Master Cycle of the Grande École Program

All Master’s degree students – regardless of the major they choose – benefit from a common core curriculum, accounting for 36 ECTS credits, spread over the three semesters of the Master’s program.

The common core courses offered in the Master’s program aim to train responsible, innovative leaders capable of initiating change with a comprehensive understanding of economic, technological, societal, financial, and environmental issues. They also contribute to developing inspiring leaders who can give meaning to their strategies and lead their teams toward a shared collective vision.

This course consists of coaching sessions and simulations that draw on all the knowledge acquired in macroeconomics, economic conditions and fluctuations, strategy, as well as knowledge from various management disciplines (Marketing, Finance, Accounting, HR, Operations, etc.).

At the end of their academic journey, before Master’s program students undertake their final internship and subsequently find their first job, IÉSEG supports them through the Career Bootcamp dedicated to their professional integration.

For two days, students participate in professional activities in a fun environment that combines various formats and encounters: Career workshops, Master Classes, meetings with partner companies, presentations on job market expectations, networking and exchange opportunities, work on soft skills valued by employers, etc. The objective is to prepare students as effectively as possible for their entry into the job market by offering them an experience closely aligned with market expectations, current recruitment processes, and by helping them highlight their entire IÉSEG journey.

The Career Program supports students in defining their professional project through a personalized follow-up by coaches who are experts in their fields. It helps prepare students for their entry into the job market in the best possible way.

This course aims at enabling students to learn how to present data to make it easily understandable and complement their speech.

This course reinforces students’ knowledge of change management and, simultaneously, their knowledge of the theories and practices related to sustainability. The societal impact of companies is increasingly recognized as being a priority. Companies need to engage in major change initiatives to meet the demands of social and environmental challenges, such as climate change and social inequalities.

The aim of this course is to understand the mechanisms of contemporary geopolitics and to enable students to understand their impact on business.

The objective is to bring together students from different majors and specializations to promote interdisciplinary and complementary learning.

In addition to English, which is the language of instruction and work, students are required to learn another language as part of the Grande École Program.

Managing in Vivo is a support system for Bachelor students by Master students, during which Master students are trained in communication processes and in team management. This unique course allows students to acquire managerial skills through experience, while offering individualized follow-up to students in the Bachelor cycle, facilitating their transition to higher education.

The aim of this course is to enable students to learn the appropriate methodologies to write their final thesis.

The aim of this course is to understand the basics of no-code and generative AI, tools that are increasingly used in organizations.

This course aims to understand the mechanisms of personal data law under the GDPR and its relationship with intellectual property, to make decisions regarding the management of personal data resources, to evaluate the impact of different personal data management strategies, and finally to establish and monitor personal data compliance.

This course teaches managers to be inspiring, intercultural and ethical pioneers of change. It aims to create knowledge that nurtures innovative leaders, promoting creative solutions for and with responsible organizations. It aims to explore, analyze and improve a leader’s behavior in order to develop a strong leadership identity.

The aim of this course is to prepare students to write their final thesis. Students will learn to manipulate the scientific tools needed to provide reliable advice.

The business environment is characterized by the existence of economic cycles that companies must identify and understand. These cycles evolve based on the decisions made by different types of actors. The interrelationships between these actors and their decisions regarding their internal organization, strategy, and external environment, on the one hand, and the evolution of this environment along economic cycles, on the other hand, increase the complexity faced by managers. Students are thus exposed to this complexity by understanding economic cycles and their impact on strategic decisions, then by discovering the nature of such decisions, and finally by taking control of a fictitious company.

In the Master’s cycle, students choose a major from the 7 available. Each major is associated with one or two specializations taught during the same year, with the aim of deepening the student’s knowledge in their chosen career field.

This major is the gateway for students who want to gain high-quality knowledge in Control, Accounting, and Financial Management, with an emphasis on financial planning and performance analysis, and efficient decision-making.

• Guide decisions, manage risk, and monitor performance.
• Measure and analyze performance and report on results.
• Work across many arenas to improve company-wide operations in a changing environment.
• Step into a role that inspires and guides their team to achieve their organization’s goals.
• Enhance organizational success by using relevant technology and analyzing data.
• Do all of the above with integrity, ethics, and legal compliance, while always demonstrating a professional attitude.

> Finance Manager/Finance Analyst
> Financial Risk Manager
> Cost Controller/Manager
> Management Controller
> Financial Controller
> Relationship Manager
> Chief Financial Officer, etc.

> Accounting and Regulation
> Consolidation
> Business Cycles & Legislation
> Strategic Management
> Financial Statement Analysis
> Risk Management & Fraud

> Advanced Financial Engineering
> Firm Valuation
> Cash Management & Financial Engineering
> Sustainable Accouting, Reporting & Ethics
> Current Issues in Accounting & Management Control

By joining this major, students will be introduced to the different decision-making techniques in corporate finance and the financial markets, and will learn all the skills needed for these professions.

• Become highly competent and responsible financial analysts and managers.
• Arm yourself with the modern technical tools used in corporate financial decision-making.
• Be able to manage different classes of financial security in an ethical and responsible manner.

> Financial manager
> Financial analyst
> Treasurer
> Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor
> Equity Research Analyst
> Debt Capital Markets Analyst

> Firm Valuation
> Sustainable Finance
> Long Term Financing and Debt Securities
> Derivatives & Real Options 3675
> Risk Management
> Portfolio Management

> Advanced Corporate Finance
> Advanced Financial Statement Analysis
> Multinational Financial Management
> Entrepreneurial Finance
> Corporate Governance
> Computer-based Problem Solving in Corporate Finance

> Multi-asset Portfolio Management
> Advanced Risk Management
> Alternative Investments
> Financial Engineering
> Computer-based Problem Solving in Arm
> Trading & Exchanges

> Macro-economic Environment & Monetary Policy
> Financial Intermediaries
> Reporting For Banks
> Regulation And Compliance
> M&As and Corporate Restructuring
> Computer-based Problem Solving in CIB

The Marketing major teaches students how to deliver value in the marketing and sales process through strategy, behavior analysis, and data insights. Three specializations are then offered: technologies/tools/techniques, internationalization/globalization, and B2B knowledge and skills.

• Be part of the next generation of marketers capable of driving change.
• Develop the ability to implement a marketing strategy tailored to your company’s objectives.
• Learn how to make effective, consistent and ethical marketing decisions. Act locally, internationally, cross-culturally and digitally.

> Community Manager
> Digital Manager
> Omnichannel Director
> Product / Brand Manager
> Category Manager
> Market Analyst

> Marketing Strategy
> Consumer Behavior
> Data Insights
> Digital Marketing Fundamentals
> International Marketing Fundamentals
> Sales Management

> Digital Content
> E-commerce
> Platform Strategy
> Digital Design & Optimization
> Digital Communication
> Digital Branding

> Product Innovation for International Markets
> Cross-cultural Marketing
> International. Marketing for Sustainability
> International Retail & Omnichannel
> International Marketing Communication
> International Brand Management

> Key Account Management
> Purchasing Strategy
> Internal Customer Management
> Business Development In B2B Sales
> Service Management
> Professional Selling & International Relationship Management

The major in International Negotiation and Sales trains future business professionals. It equips students with a comprehensive education in international business negotiation, cultural understanding, and conflict resolution. This teaching approach is complemented by advanced courses in key application domains, such as sales, diplomacy, HR, contract law, and finance.

• Develop your ability to attract customers and communicate the benefits of relationship management to target audiences.
• Become an expert in negotiation so that you can manage conflicts and provide solutions in commercial interactions.
• Learn to make ethical decisions in a changing environment and build mutual benefits with all stakeholders.
• Bring a professional sales analytical eye to your clients and build operational roadmaps.

> International Business Manager
> Business Development / Commercial Consultant
> Account Manager (e.g. Relationship Account Manager, Key Account Manager, Strategic Account Manager) / Account Manager
> Head of Sales Department
> Buyer
> Commercial mediator
> Real estate agent
> Sports agent (negotiator)
> NGO negotiator

> Practical Negotiation Skills
> Culture & Negotiation Strategy
> Business Relationships & Multiparty Negotiation
> Applied Conflict Management & Dispute Resolution
> Decision Games & Negotiation
> International Sales in BTC

> Diplomatic Negotiations & Sustainable Development
> Labor Negotiation
> Contract Law &Negotiation
> Value-based Negotiation
> Negotiations in M&A
> Team Management

This major will provide students with a theoretical and practical toolbox for success in consulting, one of the largest and most competitive sectors.

• Have an in-depth understanding of all the key areas of management (finance, strategy, human resources, marketing, information systems).
• Demonstrate outstanding analytical skills (data analysis, problem solving) and interpersonal skills (communication, negotiation, networking).
• Become versatile thinkers and generalist managers rather than specialists.

> Management consultant
> Strategy Consultant
> Business analyst
> Human Resources Manager
> Project manager
> Business consultant
> Environmental audit consultant

> Advanced Corporate Strategy
> Sustainability Consulting
> Transformational HRM
> Historical Perspectives on Management
> The Consulting Process
> Knowledge Management

> International Business Development
> IS Project Management
> Consulting Skills
> Finance for Consulting
> Contract Management
> Writing an Effective Business Case

The Operations Major provides students with effective tools and knowledge to solve problems arising in operations, supply chain management, and logistics in an efficient, responsive, and sustainable way.

• Be trained to become an operational manager of the future.
• Reflect, analyze and make critical and ethical decisions about the operations of service or product businesses.
• Understand everything about business decisions in production, logistics, inventories, projects and purchasing.
• Use your knowledge to improve business efficiency while meeting expected quality standards.
• Manage a supply chain.

> Supply chain manager
> Logistics Operations Manager
> Project Manager
> Quality and rationalisation manager
> Purchasing manager
> Analyst
> Supply and demand planner

> Supply Chain Management
> Inventory Management
> Decision Modelling and Analysis
> Project Planning
> Business Process Flows
> Total Quality Management

> Supply Chain Operations
> Decision Making Under Uncertainty
> Sustainable Operations
> Production Planning and Control
> Enterprise Resource Planning with SAP
> Agile Project Management (Elective 1)
> Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification (Elective 2)

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship major immerses students in the practice of entrepreneurial management and provides them with the knowledge and tools needed to launch a new business, revitalize an existing one, or drive sustainable change and innovation in an established organization.

• Immerse yourself in the practice of entrepreneurial management. Through interactive courses, hackathons, case studies, online content and seminars with external speakers, this pathway will help students to become familiar with how to create a company, revitalise an existing one or bring about sustainable change within an established company.
• Become ethical business managers.
• Master entrepreneurial skills and tools to develop the ability to lead sustainable change in any type of organisation and in any context.

> Key account manager
> Digital project manager
> Account strategist
> Entrepreneurship support manager
> Adviser / Consultant
> Business Unit Development Manager

> Foundations of Entrepreneurship
> Financing Entrepreneurial Ventures
> Leadership for Design Thinking
> Innovation & Corporate Entrepreneurship
> Emerging Technologies
> The Entrepreneurial Experience

> Consulting Entrepreneuriat Social – Creenso
> The Entrepreneurial Experience II
> Inclusive Entrepreneurship
> Intellectual Property & Openness: Using Legal Tools to Enhance Innovation, Creativity & Related Investments
> Entrepreneurial Selling
> Advanced Business Law

In addition to their major, students must also choose a minor covering a topic different from their major, at the start of the second year of the Master cycle, to tailor their profile to their career aspirations.

The minor in Audit & Control provides a solid foundation in audit and control concepts and prepares students for a job with a Big Four or internationally active accounting firms. Unique to this minor is that the internship runs simultaneously to the coursework, spread over a year, allowing students to immediately put their knowledge into practice and get hands-on experience. To enroll in this minor Audit & Control, students must have a major in Financial Management and Control or a specialization in Corporate Finance. The courses in the minor are aligned with the requirements of both the DSCG and CMA certifications.

The goal of this minor is to train future managers who understand the forces shaping today’s global economic environment and possess critical decision-making skills to act as drivers of sustainable change.

From artificial intelligence and big data to automation and cybersecurity, the minor in Digital Transformation gives students hands-on experience with the tools that are shaping the future.

This minor in Managing People & Organizations provides students with essential knowledge needed to design and implement effective people management strategies at any organization including policies centered around hiring, developing, and managing employees as well as creating inclusive workplace cultures.

The minor in Sustainability & Transition equips students with the scientific, technical and people skills to effectively promote sustainability and lead transition in their organizations.

The minor in General Management and Strategic Consulting is for ambitious generalists and versatile thinkers. The broad aim of the minor is to build functional knowledge in a broad range of business areas and outstanding analytical and people skills.

The minor in Financial Management and Control helps deepen the understanding of company’s financials and enhances the skills in financial planning, risk management, performance analysis and efficient decision-making. A solid foundation in accounting and finance is essential for aspiring CEOs, and this minor provides that groundwork.

The minor in International Negotiation and Sales is designed to prepare students to become business-ready professionals. This program provides an in-depth education in international business negotiation, cultural awareness, diplomacy and conflict resolution, while also covering essential areas like sales.

The minor in Entrepreneurship provides a unique opportunity for student-entrepreneurs to actively work on their own business ventures, with a strong emphasis on crafting compelling investor presentations. The minor focuses on two key areas: the strategic development of your entrepreneurial venture and your personal growth as an entrepreneur.

The minor in Operations and Supply Chain Management provides students with tools and knowledge to address real-world challenges that businesses are facing, with efficient, responsive, and sustainable solutions. Through this minor they build a strong foundation that enhances and complements many other areas of study at our school. The skills they acquire in our courses will also be applicable across many other fields and will be valuable in various career paths.

To meet the needs of its students, their aspirations and the market, IÉSEG offers this specific track in Entrepreneurship.

Structure of the Entrepreneurship track

A selection is made to join the Entrepreneurship track, based on the student’s entrepreneurial project.

The aim of this minor is to support students in their business creation endeavors or guide them in their aspiration to launch a business.

> Open to students who aspire to start their own business, upon assessment of their application file.
> Enables student entrepreneurs to benefit from dedicated support and time to develop their project.
> Final thesis/Consulting project dedicated to their business creation project.

To meet the needs of its students, their aspirations and the market, IÉSEG offers this specific track in Audit.

Structure of the Audit track

This track enables students who have opted for the major in Corporate Finance or Accounting to specialize in a career in auditing.

> A minor structured around the specific demands of the auditing sector
> Specific courses to help students prepare for the DSCG (Diplôme Supérieur de Comptabilité et de Gestion) exams
> Practical, market-based case studies

During the Master Cycle, students have to complete a final thesis/dissertation or a consulting project. The objectives are to develop analytical, research and organizational skills related to real-life situations.

It aims to show students’ aptitudes to work on complex problems, the results of their research and suggested solutions.

Students are responsible for writing a thesis, which involves in-depth personal research, all the while benefiting from the assistance of their thesis supervisor. In this way, they reflect upon and develop a specific issue extensively.

The research that goes into a thesis surpasses the framework of an individual case or situation. Students can choose to work on a particular case and to add a general dimension to it, or they can choose a broader issue, which they illustrate through precise examples. The thesis subject must be in accordance with one of IÉSEG’s fields of study: economics, finance, strategy, marketing, management control systems, human resources, etc.

Consulting projects are educational work where students (either alone or in pair) hold a position as consultant for a company. They will work on a specific aspect for one semester and their objective will be to provide an external perspective and fresh ideas so that the company may make actual progress on projects in France and across the globe.

Assignments can relate to an area of expertise in Specialized Master Programs at IÉSEG: Management, Multicultural Management, Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems, Operations Management, Audit & Control, International Negotiation or to a cross-functional subject.

Students are coached by lecturers-researchers at IÉSEG, who are experts in their area. The project manager in the company will also supervise the student on a regular basis.

With the consulting projects in entrepreneurship (Projet de Création d’Entreprise – PCE), students develop a detailed project to create a new company and a full business plan, under the guidance of a pool of academic and professional experts. At the end of the semester, they present their concept to a jury of experts

A significant number of these projects actually become start up business either when the student graduates or in the following years.

During the Master’s program, students complete a 6-month internship in a company during which they take on “junior executive” responsibilities, demonstrating their ability to analyze a problem and propose solutions.

Examples: Junior Auditor, Assistant Product Manager, Junior Management Controller, Assistant Human Resources Manager, etc.

> Learn more about the Executive Internship