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Bachelors and Licences are both post-baccalaureate undergraduate courses. The former are offered in universities and the latter in private higher education, but they are different in many ways. Duration of the course, recognition of the diploma, professional integration, further studies, tuition fees... let's take a look at the differences between a Bachelor's degree and a Licence.

Business schools

Studying at university or business school

In France, Licences are university diplomas, whereas Bachelors are the prerogative of business schools or management schools. In terms of teaching, supervision and assessment methods, universities, IUTs and Grandes écoles operate in radically different ways. While business schools push you to give your best throughout the year and encourage collective emulation, the total autonomy of university teaching can sometimes seem confusing for young graduates. Also, the atmosphere at university will not be the same as on the campus of a grande école where community life and extra-curricular activities are part of students' daily lives.

Duration of the course and level of study

The first level of the European "LMD" system, licences are obtained after three years of study in higher education and provide students with a first cycle diploma at Bac+3 level (180 ECTS credits). The Bachelor's degree, also available after the baccalauréat, is a little more complicated as there are 3-year and 4-year Bachelor's degrees. A 3-year Bachelor's degree allows students to obtain 180 ECTS credits and 240 credits when the course lasts 4 years. Finally, some Bachelors, such as that of the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ in Paris, are recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, while others are not.

Fields of study and specialisations

There are several dozen Licences, particularly professional ones, specialising in practically all sectors: biology, tourism, law, health and social work, communication, multimedia, etc. Bachelors are historically specialised in management, marketing and commerce, but the range of courses has expanded and you can now find even more targeted courses: Luxury Management, Communication and Digital Marketing, International Commerce, etc.

BBA

Professionalisation and international dimension

Licences have the reputation of being more theoretical courses than those of the Bachelor type given in the major business schools. Business schools are keen for their students to acquire as much professional experience as possible and sometimes impose, as is the case at ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ, one work placement per year. And while work-study programmes are beginning to be democratised in university education, business schools are recognised for having been pioneers in work-study programmes.

International reputation: French Bachelors, inspired by the Anglo-Saxon model which is a reference in the world, have an unrivalled reputation on the international job market. The training itself may include study periods, compulsory internships abroad or courses in English. An international BBA (Bachelor in Business Administration) will open more doors for you. A Bachelor's degree, on the other hand, may have a better academic reputation in European university circles.

 

Joining the workforce and continuing studies

If they are not fully operational to enter the job market, nearly 80% of students with a Bachelor's degree continue their initial training at Master's level. Graduates of a Bachelor's degree can easily find a job at the end of their three years of study. However, there are many gateways after a Bachelor's degree, in particular to a Grande Ecole programme, recognised by the State as a Bac+5, Master's degree. In addition, business school students prepare for their professional integration throughout their studies thanks to specific coaching.

Selection and admission

Admission to a Licence is, in principle, open to all holders of the Baccalauréat, but certain courses can be in great demand and, given the capacity of the intake, you need to have an excellent application file in order to qualify. For Bachelors, particularly for schools that are members of the CGE (Conférences des grandes écoles) such as ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ, selection for entry is generally based on a portfolio and an interview. Sometimes less than one in five candidates succeed in getting into a post-baccalaureate Bachelor's degree course when it is recognised by the State. At ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ, students can enter a Bachelor's programme approved by the Ministry after the final year of secondary school or as part of parallel admissions, after one or two years of higher education or after obtaining a national diploma at Bac+2 level such as a BTS.

School fees

At the university or in an IUT, the registration fees amount to 103 euros apart from the payment of the CVEC. In an establishment such as ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ, the tuition fees are around â‚¬8 500 per year for a Bachelor's degree, but there are aid schemes and sometimes work-study programmes enable students to finance their studies. The difference can be explained in particular by the support (coaching, personalised follow-up, etc.), the quality of life on campus (brand new premises, coworking spaces, cafeterias, etc.), the "extras" (integration weekend, ski week, graduation ceremony, etc.) and the high level of employability that business school students enjoy.

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