The European School of Government within ICES prepares students for an undergraduate degree in politics taught and studied entirely in English. ESG is the only English-language politics faculty in Europe offering a sound classical education based on traditional concepts of politics, philosophy, history and law. ICES degrees are national degrees, delivered on behalf of the state by a rectoral jury.
The European School of Government is the only English-language politics faculty in Europe offering a sound classical education based on traditional concepts of politics, philosophy, history and law. This degree course is offered in either French or English. The three-year course includes mandatory and optional lecture courses on politics, law, economics, geopolitics, regional studies, international relations and political thought. The programme consists of lecture courses, research seminars to bring together the individual courses into a coherent whole, and research projects, each student being required to complete an undergraduate thesis on a subject of his or her choice.
Emphasis is placed on giving students a solid grounding in the great classics of political thought together with the analytical faculties needed to question and understand contemporary trends. While studying politics in the European School of Government program, students will also have the opportunity to learn and master's degree the French language and culture.
GENERAL INFORMATIONS
EDUCATIONAL GOALS
The Program European School of Government offers courses on politics, law, economics, geopolitics, regional studies, international relations and political thought. The program consists of lecture courses, research seminars to bring together the individual courses into a coherent whole, and research projects, each student being required to complete an undergraduate thesis on a subject of his or her choice. Emphasis is placed on giving students a solid grounding in the great classics of political thought together with the analytical faculties needed to question and understand contemporary trends. While studying politics in the European School of Government program, students will also develop critical thinking skills and acquire academic research competences making them suited to continue their studies either in a professional or research master's degree in France or abroad.
STUDY PROGRAM
After graduating from the European School of Government program, students will be able to continue their studies by joining professional or research master's degree programs in the fields of international relations, area/regional studies, geopolitics, political philosophy, political sociology, journalism, management in France and abroad.
WHY STUDY AT OUR UNIVERSITY ?
ICES is an independent Catholic university in the historic Vendée region in the West of France on the Atlantic coast. ICES belongs to the elite group of prestigious grandes écoles in France, whose graduates typically achieve successful careers in finance, business and public administration. Because of its size and strong community spirit, ICES offers its students a high level of personal contact with academic and administrative staff. Students are encouraged to develop their critical faculties within the context of solid traditional education. ICES places a high value on academic freedom and freedom of thought in general. With a strong team of permanent teaching staff, and thanks to its specific ethos, ICES is able to attract many hundreds of academics, and people from business, finance, government and the arts, who come from all over France and the wider world come to give their individual lecture courses.
With 200 internal and external lecturers from the academic, media and professional worlds, and more than 600 students, the Department of Politics is one of the largest departments at ICES. The courses in political philosophy, international relations, geopolitics, classical and modern civilisation, international and constitutional law, are based on academic rigour and a spirit of openness.