Bachelor's degrees - Master's degrees - PHDs and HDRs

The doctorate is a post-graduate diploma of 8 years of study after the baccalaureate. It is prepared within a doctoral school, after obtaining a diploma conferring the grade of master or an equivalent level.
The doctorate is a training in research through research and as such represents a professional research experience. It leads to the production of new knowledge.

On the basis of a thesis subject, the doctoral student carries out research under the responsibility of one or more thesis directors. Doctoral training takes place within research units or teams whose quality is recognized by periodic national evaluation. The thesis, which represents the individual or collective realization of original scientific work, leads to a defense in front of a jury, sanctioned by the conferring of the grade of doctor.

The doctorate is a training open to the international. The new regulations encourage the opening up to the international scene, as well as co-supervision theses. The latter take place within the framework of an agreement between the institutions involved, adapting national regulations to the requirements of international cooperation when necessary.

The Habilitation to Supervise Research (HDR) is the highest degree in French higher education and allows :

• to obtain a recognition of the scientific level,
• to obtain a recognition of the capacity to supervise young researchers
• to be a candidate, in most disciplines, for access to the body of university professors

The candidate for the HDR must justify :

• a doctoral degree or
• a doctor's degree allowing the practice of medicine, oncology, pharmacy or veterinary medicine and a research master's degree or
• a diploma, work or experience of a level equivalent to a doctorate. The latter provision shall apply in particular to holders of a postgraduate doctorate or a diploma of doctor of engineering supplemented by other work or full-time teaching and research activity of at least five years' duration.