Master's degrees in France

[horizon_eyes]

I'm looking into Master's degree programs at French universities and have come across some worrisome statements concerning the value of such a degree outside of France. My questions are under the cut.

Comments

[lareinenoire]

I have to agree with everyone who says it is very much based on exactly what topic and subject you're looking to study. There are some extremely good universities in France and I know a number of people from my PhD program in the UK that had done some previous graduate work in France. That being said, I don't know how the programs work there specifically so you'll want to read up on that.

I did all my graduate work in the UK, though, so I do know how the programs there work -- the master's degree tends to be a one-year program and extremely intensive. In Cambridge, it was two terms of coursework and one term to write your master's thesis. But what is more important at this stage is who you're working with.

Honestly, my suggestion to you if you want to work in the USwould be to use your time in France to really become fluent in the language and maybe take some classes here and there, and use that to market yourself to a program in the US or in the UK. If you had a degree from one of the top French universities and references from a top scholar, you could possibly get a job in the US, but it's really difficult to say.

[horizon_eyes]

Honestly, my suggestion to you if you want to work in the US would be to use your time in France to really become fluent in the language and maybe take some classes here and there, and use that to market yourself to a program in the US or in the UK.

That sounds like a very good plan to me. Thank you. : )

[lareinenoire]

Also, the fact that you'll already have teaching experience from this program might stand you in very good stead for fellowships later on, which should cut down considerably on your costs for grad school.

That being said, Nantes itself is quite good for certain subjects. Definitely research the university there and see if they've got a program that interests you. If not, you've lost nothing by doing it.