Sciences Po’s First Year Academic Structure - A Studium Generale
Ernest, an undergraduate in the Euro-Asian Program at Sciences Po, introduces the academic structure of the Undergraduate College, Sciences Po Paris.
By Ernest Tan, Project Access Mentor and Sciences Po Campus Officer
SciencesPo Pavilion
To start off, we will have to keep in mind that Sciences Po’s Undergraduate College has seven campuses across France, each concentrating on a different region of the globe. This regional specialisation is offered as a minor. This list, reproduced from our previous article, indicates the programme taught on each of the seven campuses.
Programmes Offered on Each Campus:
Le Havre Campus
1. Europe-Asia Programme (English-taught)
Menton Campus
2. Middle East and Mediterranean Programme (English-taught)
Reims Campus
3. Europe-North American Programme (English-taught)
4. Europe-Africa Programme (French-taught in the first year, with courses in the second year in both English and French)
Nancy Campus
5. European Union (Franco-German Partnership) Programme (Mainly French taught, with some courses in English and German) Dijon Campus
6. European Union (Central and Eastern Europe) Programme (Mainly French taught, with some courses in English) Poitiers Campus
7. Latin American and the Caribbean Programme (French taught with some courses in English, Spanish, and Portuguese)
Paris Campus
8. General Programme (French taught with choice of some courses in English)
In this three-part series, we will understand the three-year academic programme of the Undergraduate College, organised year by year.
First Year
A Brief on the Introductory Courses
The first year resembles a studium generale of sorts, with students having to go through introductory courses on the core disciplines - law, economics, sociology, political science, and history. This helps students build a rigorous interdisciplinary social sciences background. To some, who have found their specific interest in a particular social sciences discipline, this may not be appealing as they may want to specialise immediately - something that universities elsewhere may provide. The curriculum for the first year could be best described as a liberal arts curriculum that emphasises a broad understanding of the social sciences. Nevertheless, the author’s opinion is that this broad understanding helps students in their eventual choice of discipline - history can never be isolated from politics, and one will find that sociological perspectives aid in analysis of economic policies, to put it simply. Some of these introductory courses vary depending on the regional specialisation of each campus. For history, the introductory 19th century history course on the Le Havre Campus (Euro-Asian Programme) is titled “A History of the European Nineteenth Century: the view from Asia”. At the Reims Campus (Euro-North American Programme), it is titled “The Long European 19th Century (1780-1914: Revolutions, Modernity, and Rise to Power)”.
Political Institutions (PI)
Political Institutions (PI) is a course that evokes a great many reactions amongst students at Sciences Po - often on both ends of the spectrum. Excitement and intellectual stimulation for some, but utter dread for others. Its full name on the Le Havre Campus is “Introduction to Political Institutions and Constitutional Law” (full name may vary on other campuses), and is delineated into three parts - principles of constitutional structure, process of constitutional implementation, and particularities of contemporary institutional design. But what do all these big words mean? Essentially, one will get to understand the idea of a State (from the idea of the Westphalian state to something more existential - the social contract and the ideas of Rousseau, Locke and other philosophers). Then, the different types of systems, regimes, and forms of government - one will be able to understand differences between a presidentialised parliamentary regime (“semi-presidential” in France), Westministerian parliamentary regime (UK), and presidential regime (US). And of course, when one studies politics in France, the French Revolution becomes a common topic of discussion - the course takes students through French constitutional history from that point until the current French Fifth Republic. It also does not neglect the constitutional particularities in other countries - including the UK, US, India, Russia, and Japan amongst a great many others.
It is undeniable that the course is rather unique - there is a focus on oral presentations and examinations rather than written work. Unlike the other introductory courses with a written final examination, the final examination for this course is an oral examination - but it is not as daunting as it sounds - there will be ample help from seniors and tutors providing mock sessions and tips. This component might be a microcosm of the larger focus at Sciences Po in terms of eloquence - some other courses have graded oral presentations. While I was initially averse to these assessments, I realised eventually that they indeed improved my oratorical skills which I believe to be also quite imperative as a complement to writing and research.
Ecological Literacy
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges that we will have to face in this lifetime. Sciences Po’s Culture Écologique (translated as “Ecological Literacy”) course (3 ECTS) is offered at all seven campuses of Sciences Po - indicating Sciences Po’s institutional recognition of the pressing problem at hand. The course is unprecedented and unique - it offers students the opportunity to understand the climate issue from different perspectives organised thematically each lecture - geopolitics, economics, history and more. To illustrate the proximity of climate change to the students at each campus, the class content includes an analysis of how the physical environment around each campus would be affected by adverse events - at Le Havre, this was especially pertinent given its location along the coast.
Mathematics and Statistics
To the many social sciences students who are thinking of Sciences Po as a way to escape their greatest fear - numbers, I have some bad news. Students are still required to take one mathematics course and one statistics course during the first year. However, even if you have a limited background in mathematics or statistics, you will be able to take quantitative courses that are suitable for you. First year quantitative courses are divided into two (or three) levels - introductory, intermediate, and advanced - all of which grant the same number of European credits (ECTS). There will usually be an online placement test for mathematics that you have to take before you arrive.
Artistic Workshops
On a brighter note, there are Artistic Workshops (worth 3 ECTS credits) that some of the artistic people/ art connoisseurs will be able to take. At the Le Havre Campus this semester, this includes Japanese calligraphy, African rhythms, theatre, creative writing, amongst others. These are a good way to relax amidst the bustle of schoolwork and campus life - and you get credits for that too! The selection of workshops is quite good - there’s something for everyone. As a relatively reserved person, I was tempted to choose a module that would not require too much “extrovert energy” but I eventually settled on theatre - to step out of my comfort zone. My experience so far has been really pleasant - I realised that quiet types like myself fit very well in a theatre class - in fact, assuming a different persona is sometimes quite liberating.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the first year at Sciences Po Undergraduate College is an eclectic one academically - completing the core courses in the various disciplines, as well as the courses in mathematics, statistics, and the arts helps build a strong foundation for the next year, when students have to major in one of three options provided by Sciences Po. These will be elaborated in the next article of our three-part series on academic structure.
Here at Project Access, we have a team of current students at Sciences Po offering one-to-one mentoring for admissions. Do not hesitate to sign up with us!