MSc City and Urban Environment
Architecture, Ambiances, Urbanity (U-ENV AAU)

This specialism offers a world-class education to future engineers and town planners by providing the skills necessary to address environmental and health issues in the context of sustainable urban development, in research and in urban design.

The programme is designed to provide scientific theoretical knowledge and tools necessary to understand and address the environmental physical problems resulting from the ever increasing urban population. Various key disciplines such as urban microclimatology, wind and ventilation in urban areas, human ecology of urban spaces, sunlight and illumination are taught through advanced lectures and research work in laboratories renowned in these fields.

This MSc programme is fully accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the network of contacts established by the researchers engaged in the programme guarantees international exposure for the students.

The programme of study lasts two academic years - denoted by M1 and M2 - and is fully taught in English.

Contribution to sustainable development goals

30 ECTS Credits per semester.
Language of instruction: English
 

M1 Year - 2023/24

Autumn Semester Courses	ECTS	Spring Semester Courses	ECTS
Fluid mechanics 1	5	Hydrology and transfers in soils	5
Algorithmics for Engineering Modelling	4	Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics	5
Energetics and building heat transfers	5	Urban Realities Review	5
Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences	5	Urban Management and Planning	4
Introduction to research	5	History of the city	5
Business Environment	4	Social sciences for the city	4
Modern Languages *	2	Modern Languages *	2
Conferences	0

* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English'

NB Course content may be subject to minor changes

M2 Year - 2023/24

Autumn Semester Courses	ECTS
Research methods and practice	4
Ambiance, ambiances	5
Urban project 1: theoretical approach and environmental indicators	4
Urban project 2: design and evaluation	5
Urban environment 1: sunlight & sound environment	5
Urban environment 2: wind & microclimate	5
Modern Languages *	2
Conferences	0

* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English'
NB Course content may be subject to minor changes.
 

Spring Semester	ECTS
Master thesis / internship	30

 

Examples of previous internships in industry/research labs:

• Thermal comfort of pedestrians in urban outdoor spaces: simplified model for predicting mean radiant temperature
• Research and outlook for the implementation of desilting in Guangzhou as part of Sino-French cooperation
• Urban Biodiversity in South America: Exploring Public Space in the Brazilian City
• (Re)Generation of an obsolete urban structure: the redevelopment of the Source district in Orleans

Skills developed

• Understand and master the theoretical and methodological foundations of urban environments through the problematic of ambiances.
• Master the physical phenomena that contribute to the comfort and to the perception of the developed or built environment.
• Know how to characterise urban ambiances.

 

In addition to the above specialism-specific skills, students will also develop more general skills:

 

• Express assumptions to analyse and solve a problem
• Communicate comprehensive results in a meaningful way
• Undertake bibliographic surveys of international research and professional literature
• Carry out an urban project through its environmental challenges

Download syllabus | U-ENV AAU 2022/23

• M1 year
• M2 year

Faculty

This MSc programme is taught by faculty at Centrale Nantes and at ensa Nantes (School of Architecture).

Collaboration

• Local authorities: Nantes Métropole
• Urban planning and development agencies: Samoa, ADDRN Saint-Nazaire, AREP international subsidiaries, SCE
• Public establishments: Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), CEREMA
• Research laboratories: ensa (CRENAU Nantes), Gustave Eiffel University (AME Department)

Focus on unique resources

• Apply online on the eCandidat platform
• 2023/24 intake: applications closed
• 2024/25 intake: applications will open in October 2023

Application process

Application rounds

• Applications are reviewed in rounds. M1 applicants may apply in any of the three M1 rounds, and M2 applicants in either of the two M2 rounds. Applications should be submitted on the eCandidat platform as early as possible, but before the deadlines below;
• Applications are not considered 'complete' until all required elements are submitted. Only complete applications received by the round's deadline will be considered in that round;
• The admissions board reviews applications at the conclusion of each round and notifies each applicant of the outcome of their application;

Accepting your place

• Successful applicants must accept their place on the eCandidat platform by the deadlines below;
• The first installment of tuition fees must be paid by the deadlines below to definitively secure the applicant's place on the programme.

Important dates for the 2023 intake

	M1 | Round 1	M1 | Round 2	M1 | Round 3	M2 | Round 1	M2 | Round 2
Submit your complete application by	14 December	28 February	30 April	30 March	30 April
You will be notified of the outcome of your application by	27 January	24 March	26 May	28 April	26 May
Accept your place by	14 February	10 April	11 June	11 May	10 June
Pay your first tuition installment by	31 March	25 May	15 June	30 May	15 June

Admission requirements

Admission requirements for the first year (M1)

• International students with a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Technology) or equivalent, in a field related to Science and Technology
• French and European students with a 'license' qualification or equivalent.
• Students must have graduated from the above before the end of August in order to enrol in a Master's Programme at Centrale Nantes in September.
• Applicants must have a good level in Mathematics and be fluent in English - written and spoken. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to pass a recognised international test of English*:
  • TOEFL - IBT 80, or ITP 550, paper-delivered test 60,
  • Cambridge B2 First Test - 173 or higher,
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced Test - 160 or higher,
  • IELTS - 6.5 or higher,
  • TOEIC - 800 or higher.
• Applicants who carried out their studies in English (you must provide an official confirmation letter from your university) are eligible without passing such a test, but providing the results of a recognized international test can add value to the application.
• Students who completed their studies in the countries listed below are exempted from submitting a language certificate: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, English-speaking Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

*no other test is recognised.

Language of instruction

English.

Admission requirements for the second year (M2)

Students who have successfully completed a first year MSc programme can apply for the second year MSc programme.

Language of instruction

English.

Required documents

When applying for a Centrale Nantes MSc Programme you will be asked to provide the following documents:
 

• Your official transcripts
• A CV/Resume and cover letter
• Your diploma
• Proof of English proficiency
• Two letters of recommendation
• Your passport or other form of official identification

Your documents must be uploaded in English or French. If the original version of your documents is not in one of these two languages, a certified translation by a sworn translator is required.

Apply online

Apply online on the eCandidat platform
 

How to use the eCandidat platform:

 

• Download the user guide
• Connect to eCandidat: https://ecandidat.ec-nantes.fr
• Use the flag (page top right) to select your language.
• Start off by creating your account.
• No application fees.

Your application in 5 easy steps:

Contact and admissions support

Master Admission Office

master.admission@ec-nantes.fr
Tel: +33.2.40.37.68.36 / 33.2.40.37.68.51

Chinese students: lichunlai@ec-nantes.cn
Indian students: application@galaxy-edu.com

Fees for non-European students:

• Master 1 year: €9,000
• Master 2 year: €6,000

A reduction of €1,500 for the first year of study is granted to non European international students who make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.

Fees for European students:

Scholarships

Career Prospects

• Sectors: urban planning and design; urban environment
• Fields: urban planning, microclimatology, comfort in urban areas
• Positions: urban planner in consulting office or groups specialized in environmental engineering; assistance to contracting authorities; research and academia (post PhD)

Where are they now?

Read what our students and graduates have to say about the programme: more coming soon

Virtual Tour