Implementation of Doctoral Schools

Last regulation has fixed the following points:

• The Doctoral Schools are the only and exclusive places where to complete Doctoral Studies.

• A Doctoral School is firstly

• a gathering of research units

- especially “UMR”s (Mixed Research Units)

• on a scientific theme or discipline

• from one or several universities and

• accredited by the Ministry of Education and Research (every 4 years)

• Doctoral students should be accepted in a research team of the Doctoral School in order to be registered.

• The Supervisor (HDR) must belong to a D.S. and only one, and be a member of one of the research units.

III. Implementation of Doctoral Schools

Last regulation has fixed the following points (bis):

• PhD Students and University representatives (supervisor, team director, D.S. director) sign a kind of contract ( la charte) stating mutual rights and obligations.

• The Doctoral School and the research units must supply doctoral students with

- facilities to work

- courses and transferable skills development and training (“doctoriales”)

- possibilities of attending seminars and congresses

• D.S. are allocated a fixed number of grants from the Ministry and try to find other financial resources for their students.

Perspectives and discussion

The main points to be fixed

- the nature and volume of the taught content, especially after a “master-pro”

- the nature of transferable skills and the way to manage them - the number of PhD Students per supervisor

- the correct pressure on the duration of the thesis - the nature and the quality level of the Dissertation - the implementation of a pre-defence of the thesis

And probably many other points !

But something is now obvious :

a PhD “student” cannot be considered

anymore as an advanced student but as a early stage (young) researcher having

signed a contract with mutual obligations

and rights with the University

Thank you for your attention!