Master of Science (MSc)

What is a Master of Science?

A Master of Science (MSc) is a Bac+5-level qualification, designed to deepen a professional specialisation in management after a more general first cycle, or one already geared towards a particular field. At Excelia Business School, every MSc is a State-accredited qualification by the Ministry of Higher Education and leads to the Grade de Master. This recognition applies whatever domain is chosen, and comes with registration on the RNCP (France's National Register of Professional Certifications) at level 7.

What sets a Master of Science apart from a traditional university master's? Its logic: it trains you for a specific career rather than an academic discipline, incorporating close ties with businesses throughout its pathway. To find out more about this distinction, see our page on the difference between a Master and a Master of Science.

This recognition is part of a wider framework: Excelia Business School is a private higher education institution of general interest (EESPIG), not for profit, and holds quadruple accreditation EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA and EFMD Master, a circle joined by fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide.

Seven domains of specialisation: how to choose

The choice of a Master of Science is made according to the career you're aiming for, not the title of the qualification: Excelia Business School's MSc programmes are divided into seven domains, each bringing together several programmes built around the same professional field.

Marketing, finance, management, purchasing and supply chain

Curious about consumer behaviour, customer data and brand strategies? The marketing domain is probably right for you, combining creative flair and analytical rigour: discover the MSc programmes in the marketing domain. The finance domain, meanwhile, suits you if you're drawn to numerical analysis, account control or risk management, in business, in banking or with private individuals: they are brought together in the MSc programmes in the finance domain.

The management domain suits you if you're aiming for cross-cutting steering functions, spanning transformation, responsibility and digital risk, rather than a single technical expertise: it can be found in the MSc programmes in the management domain. The purchasing and supply chain domain, meanwhile, is for profiles drawn to organising flows, from purchasing to logistics, with a strong international dimension: they are presented in the purchasing and supply chain MSc programmes.

Human resources, engineering and entrepreneurship

The human resources domain suits you if you want to steer an organisation's human capital, from recruitment through to change management, beyond mere administrative management: it is prepared in the MSc in Human Resources. At the crossroads of business and technical expertise, the engineering domain, for its part, is aimed at sales and management profiles drawn to a technical environment: it can be discovered at the MSc in the engineering domain.

The entrepreneurship domain suits you if you want to drive a project from creation through to implementation, whether that means creating, taking over or innovating within an existing structure: you'll find it in the MSc in Entrepreneurship. 

Still hesitating between several domains? Our guidance quiz for our Master of Science (MSc) programmes helps you, in just a few minutes, identify the one that best matches your project.

A format that adapts to your profile

A Master of Science is completed in 12 or 24 months depending on your entry level: a first year of the master's if you arrive after a Bac+3, or direct entry into the second year if you already hold a Bac+4.

Three factors then make the pathway vary from one programme to another:

• duration: 12 or 24 months depending on entry
• rhythm: standard study or work-study
• language of instruction: French or English, depending on the programme

These details are set out on each MSc's page, once the domain has been identified.

Whatever rhythm is chosen, the course incorporates concrete professional experience, through internships or work-study. Some MSc programmes are even accessible on a work-study basis at Excelia Business School. The host company then covers the training fees as soon as the contract is signed: turning a study project into paid professional experience.

Outside work-study, are you concerned about the cost of the pathway? Estimate the cost of your studies to get a concrete picture.

Applying to an MSc

Applying to a Master of Science at Excelia Business School follows the same procedure for every domain: an application file, then a motivation interview. Two entry points are possible: a first year of the master's over 24 months after a Bac+3, or direct entry into the second year over 12 months after a Bac+4.

By joining a Master of Science, you also become part of a wider community: the Excelia network has 53,000 graduates, across varied sectors and countries, a resource drawn on throughout the pathway and long after graduation.

Want to compare all the programmes on offer at a glance? See the full list of our Master of Science (MSc) programmes to find, domain by domain, the one that matches your project.

Is a Master of Science recognised by the State?

Yes. Every Master of Science at Excelia Business School is a State-accredited qualification by the Ministry of Higher Education and leads to the Grade de Master. It is also listed on the RNCP (France's National Register of Professional Certifications) at level 7.

How long does a Master of Science last?

A Master of Science lasts 12 or 24 months depending on your entry level: 24 months for entry after a Bac+3, or 12 months for direct entry into the second year after a Bac+4. It can be studied in standard training or on a work-study basis, depending on the programme.

How do you choose between the seven MSc domains?

The choice is made according to the career you're aiming for rather than the title of the qualification: marketing, finance, management, purchasing and supply chain, human resources, engineering and entrepreneurship are the seven domains offered by Excelia Business School. Each domain brings together several programmes built around the same professional field.

Can you apply to several MSc programmes at once?

Yes: the application procedure for a Master of Science is based on an application file followed by a motivation interview, for each of the domains. Nothing stops you applying to several domains to refine your choice, with selection then taking place programme by programme.

Do you need professional experience to start an MSc?

No: the course itself incorporates professional experience, through internships or work-study. It's the Master of Science that progressively builds this experience, not a prerequisite for entry.