Montpellier School of Political Science

Bachelor's Degree

1. OVERVIEW OF THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAM

ISO 9001-certified since 2016 (attesting to the program’s educational and administrative quality), the Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science offers a specialized curriculum in political science from the first year through the third year. Focused on understanding the contemporary world, the program aims to equip students with:

  • the body of knowledge required to analyze policy inthe broad sense of “governance of societies” (general education courses in the first year, reinforced in the second year, and specialized in the third year)
  • To build asolid general knowledge base
  • To improvewriting and speaking skills
  • To acquire a widerange of methodological tools that can be appliedin the various professional fields this program prepares students for (drafting all types of written documents, delivering all types of oral presentations, designing and conducting qualitative and quantitative surveys or studies, conducting literature reviews, mastering information and communication technologies, etc.)
  • To prepare for the next step (further study or entry into the workforce) throughsix academic and career support modulesfrom the first to the third year ofundergraduatestudies

2. Undergraduate Programs

In accordance with the Bachelor’s-Master’s-Doctorate (BMD) model, which has become the standard across Europe, the Bachelor’s degree in Political Science consists of six semesters (two semesters per year). The program is structured around a progressive approach. The first year (L1) is dedicated to acquiring the fundamentals of the discipline, combined with courses in law, history, social sciences, economics, and more. Starting in the second year and continuing into the third, students take more specialized courses corresponding to areas of concentration that are then explored in greater depth in the Master’s 2 program. The entire program enables students to acquire a solid foundation in political science, as well as strong proficiency in English, general knowledge, and social science methodologies. 

First Year of the Bachelor's Degree in Political Science (L1)

 Semester 1

> TU WITH REQUIRED SEMINARS
TU to Political Sociology: The Framework of Political Activity (33 hours of lectures + 15 hours of tutorials)
TU : French PoliticalTU : 1789–1958 (33 hours of lectures + 15 hours of tutorials)
TU : General ConstitutionalTU (33 hours of lectures + 15 hours of tutorials)

> TU withoutTU
TU of the Social Sciences (33 hours, 3 credit hours)
TU InternationalTU (33 hours, 3 credit hours)
TU (C2i) (14 hours, including 10.5 hours of tutorials, 2 credit hours)
TU Academic TransitionTU 1: Succeeding in Your First Year (10 hours, 2 credit hours)
TU Institutions and American Institutions (20 hours of lectures and 2 hours of tutorials)

Semester 2

> TU WITH REQUIRED SEMINARS
TU to Political Sociology 2: Political Actors and Behavior (33 hours of lectures + 15 hours of tutorials)
TU French PoliticalTU under the Fifth Republic (33 hours of lectures + 15 hours of tutorials)
TU : ConstitutionalTU of the Fifth Republic (33 hours of lectures + 15 hours of tutorials)

> TU WITHOUT TutorTU
TU to Documentary Research (10 hours – 1 tutorial)
TU Academic IntegrationTU 2: Individual Interview – Midterm Review (15 hours – 2 tutorials)
TU PoliticalTU (22 hours – 3 tutorials)
TU AdministrativeTU (22h-3C)
TU and Analyzing Press Articles (20h CM-3C)

Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, 2nd Year (L2) 

Semester 3

> TU with required tutorials
TU PoliticalTU (33 hours of lectures, 4 credit hours + 15 hours of tutorials, 2 credit hours)
TU Social Movements andTU (33 hours of lectures, 4 credit hours + 15 hours of tutorials,TU 2 credit hours)

> TU LECTURES WITHOUT SEMINARS
TU GeneralTU 1: Major Political and Social Issues (33h-5C)
TU HistoricalTU of the State (33h-5C)
TU Political and EconomicTU of Globalization (22h-3C)
TU CareerTU 1: Political Science Careers: An Introduction (20h-2C)
TU American History (20hCM-3C)

Semester 4

> TU WITH REQUIRED SEMINARS
TU of Public Organizations (33 hours – 4 lectures + 15 hours seminars – 2 seminars)
TU : ComparativeTU 1: Western Democracies (33 hours – 4 lectures + 15 hours tutorials – 2 tutorials)
> TU TU WITHOUT TUTORIALS
TU GeneralTU 2: Current Affairs Lectures (33 hours – 5 lectures)
TU of Political Ideas (22 hours – 3 lectures) shared
TU Contemporary PoliticalTU (22 hours – 4 lectures)
TU C2i (14 hours, including 10.5 hours of tutorials and 1 lecture)
TU Career IntegrationTU 2: Individual Interview on Career Plans (15 hours-2 lectures)
TU Political Speeches (20 hours of lectures-3 lectures)

Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, 3rd Year (L3)

Semester 5

> TU TU with Required Tutorials
TU to Qualitative Methods (33 hours – 3 lectures + 15 hours – 2 tutorials)
TU ComparativeTU 2: Dictatorships (33 hours – 3 lectures + 15 hours – 2 tutorials)
TU to Public Policy (33 hours – 3 lectures + 15 hours – 2 tutorials)

> TU Without Tutorials
TU of European Integration (33 hours, 3 credits)
TU International Issues (33 hours, 4 credits)
TU to Local Governments (33 hours, 3 credits)
TU : Personal CareerTU 1: Defining Your Career Path (22 hours, 2 credits)
TU European Union (20 hours of tutorials, 3 credits)

Semester 6

> TU with Required Tutorials
TU to Quantitative Methods (33 hours – 4 lectures + 15 hours – 2 tutorials)
TU European UnionTU (33 hours – 4 lectures + 15 hours – 2 tutorials)
TU Great Classics of Sociology (33 hours – 4 lectures + 15 hours – 2 tutorials)

> TU WITHOUTTU
TU Figures in Economics (33 hours-4 credits)
TU in Europe (22 hours-3 credits)
TU Personal CareerTU 2: Development and Management of a Group Project, Internship, or Teaching Methodology (22 hours-2 credits)
TU , Equality and Social Justice (20h TD-3C)

3. INTERNSHIPS, SUPERVISED PROJECTS

As part ofTU ProfessionalTU (6th semester), students may choose either a Three-Week TU or a Personal and Professional TU .

4. EXPECTATIONS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

Interest in political and social issues

An interest in political and social issues and, more broadly, in the functioning of contemporary societies is essential for admission to the Bachelor’s program in Political Science. Political science programs include the study of political life and institutions, as well as courses in sociology, international relations, and political theory. The Bachelor’s program in Political Science is interdisciplinary, and courses in law and economics are also offered. The curriculum includes a significant European and international component. Students are therefore also expected to have an interest in transnational issues as well as in the diversity of political and social systems.

A particular interest in the social sciences and humanities during your school years (particularly history, geography, and economics and social sciences) and involvement in civic activities can be assets.

Written and oral communication skills

This requirement underscores the importance, for the political science program, of proficiency in the French language, both written and spoken. In political science programs, the assignments given to students in seminars and exams include presentations, analyses of various texts and documents, and essays. It is therefore important to master the fundamentals of the language (spelling, grammar, syntax, etc.), which are essential for constructing well-reasoned analyses.

Ability to understand and analyze documents

This requirement underscores the importance, for the political science program, of the candidate’s ability to “understand” and interpret documents from a variety of sources.

The Bachelor’s degree program in political science is based on the combined analysis of a variety of documents (including academic texts as well as official documents, political speeches, administrative reports, media content, etc.), which students must be able to understand, contextualize, and critique using scientific reasoning. Political science programs aim not only to impart disciplinary knowledge and skills but also to foster scientific analytical skills and a critical mindset.

Ability to work independently and organize one's work

This requirement underscores the importance, for the political science program, of the ability to work independently. Like many university programs, the political science bachelor’s degree program places a substantial emphasis on self-organization and independent work. Students also engage in group projects.