Grande École Program
1st year
The first year of the Grande École Program lays the academic and methodological foundations for the Master’s cycle. Students develop a structured understanding of management science, management fundamentals, and organizational analysis.
This year allows students to acquire initial strategic and analytical skills: understanding a market, using performance indicators, analyzing a management issue, and leading mini-projects in real-world contexts. It also marks the beginning of a more demanding professional positioning, directly linked to the expectations of a Master’s degree (Bac+5).
CURRICULUM
Program
Semester 1 allows students to apply essential management science methods to analyze a simple problem. They conduct a mini-project involving organizational observation, use digital tools applied to management, understand market dynamics, and evaluate an organization’s initial performance indicators. Business English reinforces their ability to communicate effectively in a demanding professional environment.
Semester 2 further develops analytical and strategic skills. Students use digital tools to solve organizational problems, collect and analyze data to develop a structured diagnosis, manage a mini-project with objectives and deliverables, analyze a market to propose a strategic positioning, and create an initial performance dashboard.
Initial training
The initial training program incorporates a gradual immersion in the professional world through internships, applied projects, and real-world simulations.
From the first year, students apply their academic knowledge to organizational realities: case studies, diagnostics, market analyses, group projects, and strategic recommendations help ground their learning in concrete contexts.
An internship in a company complements this dynamic. It provides a crucial initial experience, allowing students to develop a professional demeanor, autonomy, a sense of responsibility, and an understanding of operational challenges.
This program fosters a progressive skills development and effectively prepares students for the demands of the Master’s program and future managerial responsibilities.
Skills blocks developed
Key modules of the year
Highlights
Professional projects
During my first few days at school, after attending an orientation seminar that confirmed I’d made the right choice, we were fortunate to have several guest speakers available to advise us throughout our studies. I also chose ISTEC because of its work-study program. I wanted to do a work-study program to gain professional experience from the very first year and learn about different career paths.
If I had to describe my first year at ISTEC in two words, I would say: discovery and personal growth. Throughout the year, I had the opportunity to discover new working methods and new teaching methods. I also had the chance to take my first steps into the professional world through various projects I undertook within companies, notably during the Company Immersion seminar and my end-of-year internship.
