Phd) Is Prepared in Six Semesters (It Corresponds to 8 Years of Study Beyond the Baccalauréat Diploma)

Published on Eurydice (https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice) Organisation of Doctoral Studies The "doctorat" (PhD) is prepared in six semesters (it corresponds to 8 years of study beyond the baccalauréat diploma). The diploma is awarded after presentation of a thesis. This third level is one of high specialisation and research training. After the master's degree or a recognised equivalent, students showing aptitude for research can access PhD studies within the framework of doctoral schools. These schools allow the preparation of a doctorate (PhD) in three or four years (presentation of a thesis or of a set of work). In compliance with the commitments taken in the "Pacte pour la recherche" (Pact for research), expressed by the planning law for research no. 2006-450 of 18 April 2006 [1], doctoral training has been renovated: the new order of 7 August 2006 bearing on doctoral training is consistent with the orientations set out in the "European Charter for Researchers" especially as regards the status of PhD students. Moreover, attention paid to the implementation of the "thesis charter" guarantees quality insofar as it defines the rights and duties of each party. The preparation of a thesis should be part of a personal and professional project clearly defined in its objectives and resources. Consecutive to this reform adopted by the order of 7 August 2006 [2], PhD training should offer young PhDs excellent training, attractive nationally and internationally, and the best possible career prospects. Four major orientations are defined: reassertion of doctoral schools as places to structure French doctoral training; primacy given to "quality assurance"; recognition of the doctorat (PhD) as "a professional research experience" and strengthening of measures to guarantee excellent training; creation of doctoral schools made accessible to all higher education institutions. Doctoral studies allow: a scientific framework guaranteed by recognised research units or teams; training useful for steering their research project and elaborating their professional project; international opening, that enables multi-year residence permits and the setting up of unique portals on campuses; the possibility of doing a work placement; integration monitoring. During their doctoral training, PhD students take support training courses and pictograms in teaching sessions, seminars, missions or placements organised within the framework of the doctoral school. Admission Requirements Admission to a doctoral school with a view to preparing a PhD is open to holders of a national master's diploma or another diploma conferring the grade of master, an engineering diploma or equivalent diploma through the validation of acquired experience. Enrolment is confirmed by the head after proposal by the doctoral school head and validation by the thesis supervisor and research unit director. It confirms admission to the training dispensed by the doctoral school. Enrolment should be renewed at the start of every university year. For the first PhD enrolment: the head of the doctoral school ensures that the scientific, material and financial conditions are brought together to ensure the smooth operation of the candidate's research work and this preparation, after validation by the director of the research unit supervising the quality of the project; the thesis charter is signed by the PhD student, thesis supervisor, head of the doctoral school and manager of the host unit or team. For information about tuition fees [3] please refer to chapter 3 "Funding of Education". Status of Doctoral Candidates Since 2007, the State Secretary for Higher Education is committed to ensuring that the PhD becomes the flagship diploma of the national and European training system and has taken various initiatives in application of the planning law for research of 18 April 2006 [1] which recognises PhD students as young research professionals To reinforce the appeal of the PhD further, a new contract for PhD students has been proposed with more guarantees and which can be adapted for each individual case. This new "doctoral contract", created by the ESR Law on higher education [1] tends to reinforce doctorate recognition in the public and private sectors (Article 78 [4] and Article 82 [5] particularly). Moreover, the objective of the Fridenson mission is to ensure recognition of the doctoral degree by companies in their competency and pay scales. Finally, doctors will have access to the 3rd ENA competition, an acknowledgement of up to three years of professional experience. The other status for PhD students may be students benefiting from a study grant (scholars). There are several sources of grants for PhD studies: Grants or Allowances from the Department of Higher Education and Research Every year, the Department awards a continent fund of allowances to the Doctoral School which it makes available after having defined the thesis subjects and host teams. Allowances are attributed by the Doctoral School to the best candidates after examination of their applications: the results of the master's degree are particularly decisive. The aim is to allow PhD students to dedicate themselves fully to research work for the preparation of their thesis. The allowances are for three years. Applicants should be aged under 25 but a dispensation is possible for under 30s. Prerequisite diplomas are: master's degree or an equivalence/dispensation. Applicants should be French (or naturalisation in process) or citizen of a member state of the EU or have gained the Master's degree in France. It is possible to work as a supervisor/tutor (see below). For social security, the general system applies as for pension contributions. Grants through the Convention Industrielle de Formation par la Recherche (CIFRE - Industrial training research agreement) These are agreed as part of a partnership between a public research laboratory and a company. A laboratory receiving a CIFRE grant usually publishes a call for applications from students liable to be interested. The aim is to be able to prepare a thesis while working for a company in a research and development programme in liaison with a research team outside the company and at the same time reinforce the company's technological capability. The candidate should be under 26 but may be of any nationality. Two directors (an HDR teacher-researcher and person working in the company's studies or research department) should supervise the PhD. The allowances are for three years. Bourses de Doctorat pour Ingénieurs (BDI - Engineer PhD grants) These are awarded by the CNRS which totally or partially funds them with another research organisation (a company) or a public local authority (e.g. a region). They are awarded (or not) to laboratories associated with the CNRS which have filed an application to the CNRS detailing the thesis subject, host team and the CV of the PhD candidate. The candidate should be under 27 and preferably should have an engineering or equivalent diploma (in addition to the DEA). Regional grants or public authority allowances Public local authorities (mainly Regions) can offer thesis grants or allowances to research laboratories on subjects deemed to be of priority to them. Depending on the region, allowance awarding conditions are subject to the same aforementioned BDI process (subject, laboratory, candidate's CV). Grants from other research organisations Like the CNRS, other research organisations or agencies (INSERM, INRIA, INRA, INED, CNES, IFREMER, ONERA, ADEME, ANVAR…) can fund or jointly fund thesis grants. Allowance awarding conditions are subject to the same aforementioned BDI process (subject, laboratory, candidate's CV). Funding by private organisations Within the framework of their partnership with the private or semi-public industrial sector, some laboratories can benefit from grants or wages for PhD students. To obtain this type of funding, candidates are invited to contact laboratories and consult the websites of major state-of-the-art industrial companies: automotive, aeronautics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, petroleum, etc.) Grants for foreign students The Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) awards a grant to foreign Master's graduates. Furthermore, depending on the country, it is possible for certain foreign students and in certain conditions to obtain a thesis grant from their government and/or the French government. Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA - Atomic Energy Agency) grants The CEA can sign a thesis contract with PhD students preparing their thesis in its laboratories. This thesis contract is designed to allow selected young PhD students to conduct a research project in one of the CEA's many fields of expertise: fundamental research in physics and life science, technological research for industry, R&D for nuclear energy, nuclear defence, protection and safety activities (research themes of CEA laboratories). The fulfilment and performance of the research project, supervised by a confirmed engineer or researcher, as well as a thesis supervisor approved by the University (universities having signed a framework agreement with the CEA) allow the presentation of a thesis and awarding of the University PhD diploma. In all cases, the thesis contract is 3-year fixed term work contract for which the CEA is the employer. Supervision Arrangements The order of 7 August 2006 opens PhD training to all scientific partners with the sole goal of achieving excellence in research. Attention paid to the implementation of the "thesis

Load more