COMPUTER SCIENCE

French computer scientists have an international reputation. Engineers André Truong and François Gernelle conceived the world’s first microcomputer, the Micral, in  1972. In 1979, Frenchman Jean Ichbiah invented ADA, the programming language later adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense. Engineers trained in French  engineering schools acquire excellent technical skills. Universities, too, have excellent programs at the licence and master’s levels. Various specialized schools offer an array of degrees in computer engineering, software engineering,network architecture, and management information systems. Some programs,while not officially recognized, are valued by firms looking for specialists who can hit the ground running.Whether at a university, an engineering school, or another specialized institution—from generalist programs (to underpin later retraining in a fast-changing field) to narrow specializations at the highest levels—students have a wide range of choices.

France’s universities offer programs at all levels: licence, licence professionnelle (Bac+3), master (bac +5), and doctorate (bac+8), with opportunities to specialize at each level.

 Licence (Bac + 3)

Many French universities offer a licence in computer science.

Some also have double or multiple majors:

• Aix-Marseille II, http://mediterranee.univ-aix.fr  : biology, computer science, and mathematics

• Paris 4, http://www.paris4.sorbonne.fr  : English-German and computer science; English-Russian and computer science

• Paris Sud XI, http://www.u-psud.fr  : bioinformatics and biostatistics.

More than 80 licence professionnelle programs have been created in fields such as the Internet, robotics, network and database administration, e-commerce, and computer network security.

Some examples:

• Besançon, http://sciences.univ-fcomte.fr  : computer and software systems

• Lille 1, http://www.univ-lille1.fr  : computer and software systems, specializing in Internet and intranet development and administration; networks and telecommunications, specializations in computer science and industrial networks; Internet and local networks

 Master (Bac + 5)

Many universities offer master’s degrees in computer science, electronics, electrotechnics, and robotics. Other programs are very specialized:

• Aix-Marseille II, http://mediterranee.univ-aix.fr  : biology, computer science, and mathematics

• Besançon, http://sciences.univ-fcomte.fr  : information and communication sciences and technologies, specializations in informatics and electronics and optics

• Caen, http://www.unicaen.fr , research master’s in computer science (jointly with ENSI Caen), specializations in algorithms and information models and in language, image, and document; terminal master’s programs with specializations in networks and documentary-graphic applications, in computer-aided decisionmaking, and in Internet engineering.

• Lille, http://www.univ-lille1.fr  : terminal master’s programs in computer science with specializations in bioinformatics, e-services, artificial intelligence and computer engineering, computer project engineering, and information, Internet, and network technologies.

• Université Lyon 1, http://www.univ-lyon1.fr ,

Lyon 2 http://www.univ-lyon2.fr 

• INSA de Lyon, http://www.insa-lyon.fr  (joint program): DEA in computer science and cooperative business systems

• Paris-Sud XI, http://www.u-psud.fr  : bioinformatics and biostatistics

France’s engineering schools offer the full postsecondary curriculum in computer science.

• Centrale Lille, http://www.ec-lille.fr  : computer and industrial engineering

• EFREI Villejuif, http://www.efrei.fr  : information and management technologies

• EGIM Marseille, http://www.projetgem.org  : École Généraliste d'ingénieurs de Marseille,

• EISTI Cergy-Pontoise, http://www.eisti.fr  : data processing sciences

• ENSAM, http://www.ensam.fr  : mechanical and industrial engineering

• INSA Lyon, http://www.insa-lyon.fr  : computer science; bioinformatics and modeling

• INSA Toulouse, http://www.insa-tlse.fr  : robotics, electronics, computer science; computer engineering Engineering students may specialize at the Bac+2 or+3 level. Centrale, Mines, and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, among others, offer a computer science track beginning in the second or third year. Among the engineering schools in EduFrance’s membership are the following:

• Centrale Lille http://www.ec-lille.fr  : systems engineering; information systems engineering

• Centrale Lyon, http://www.ec-lyon.fr  : computer science and multimedia; new information, communication, and management technologies

• Centrale Nantes, http://www.ec-nantes.fr  :computer science

• Centrale Paris, http://www.ecp.fr  : computer science and telecommunications

• ENSAIT Roubaix, http://www.ensait.fr  : production management in the textile industry

• ENSTA Paris, http://www.ensta.fr  : information systems

• ESIEE Amiens, http://www.esiee-amiens.fr  : computer networks and telecommunications

• ESIEE Noisy-le-Grand, http://www.esiee.fr  : computer networks

• HEI Lille, http://www.hei.fr  : industrial computing

Master of science programs designed specifically for international students are available in several

• Centrale de Lille, http://www.ec-lille.fr  : specialized mastère in production management and advanced computing

• Groupe Ecole centrale d’électronique, http://ece.fr  : master of science in Web technology; advanced computer science; electronic engineering; computer science

• Groupe des écoles des télécommunications, http://www.gettelecom.fr  : communications and computer security; computer and communications networks; computer science; networked computer systems

France’s specialized schools—for the most part private schools of business, many operated by chambers of commerce—offer two and three-year degree programs in computer and software engineering, network architecture, and management information systems.
A few examples:

• EPITA http://www.epita.fr 

• IIE http://www3.iie.cnam.fr 

• ESILV http://www.devinci.fr/esilv