Multidisciplinary Undergraduate degree (CPES)

CPES Multidisciplinary Undergraduate degree

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CPES Multidisciplinary Undergraduate degree

Program type Initial Training

Degree Bachelor's

Domain(s) Arts, Humanities & social sciences, Engineering, Fundamental Sciences

Discipline(s) Chemistry, Law, Economics, History, Computer Science, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Cognitive science, Life Sciences, Social Science

Teaching language(s) French

Place Paris

PSL host school

Presentation

Program

Financial support

Admissions

Campus tour

Demanding: a selective program in a unique scientific and cultural environment, backed by some of France’s most prestigious schools.

Interdisciplinarity: innovative modular study tracks, decompartmentalizing all fields of knowledge - Sciences, Literature, Social Sciences – based on the principle of gradual specialization.

Diversity: social, geographic, intellectual, cultural diversity... With openness driving innovation and creativity.

The CPES Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Degree is a general multidisciplinary program, providing broad exposure to culture, project-based teaching and introducing students to research. It is a 3-year program based on the principle of gradual specialization and teaching in small groups, created in partnership with Lycée Henri-IV.

Learning outcomes

Hosted by some of the most prestigious higher education institutions, the CPES educates very high-potential students who are both creative and daring. With a single goal: to create the new decision-makers, researchers and entrepreneurs for the economic, academic and cultural spheres.

Program

1st year: at Lycée Henri-IV: cross-disciplinary core curriculum + choice of one of 3 tracks on offer:
- Humanities & society
- Sciences
- Economics, Society and Law.
2nd year: gradual introduction to teaching at PSL institutions (ENS-PSL, Dauphine-PSL, MINES Paris-PSL, etc.) and choice of a double major (see the "program tab).
3rd year: choice of one specialization

Opportunities

The CPES is a selective and highly demanding multidisciplinary program, leading to a Bachelor’s degree awarded by the institution. Students can pursue their higher education by moving on to a Master’s degree at ��̳ or any of the other major universities and Grandes Écoles, either in France or abroad.

Who should tracapply?

The CPES is a highly demanding program, designed for students from France or abroad who are curious and creative, and who display critical thinking.
Depending on each student’s specific track (chosen specialization), the curriculum leads to different credentials (Physics, Chemistry, History, Art History and Theory, Philosophy etc.)

Diploma delivered

The CPES degree (for "cycle pluridisciplinaire d’études supérieures”) is a selective bachelor degree with “grade de licence” awarded by the French government. More information:
For the record, the selection rate for access to this diploma is among the highest in France (6200 high school candidates for a capacity of 170 students in the first year).

Read the story of Pierre, a former CPES student
Read the list with the 25 partner high schools "Cordée de la réussite" (Roped together for success) CPES - Henri-IV
Interested in sustainable development challenges? Discover PSL's Sustainability Science bachelor's degree. More information here.

Benefits

A top-level academic environment, with 140 laboratories and 2,900 faculty
Supervisory guidance from the preparatory class format, with autonomy and education through university research
Customizable curriculum following the Anglo-Saxon model: Multidisciplinary common core, electives, major/minor
Varied teaching formats: Small class sizes, practicums, lectures, seminars, group work, orals, mentoring
Progressive specialization over three years
Personalized guidance and support systems
100% rate of follow-on studies (Grandes Écoles and competitively-selected Master’s programs at the best universities in France and abroad)
Full range of services | Joining PSL as an undergraduate means having a unique experience thanks to the many services on offer for students.

Humanities & society track

First year

Courses at the Lycée Henri IV. The track combines humanities, quantitative sciences, economics and cognitive sciences. The aim of this first year is to acquire a methodological and knowledge base, a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for the rest of the course. As in a preparatory class, the weekly timetable is substantial and the teaching is demanding.

Second year

In the second year, a system of double majors is offered. 4 choices are offered:

History & Philosophy + Multidisciplinary approach to education
History & Philosophy + Environment: Economics and Social Science
History & Philosophy + Sociology & political science
Multidisciplinary approach to education + Economics
Multidisciplinary approach to education + Law

Courses are mainly taught at PSL's component institutions, in particular Ecole Normale Supérieure - PSL, Dauphine - PSL, and Mines Paris - PSL. Students have access to a course chosen by professors at the Collège de France and to the UROP (Undergraduate research opportunity program).

Third year

In the third year, 3 specializations are offered:

History & Philosophy
Education: Economics & public policy
Sociology & Political Science
Law & Public Governance

Opportunities

On completion of their 3-year program in Humanities, students are awarded a Bachelor’s degree by PSL, opening the way to a wide range of selective Master’s degrees in France or abroad. Some Grandes Écoles are also accessible through parallel admission.

For example, usual opportunities within PSL:
•&�Բ��;Master's degree in Humanities
•&�Բ��;Master's degree in Philosophy
•&�Բ��;Master's degree in Cognitive Science (CogMaster)
•&�Բ��;Diploma from ENS - PSL.

Science track

The Science track includes a wide range of scientific disciplines - from mathematics to computer science and including experimental sciences – enabling students to gradually refine their choice of studies.

First year

The Science track is intended for students interested in the exact sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science and biology), and who want to study these scientific subjects in more depth before making an informed choice about their studies in the second year.

Teaching takes place at Lycée Henri-IV and, for practicums in Optics, at the Paris Observatory – PSL Meudon site, with courses taught by faculty and teachers of preparatory classes for Grandes Écoles.

Download the first-year program

Second year

In the second year, students choose one of the following double majors:

Mathematics + Physics
Experimental Sciences + Mathematics
Mathematics + Economics

Courses take place mainly at Mines Paris - PSL and at ENS - PSL (Jourdan Campus). The Observatoire de Paris - PSL hosts CPES Science students for practicums in optics. Courses in modern languages and economics are the same as for students in the Economy, society and Law track.

At the end of each semester one week is set aside for students to come together:
- in the first semester, they work together in small groups in artistic workshops (around 20 hours) joining up with schools of art and creation associated with PSL, including FEMIS.
- in the second semester, they participate in a robotics workshop.

During the second semester, students also spend 60 hours on their first laboratory research project. The project is supervised by faculty and researchers and an oral presentation must be given before a jury at the end of the year.
Examples of projects: Life sciences: morphogenesis and microscopy - Institut Fresnel (Marseille). Logistic maps and chaos – Department of mathematics, ENS - PSL. Low-voltage electrical machine for an embedded application, ENS Paris-Saclay Laboratoire SATIE. Study and modeling of earthquakes – Department of geology, ENS - PSL. Comparison of data from the Mars mission, Science Laboratory at Mars Climate Database - Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory, Sorbonne University site. Expression of Hr78 in the establishment of cell processes during metamorphosis of the notum in Drosophila - Institut Curie. Electrophoretic characterization and application of quantum dots functionalized with metallophtalocyanines.

Download the second year program.

Third year

In the third year, students continue with their specialization, 4 choices available:

Material sciences
Life sciences
Applied mathematics
Computer Science

Opportunities

On completion of the Science track, students obtain a Bachelor’s degree awarded by PSL, which opens up choices in a wide range of Master’s degree programs in universities in France or abroad. Some Grandes Ecoles are also accessible through parallel admission.

Economics, Society and Law track

The Economics, Society and Law track aims to produce students able to analyze and understand economic and social reality in all its complexity. This is achieved through in-depth teaching of the Social Sciences (Economics, Sociology, Political Science) with Law in addition. The importance of Mathematics varies according to the chosen direction. Particular attention is paid to teaching quantitative methods (statistics, econometrics) and qualitative methods (field surveys), as well as the basics of research. The focus is on rigor, openness, and hard work to achieve intellectual autonomy.
As well as joint activities (research conferences, cultural outings), the track offers a wide range of courses: mathematics, economics, sociology, political science, introduction to law, history, languages, philosophy.

First year

In the first year, students are encouraged to learn about all the social sciences: Economics, Social Sciences, Law, with mathematics playing a more or less important role, according to the student’s profile.

Download the outline of the first year of the Economics, Society and Law track

Second year

In the second year, students choose two of the following majors:

Economics + Law
Economics + Sociology & Political Science
Economics + History & Philosophy
Economics + Multidisciplinary approach to education
Sociology & Political Science + Law
Sociology & Political Science + History & Philosophy

One week is set aside at the end of each semester to allow students take part in an introductory internship in journalistic writing at the Institut Pratique du Journalisme, Dauphine-PSL.

Third year

In the third year, compulsory courses take place at Dauphine - PSL. Depending on the choices made in the second year, different specializations are possible: Economics and society, Sociology and political science, and Law and public governance:

Economics and Society: this specialization has the largest economics component and includes extra mathematics as it is preparing students to go on to the top Master’s degrees in Economics. It also includes social science courses;
Sociology and Political Science: this specialization includes a wealth of courses offering an extensive knowledge of the different components of the social sciences, combined with in-depth training in methodology, and notably in field surveys. The variety of options provide a diversity that will ensure a wide range of choices at Master’s degree level;
Law and Public Governance: this is a demanding legal course giving students a high level of competence in Law, the start of a specialization in Public Law and a decidedly multidisciplinary profile, preparing them for a university program then professional activity linked to or interacting with public or quasi-public spheres.
History & Philosophy
Education: economics & public policy

Students in Economics and in Sociology and Political Science produce an individual research project supervised by a faculty member, which must then be the subject of an oral presentation. Law students participate in the Clinique juridique de Dauphine - PSL. Finally, the optional Media and Journalism Certificate offered by the Institut Pratique du Journalisme, Dauphine – PSL introduces students to the journalism professions.

Opportunities

On completion of the 3-year program in the Economics, Society and Law track, students are awarded a Bachelor’s degree by PSL, opening the way to a wide choice of university Master’s degrees in France or abroad.

Housing

L’université PSL dispose d’un service d’aide au logement pour tous ses étudiant(e)s.
En plus de cet accompagnement et conformément à la politique d’Egalité des chances de PSL, les étudiants bénéficiaires de bourses sur critères sociaux du CROUS (échelons 1 à 7) admis au Collège Sciences, Humanités et Société peuvent bénéficier, selon leur situation :

d’un logement garanti (de 1 à 3 ans selon l'échelon) au sein de l’une des résidences CROUS partenaires de PSL (Onglet 1 ci-dessous)
d’un logement à coût réduit (voire quasi-nul pour les échelons les plus élevés : 4 à 7) après perception du complément de bourse versé par PSL et des aides financières de la CAF (Onglets 2 et 3).

→ Serez-vous boursier de l'enseignement supérieur ? Faites une

Consultez les modalités ci-dessous afin d’évaluer votre éligibilité à ces différents dispositifs.

1 – Accès au logement « garanti » par PSL : quelles conditions ? quelle durée ?

Logement CROUS garanti en première année (L1) pour tous les boursiers du CROUS Echelons 1 à 7, dans le parc de résidences universitaires partenaires de PSL
Pour les échelons 4 à 7 spécifiquement : logement garanti pour toute la durée de la formation (L1, L2, L3)
Pour les échelons 1 à 3 : accès au logement renouvelable au-delà de la L1 (sur critères sociaux et selon les logements disponibles)

A noter : Pour les étudiants qui restent logés par PSL après leur L1, un changement de résidence est possible. L'attribution d'une chambre individuelle n'est par ailleurs pas garantie.

2 – Complément de bourse octroyé par PSL : quelles modalités d’éligibilité et de versement ?

Ce complément de bourse est versé chaque mois par l’��̳ à tous les boursiers échelons 1 à 7 (équivalent à 50% de leur bourse sur critères sociaux du CROUS). A noter :

Bourses versées aux étudiant(e)s qu’ils soient logés ou non par le CROUS
10 ou 12 mois de bourses complémentaires de l’��̳, en fonction des modalités prévues par la bourse sur critères sociaux du CROUS (critères d’éloignement géographique et / ou familial)

Pour mémoire, le loyer en chambre CROUS est d'environ 400 à 500€/mois.

Attention : la politique d'aide au logement proposée par PSL est basée uniquement sur les bourses sur critères sociaux du CROUS (pas de prise en compte de la bourse au mérite ou bourses AEFE par exemple qui peuvent être perçues en plus).

3 – APL et aides exceptionnelles offertes par PSL : toutes les informations utiles

Aide personnalisée au logement (APL) : Montants APL en île-de-France (ordre de grandeur) : 40 à 60% du loyer mensuel. Ce montant est variable selon la situation familiale de chaque étudiant. Un simulateur est disponible sur le site de la CAF.
Aides financières exceptionnelles octroyées par l’��̳ : plus d'informations

En synthèse : quelques cas pratiques !

Exemple : Je suis boursier du CROUS d'un échelon compris entre 4 à 7, j’ai donc accès à…

→ Un logement à coût quasi-nul en cumulant les aides pour lesquelles je suis éligible : bourse CROUS (1) + Complément de bourse de PSL (2) + Aides sociales / APL (3)
→ ET d'un logement garanti pendant mes 3 ans d'études en licence, dans l'une des résidences CROUS partenaires de PSL

→ La demande de logement ne pourra s’initier qu’une fois votre admission confirmée sur Parcoursup. Toutes les informations nécessaires seront transmises après acceptation définitive du voeu.
→ Une question ? Contactez : logement.housing@psl.eu.

→ Pour rappel, les étudiants boursiers de l'enseignement supérieur sont exemptés de droits d’inscription en licence (droits nationaux). Ils ont également accès à des menus complets pour 1€ dans les restaurants et cafétérias universitaires.
→ La checklist de vos premières dépenses ? | Site web
→ Toutes les informations sur les demandes de bourses CROUS, aides au logement, constitution du DSE ou encore aides à la mobilité :

Welcome desk

Customized support for international students from admission to PSL to their arrival in Paris.

Access to a digital Welcome Desk that centralizes all the information you need to help you prepare your stay in Paris with no stress.
Many services are offered: Make an appointment to prepare your arrival in France, Buddy program: the PSL mentoring program, Welcome Days: practical workshops on subjects linked to your stay in France (health, housing, student life, etc.), etc. Read more.

Healthcare & well-being

A free healthcare service is available all year round.

Two offices. You will find a doctor dealing with preventive medicine and support for students requiring special arrangements (students with a disability, etc.) and psychologists.
A teleconsultation service available 7 days a week from 7am to 11pm, you can make an appointment with the doctor of your choice from over 30 specialties, such as general medical practitioners, dermatologists, addictologists, nutritionists, gynecologists, psychologists, etc. Further information.

Applying for CPES Year 1

Prerequisites: To apply, you must have already completed or be in the process of completing a general High school French 'baccalaureate' diploma (obtained in France or abroad) or a diploma with recognized equivalence.
Admissions are based on application on the French platform : .

Parcoursup 2025 timetable

Start of registration and formulation of wishes: 15 January 2025
Last day for making applications: 13 March 2025
Last day for completing your application and confirming your wishes: 2 April 2025

Interested in sustainable development challenges? Discover PSL's Sustainability Science bachelor's degree. More information here.

Tuition fees 2024/2025

Tuition fees :
- Scholarship student : Free
- Non-scholarship student : €175 /year (set by ministerial decree)
Student Life and Campus Fee (CVEC) : €103 /year -

Esther, a second-year student at CPES show you around her campus. Discover the Lycée Henri-IV where the first year classes take place and many other emblematic places on campus! Enjoy your visit!