How long is business school?
From three to five years after the baccalaureate, depending on the qualification aimed for: a bachelor's degree, at Bac+3 level, takes three years to complete, while a Bac+5 qualification such as Excelia Business School's Master in Management (Programme Grande École) takes five. After a first higher education qualification, direct entry partway through the programme is possible at several levels.
Three years or five years: the duration follows the level of the qualification
This duration follows the official level of the qualification aimed for. The National Register of Professional Certifications (RNCP) classifies qualifications by level: level 6 corresponds to three years of study after the baccalaureate, level 7 to five years. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) follows the same logic, with 60 credits per year: 180 credits gathered over three years open the way to the Grade de Licence; the Grade de Master corresponds to five years of study, within the licence-master-doctorat system that structures higher education in Europe. At Excelia Business School, a bachelor's degree thus confers the Grade de Licence after three years, and a Bac+5 qualification such as the Master in Management confers the Grade de Master. For comparison, a BTS is prepared over two years after the baccalaureate, a BUT over three. Understanding how credits work helps in reading every programme, whatever the school.
At Excelia Business School, programme by programme
At Excelia Business School, every programme has a duration directly linked to its qualification level. The Bachelor in Business is prepared over three years, the BBA International over four, an additional year focused on international business, with both programmes conferring the same Grade de Licence. Excelia Business School's Master in Management runs over five years: three years of the pre-master's cycle devoted to the fundamentals of management, followed by two years of the master's cycle that lead to the Grade de Master. Master of Science (MSc) programmes follow a different rhythm, designed for direct entry into a specialisation: 24 months after a Bac+3, or 12 months after a Bac+4.
| Programme | Level | Duration after the baccalaureate (or depending on entry) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Business | Grade de Licence | 3 years |
| BBA International | Grade de Licence | 4 years |
| Master in Management | Grade de Master | 5 years |
| Master of Science (MSc) | Bac+5 | 24 months after a Bac+3, or 12 months after a Bac+4 |
| Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) | For a profile who already holds a qualification | 3 years |
After a Bac+5, the Doctorate in Business Administration offers a three-year pathway, one year of coursework then two years of thesis work. It is aimed at professionals who already hold a qualification and are exploring a management issue in depth.
Three, four or five years: the level you are aiming for makes the difference, and our post-baccalaureate guidance quiz helps you identify the level that suits you best.
What shortens or extends a pathway
Not all studies follow the same rhythm: several options make it possible to adjust a pathway to a particular situation.
- Direct entry avoids starting from scratch after a first higher education qualification: a Bac+2 opens entry into the first cycle, a Bac+3 entry directly at master's level, each route being detailed on the page Can you get into a business school after a BTS, a BUT or a Licence?
- A classe préparatoire precedes entry into the school by two or three years, depending on whether a year is repeated
- Excelia Business School's Master in Management can also be joined partway through the programme, depending on the qualification already obtained, as detailed on the Master in Management page
This duration also represents a budget to plan for: our study fees simulator helps you estimate it, whatever programme you are aiming for.
Other choices fit within the years without extending them: work-study, whose rhythm depends on the contract signed with the company and which our page on work-study details, and the gap year, optional and subject to conditions, which can be inserted between two years of the programme at the Master in Management.