What to do after an LEA degree?

In brief
After an LEA degree, two paths exist: specialise in a management field to work internationally, or stay in language-focused careers themselves.
International functions in trade, events and marketing recruit precisely the profiles capable of working in several languages and in a multicultural environment.

What does an LEA degree really bring to the job market?

An LEA degree gives you two professional languages, a genuine ability to decode different cultural contexts, and grounding in law, economics and administration. It is a solid foundation, but employers do not recruit on language proficiency alone: it therefore needs to be complemented by a job-specific skill.

At Excelia Business School, international management is taught around four skill sets, which complement your languages:

• Strategy
• Negotiation
• Geopolitical risk management
• Customs operations

What careers can you pursue after an LEA degree?

Two sectors particularly value your languages, provided you complement them with management skills, such as those taught at Excelia Business School.

International trade, first, opens up identifiable roles. International events, next, involves designing, organising and managing events on an international scale, in sectors as varied as culture, sport, business, luxury or trade shows.

• In international trade: import-export manager, international project manager, international strategy consultant, international marketing manager
• In international events: international event project manager, a career that combines event strategy, project management, communication and marketing, and takes into account the sector's environmental, societal and economic challenges

Still unsure which of these careers to choose? Find out in a few minutes which management career suits you.

Should you continue your studies after an LEA degree?

An LEA degree is enough to start a career, but positions of responsibility most often require a Bac+5 specialisation. Excelia Business School offers one in international management, and other paths exist. The choice is yours and depends above all on the type of position you are aiming for.

Not drawn to international management? What to do after a three-year degree presents the other possible further studies, whatever your original discipline.

Can you join a business school after an LEA degree?

Yes, through direct entry: your arts background is not an obstacle, what matters is the consistency of your project. Admission is based on an application file, CV and professional information sheet, followed by a remote motivation interview, where the panel assesses your professional project, its consistency with your academic background and your previous experience.

In practice, you can join the MSc with a Bac+3 or a Bac+4, and your qualification determines the year you start in. See the exact terms on the Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Management page. The qualification is State-accredited and leads to the Grade de Master, a recognition that counts when hiring. Another benchmark for recruiters, in France and abroad: Excelia Business School holds the quadruple accreditation of EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA and EFMD Master, held by fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide.

Which specialisations best extend a language-based background?

Two Master of Science (MSc) programmes at Excelia Business School naturally extend an LEA degree, because they value languages without making them the only skill. The MSc in International Business Management is designed for those who want to place commercial strategy and international negotiation at the heart of their career. Some of the courses are taught in English, by a multicultural teaching staff.

If you prefer organising and steering projects rather than negotiating contracts, the MSc in International Event Management and Marketing suits your profile better. Both pathways are part of Excelia Business School's international dimension, where the linguistic diversity of the cohorts is a shared asset rather than an exception.

Discover the international Master of Science (MSc) programmes

What if you want to stay in language-based careers?

This is a legitimate choice, and this article does not dismiss it: translation, interpreting and language teaching exist and recruit profiles from LEA backgrounds. Excelia Business School simply does not prepare you for them, since its vocation is management. If these careers appeal to you, they are built through other courses, university-based or specialised, which this article is not intended to detail.

Frequently asked questions

Does an LEA degree allow you to enter the job market directly?

Yes, an LEA degree is enough to aim for certain positions straight after graduating. But it is positions of responsibility, particularly in international management, that require an additional Bac+5 specialisation.

Can you join a business school with an LEA degree?

Yes, through direct entry, based on an application file and a motivation interview. The panel assesses the consistency of your professional project with your background, not the field of your original degree.

Do you need a particular level of English to continue in international management?

A good command of English is a real asset, since part of the international management teaching is given in this language. For the precise level expected, see the dedicated page: what level of English do you need to join a business school?

Does Excelia Business School offer an LEA degree?

No. Excelia Business School does not offer any LEA course, but international management pathways that naturally extend this type of degree.

Are international management courses taught in English?

Partly. Excelia Business School's international management pathways include a share of teaching in English, delivered by a multicultural teaching staff.