Grande Ecole / Master in Management

What makes SKEMA the rig​ht choice? 

1. A top French business school  

SKEMA is one of the largest French business schools in terms of student numbers (10,000).  

2. Internationally recognised - triple accredited

SKEMA is EQUIS, AACSB and EFMD EMBA accredited.  
Our Master in Management is ranked in the top 6 in France, and 22nd worldwide (all SKEMA's rankings).

3. ​​Campuses where things are happening

SKEMA has seven campuses: in France (Lille, Sophia Antipolis, Paris), in the USA (Raleigh), in China (Suzhou), in Brazil (Belo Horizonte) and in South Africa (Stellenbosch).  

4. Choice

To tailor the programme to their own career plans and strengths, students choose from a huge range of electives, options and international campus study tracks.  

5. ​​Individualised guidance

Every student is individually accompanied by a dedicated team of tutor-teachers to get individualised support at key stages in their education .

6. ​​​International

SKEMA has more than 100 international exchange agreements. 35% of the students are from outside of France and 68% of its faculty are international. 130 nationalities are on campus.

7. ​​Professional experience

Students get between six and 21​ months of in-company experience during their time on the Grande Ecole programme. Students can also do a work-experience sandwich year.

8. A powerful alumni network​

Benefit from an active alumni network of over 54,000 worldwide, many in senior management positions.

9. Top-flight faculty

Our international faculty comprises high level researchers. They work in close collaboration with companies so that students here get the best of both worlds.

10. ​A rich and diversified student life

There are more than 70 different student societies and clubs in all areas: culture and arts, sports, humanitarian, business enterprise.

Students joining the M1 programme at SKEMA will study Advanced Business Management. This is the first year of a two-year master programme whose principal aim is to help you develop a deeper understanding of business management principles and provide you with an opportunity to develop your international experience.

All courses are taught in English and followed by students across all SKEMA campuses. Depending on your academic background and choice of M1 programme, you will study two prerequisite courses and one refresher course or elective.

The prerequisite courses will be taught as of the beginning of the autumn semester. You may choose one "Academy Profile" course that allows you to gain further experience in a chosen academic field.

During the autumn semester, you will also be asked to choose your spring track choice.
You may choose between: 

• an international campus, 
• the CFA Level 1 specialisation (Paris campus only)
• undertake a work experience year (césure) from January to December before returning to complete your M1 year in January with an academic semester on an international campus, CFA Level 1 or an exchange with one of our university exchange partners.

Students joining the school may also apply for the

• Two-year apprenticeship track (Lille, Paris). This programme is taught in French and is subject to number of places available.
• Two-year specialised tracks (Lille campus only):
  • Contrat des Affaires, "CA" (taught in French). This is a double diploma in partnership with University of Valenciennes and Hainaut-Cambrésis (UVHC)
  • Expertise Comptable et Audit, "ECA" (taught in French)

These programmes are taught on the Lille campus and are accessible via a selection process and subject to number of places available. 

• DEMOLA. (Sophia campus, autumn semester only). This programme is taught in French/English and subject to number of places available.
• CFA Level 1. (Paris campus only). This programme is accessible via a selection process and subject to number of places available.

Artificial intelligence in M1

Students will also be able to learn about AI through business intelligence and data analysis (using RapidMiner).  They work on a consulting exercise (process analysis, and a proposal for improvements via digital transformation) and how AI can be used to optimise these processes.

Academic Track choice Spring semester

From September, students will be able to choose their academic track choice for the spring semester. Certain track choices may be subject to selection criteria. Students are given the opportunity to meet with their academic director to help them ensure that their final choice is coherent with their personal and professional goals. 

Specialisation and getting into the world of work

During the second year, students acquire a specialisation. This final-year specialisation and internship are key to employability. 

This year’s teaching and content is entirely in English as part of an MSc (for students enrolled in the Wealth Management Mastère Spécialisé, teaching is mostly in French).

Students may do this year on any of SKEMA’s campuses worldwide (one semester or one year), in academic exchange (one semester or one year), as a double degree (“Master 2” with our partners) or in apprenticeship (all French campuses).​

• See our master of science specialisations here​ (taught in English)
• Mastère Spécialisé® Wealth Management (Manager en Gestion de Patrimoine Financier) ​ (taught in French).​

Choice of course​

Access to the various choices and courses and specialisation options is done through an allocation process, requiring, where necessary, appropriate selection according to availability.​

Artificial intelligence in M2

In the M2 year, AI is examined in the Digital Business course. Students work on a consulting exercise where they must identify the necessary features for an innovation management platform (with a real case from a company) and they analyse the role that AI can play to improve the efficiency of this platform.

Gain valuable work experience in the USA

SKEMA students enrolled in the International Business or Financial Markets & Investments specialisations in Raleigh who are not American citizens or permanent residents of the USA may apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT permits eligible students to apply for an Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) allowing them to work in their field of study in the USA for up to 12 months without applying for a new visa. Eligibility requirements: finish their final two semesters in Raleigh and successfully complete all coursework.

More information about OPT and other options to work temporarily in the USA