- School Profile
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The Ecole Normale Supérieure is the only Grande Ecole (school of higher education) to welcome students of both humanities and the sciences, actively encouraging interdisciplinary. The School offers a unique opportunity for science students to follow humanities courses at various levels in social and human sciences and languages, and for literary students to develop their education in the hard sciences for work relating to remote sensing and computer cartography, philosophy and history of science or bioethics. Curriculum’s offering mathematics-philosophy, history and philosophy of science are therefore quite commonplace.
Education through research at the ENS includes a vast range of scientific and literary subjects, organized into thirteen departments or literary and scientific sections (biology, chemistry, cognitive studies, geography, history, computer science, literature and languages, pure and applied mathematics, philosophy, physics, ancient science, social sciences, earth-atmosphere ocean). Research laboratories and educational services are tightly interwoven throughout each of these departments or sections. Although the School’s main mission statement has always been to train professors, it has broadened its horizons considerably and students’ career opportunities have now become extremely varied.
Students must pass an examination to enter the School, after having studied for at least two years at an institution of higher learning. Schooling at the ENS lasts for four years. Students commence with pre-doctoral studies, composed of a graduate program (equivalent to a licence (degree) or maîtrise (masters)), and a DEA (diploma of advanced studies), which generally take up the first two to three years of study. In the scientific departments, these studies are grouped together in the form of a magistère (postgraduate course). Students then embark on a thesis, coupled with some form of preparation for a teaching certification exam (agrégation). In addition to these four years of study, during which both French and European students of the ENS are paid as official civil-servant trainees (approximately 1,200 Euros per month), students have the option to extend their course of study for two unpaid years, which are often spent abroad. These students are frequently aided by grants and exchange agreements.
The ENS does not award any diplomas. Students enroll at university to obtain their final honors and postgraduate diploma, followed by their thesis. This structure, which enables the School to attract the best students, also creates lasting bonds with the University that continue throughout each student’s university career.
A wide range of language courses offered to non-linguists (both scientific and literary) contributes to the diversification of profiles and the development of unique specializations such as Czech history and Chinese philosophy. Course selection adapts to meet students’ needs and requirements: Anglo-American, German, Italian, Spanish and also Arab, Japanese, Russian, Czech, Hebrew or Persian are frequently offered. The literary library plays the role of a large laboratory for all the literary subjects and its doors are of course always open to science students. The School’s publishing house (Editions rue d’Ulm) circulates various works of research by both students and professors alike.
One of the School’s fundamental principles is the intellectual independence of its students. Curriculums are thus intended for students to exercise their autonomy. Each year, every student with the help of his or her personal tutor, establishes a personalized course of study.
The most original aspect of the education available is undoubtedly the hundred or so seminars, conferences and colloquiums that are held at the ENS on an annual basis and that unite students and researchers of various subjects in human and exact sciences. Furthermore, students are encouraged to create and conduct a large number of research seminars on their own initiative. The School particularly encourages certain themes, which involve transversal subjects such as the environment or cognitive sciences.
A wealth of foreign students, as well as numerous exchange-teaching assistants, enhances the cultural melting pot of communal life in this prestigious College at the heart of Paris.
This tremendous educational independence shapes the student’s image as being “typically atypical”, with the most diverse of destinies intertwining during those few, privileged years offered to students who attend the ENS.
Education through research at the ENS includes a vast range of scientific and literary subjects, organized into thirteen departments or literary and scientific sections (biology, chemistry, cognitive studies, geography, history, computer science, literature and languages, pure and applied mathematics, philosophy, physics, ancient science, social sciences, earth-atmosphere ocean). Research laboratories and educational services are tightly interwoven throughout each of these departments or sections. Although the School’s main mission statement has always been to train professors, it has broadened its horizons considerably and students’ career opportunities have now become extremely varied.
Students must pass an examination to enter the School, after having studied for at least two years at an institution of higher learning. Schooling at the ENS lasts for four years. Students commence with pre-doctoral studies, composed of a graduate program (equivalent to a licence (degree) or maîtrise (masters)), and a DEA (diploma of advanced studies), which generally take up the first two to three years of study. In the scientific departments, these studies are grouped together in the form of a magistère (postgraduate course). Students then embark on a thesis, coupled with some form of preparation for a teaching certification exam (agrégation). In addition to these four years of study, during which both French and European students of the ENS are paid as official civil-servant trainees (approximately 1,200 Euros per month), students have the option to extend their course of study for two unpaid years, which are often spent abroad. These students are frequently aided by grants and exchange agreements.
The ENS does not award any diplomas. Students enroll at university to obtain their final honors and postgraduate diploma, followed by their thesis. This structure, which enables the School to attract the best students, also creates lasting bonds with the University that continue throughout each student’s university career.
A wide range of language courses offered to non-linguists (both scientific and literary) contributes to the diversification of profiles and the development of unique specializations such as Czech history and Chinese philosophy. Course selection adapts to meet students’ needs and requirements: Anglo-American, German, Italian, Spanish and also Arab, Japanese, Russian, Czech, Hebrew or Persian are frequently offered. The literary library plays the role of a large laboratory for all the literary subjects and its doors are of course always open to science students. The School’s publishing house (Editions rue d’Ulm) circulates various works of research by both students and professors alike.
One of the School’s fundamental principles is the intellectual independence of its students. Curriculums are thus intended for students to exercise their autonomy. Each year, every student with the help of his or her personal tutor, establishes a personalized course of study.
The most original aspect of the education available is undoubtedly the hundred or so seminars, conferences and colloquiums that are held at the ENS on an annual basis and that unite students and researchers of various subjects in human and exact sciences. Furthermore, students are encouraged to create and conduct a large number of research seminars on their own initiative. The School particularly encourages certain themes, which involve transversal subjects such as the environment or cognitive sciences.
A wealth of foreign students, as well as numerous exchange-teaching assistants, enhances the cultural melting pot of communal life in this prestigious College at the heart of Paris.
This tremendous educational independence shapes the student’s image as being “typically atypical”, with the most diverse of destinies intertwining during those few, privileged years offered to students who attend the ENS.
Faculty
| Number of Faculty Staff | Headcount: 224 |  |
| Total number of academic faculty staff who are responsible for planning, directing and undertaking teaching only, research only or both teaching and research. Please include: vice-chancellors, deputy vice-chancellors, principals, professors, heads of school, associate professors, principal lectures and tutors. Please exclude research assistants*, PhD students who contribute to teaching, and exchange scholars or visiting professors who are members of another university. *FAQ: How is research assistant defined? | ||
| Number of International Faculty Staff | Headcount: 32 | |
| Number of academic faculty staff who are of foreign nationality. The term ‘international’ is hereby determined by citizenship. For EU countries, this includes all foreign nationals, even if from another EU state. In Hong Kong, this includes professors from Mainland China. Inclusion and exclusion mirrors those for academic faculty staff. | ||
Undergraduate Information
| Number of Undergraduate Students | Headcount: 244 | |
| Number of students pursuing a Bachelor’s level or equivalent degree. This excludes certificates/diplomas (< 2 years) and associate’s degrees (2 years). | ||
Graduate / Postgraduate Information
| Number of Graduate / Postgraduate Students | Headcount: 888 | |
| Students pursuing a higher-level degree (Master and Doctorate), including both taught and research postgraduates (e.g. PhD students) | ||
Students
| Total Students | Headcount: 1,132 | |
| Total number of students. | ||
| Total International Students | Headcount: 198 | |
| Number of students who are foreign nationals. The term ‘international’ is hereby determined by citizenship. For EU countries, this includes all foreign nationals, even nationals of other EU states. In Hong Kong, this includes students from Mainland China. | ||
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