Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Choose your programme

The three-year programme comprises two years of core curriculum courses and a final year with a choice of four academic focus areas: Mechanical Engineering, Fluids and Energy, Civil Engineering or Signal Control and Robotics. Students can further customise their programme with the option of taking up a gap year or an exchange semester with one of our international partners.

Get hands-on industry exposure

In line with the school's values a third of the programme focuses on business sciences, social sciences and languages with a strong emphasis on developing professional and even entrepreneurial skills. Students will gain invaluable hands-on experience through two work placements - a six-week internship at the end of year 2 and a 16-week final year internship in a company or research lab - which can be undertaken in France or overseas. Coursework also includes regular contact with industry via industrial study projects and engineering projects. External speakers and industry experts play active role in the curriculum, particularly in the final year academic focus areas.

Study in English

The language of instruction is English. Whilst there is no prior requirement to speak or understand the French language for admission to the Bachelor programme, French language classes are provided throughout the three year programme. This gives students the means not only to get by in French in their daily lives, but also to fully benefit from internship opportunities in France. It is expected that students will obtain a B1/B2 level in French upon completion of the programme (B1 minimum required for graduation).

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Year 1

AUTUMN SEMESTER

 

	ECTS	Hours
MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE
Analysis I		24
Linear Algebra I		24
Algorithmics		24
Intro. to Scientific Computing		24
	12	96
PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING
CAD & Design		24
Statics		22
Introduction to Physics I: Optics		24
Matter & Materials		24
	12	94
LANGUAGES & PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
French as a Foreign Language I		32
Business English I		16
Professional skills I		24
Pre-professional activities I		36
	6	108

30 ECTS, 298 teaching hours

SPRING SEMESTER

 

	ECTS	Hours
MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE
Analysis II		24
Linear Algebra II		24
Scientific Programming		24
Data structure management		24
	12	96
PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING
Dynamics and Vibrations		22
Introduction to Physics II: Electromagnetism		22
Electrical Engineering basics		22
Product Design Methodology		24
CAD & Design – Reverse engineering		12
	12	102
LANGUAGES, PROFESSIONAL SKILLS & SOCIETY
French as a Foreign Language II		32
Business English II		16
Professional skills II		24
Pre-professional activities II		36
Sustainable Engineering I		24
	6	132

 
30 ECTS, 330 teaching hours

Year 2

AUTUMN SEMESTER

 

	ECTS	HOURS
MATHEMATICS, NUMERICS & CONTROL
Analysis III		24
Probability & Statistics		24
Automatic Control		24
Industrial Automation Systems		24
	12	96
MECHANICS AND ENERGY
Thermodynamics I		24
Vibrations		24
Structural Mechanics		24
Heat Transfer I		24
	12	96
LANGUAGES & PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
French as a Foreign Language III		40
Business English III		20
Social Sciences III		24
Pre-professional activities III		36
Engineering Project I		24
	6	144

 
30 ECTS, 336 teaching hours

SPRING SEMESTER

 

	ECTS	HOURS
MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE
Numerical Analysis		24
Introduction to Data Science		24
	4	48
PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING
Manufacturing		24
Industrial Engineering		24
Mechanics of Deformable Bodies		24
Fluid Mechanics		24
	12	96
LANGUAGES, PROFESSIONAL SKILLS & SOCIETY
French as a Foreign Language IV		40
Business English IV		20
Social Sciences IV		24
Pre-professional activities IV		36
Sustainable Engineering II		24
Engineering Project II		36
	9	180
INTERNSHIP
Non-skilled internship	5	-

30 ECTS, 324 teaching hours

Year 3

AUTUMN SEMESTER

 

	ECTS	Hours
ACADEMIC FOCUS I
Courses according to choice of Academic Focus Area (ME, FE, CE, SIGCORO) see below*	12	96
ACADEMIC FOCUS II
Courses according to choice of Academic Focus Area (ME, FE, CE, SIGCORO) see below**	12	96
INDUSTRIAL PROJECT
Industrial Project I		24
	2	24
LANGUAGES & PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
French as a Foreign Language V		32
Business English V		16
Social Sciences V		24
Pre-professional activities V		24
	4	96

30 ECTS, 312 teaching hours

SPRING SEMESTER

 

	ECTS	Hours
ACADEMIC FOCUS III
Courses according to choice of Academic Focus Area (ME, FE, CE, SIGCORO) see below***	15	132
INDUSTRY AND RESEARCH
Industrial Project II		24
Research Methodology and Practice		24
	3	48
LANGUAGES
French as a Foreign Language VI		12
	1	12
INTERNSHIP
Final internship	11	-

 
30 ECTS, 192 teaching hours

Mechanical Engineering (ME)

FOCUS I

• Continuum Mechanics - Advanced | 24 hrs
• Industrial engineering - Advanced | 24 hrs
• Forming Processes | 24 hrs
• Material Science | 36 hrs

FOCUS II

• Finite Element Method I | 36 hrs
• Project management | 24 hrs
• Numerical methods for the analysis of experimental full field data | 24 hrs

FOCUS III

• Material selection | 24 hrs
• Finite Element Method II - Transient problems | 24 hrs
• Manufacturing II - Industrialisation | 24 hrs
• CAD & Design - Virtual reality | 12 hrs
• Composite Structures | 24 hrs
• Introduction to biomechanical engineering | 24 hrs

Fluids and Energy (FE)

FOCUS I

• Thermodynamics II | 24 hrs
• Fluid mechanics II | 24 hrs
• Gas dynamics | 24 hrs
• Incompressible aerodynamics | 24 hrs

FOCUS II

• Introduction to turbomachinery | 24 hrs
• Introduction to combustion | 24 hrs
• Heat transfer II | 24 hrs
• HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) | 24 hrs

FOCUS III

• Applied fluid mechanics | 24 hrs
• Basics of CFD | 36 hrs
• Wind engineering | 24 hrs
• Renewable energies | 24 hrs
• Basics of Ship design | 24 hrs

Civil Engineering (CE)

FOCUS I

• Soil and Rock mechanics | 36 hrs
• Mechanics of Civil Engineering Materials and Structures | 24 hrs
• Structural Design | 24 hrs

FOCUS II

• Building Physics | 24 hrs
• Practical design / Applications | 48 hrs
• Building Technology | 24 hrs

FOCUS III

• Structural Dynamics | 24 hrs
• Geotechnical Engineering and Natural Risks | 36 hrs
• Modelling of Structures by FEM and BIM | 36 hrs
• Complex Infrastructures | 36 hrs

Signal, Control and Robotics (SIGCORO)

FOCUS I

• Computer Programming and Data Analysis | 24 hrs
• Complex Analysis | 24 hrs
• Electrical Engineering | 24 hrs
• Robotics I | 24 hrs

FOCUS II

• Signal Processing | 24 hrs
• Feedback Control Systems | 36 hrs
• Embedded Systems | 24 hrs

FOCUS III

• Optimization | 24 hrs
• Statistics | 24 hrs
• Robotics II | 24 hrs
• Image Processing | 24 hrs
• Electronics | 24 hrs

How to apply for the BSc

Eligibility

• Open to students preparing a high school diploma in science or equivalent, or having obtained this qualification within the last 12 months.
• Applicants must be under 26 years of age on 1 January of the year of entry to the programme.

Selection criteria

Basic criteria

• Academic results - based on a GPA conversion (60%). NB two-years of academic records must be provided and show courses in mathematics and/or sciences
• Mathematics/science grades (20%)
• Proficiency in English (20%) * with a minimum score of TOEFL: 78 / TOEIC: 800 / IELTS: 6.0

NB No proficiency requirements in the French language

* Applicants who carried out their studies in English (you must provide an official confirmation letter from your high school) are eligible without passing proficiency 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.

Selection process

Applicants are selected based on their application form, and take account of the applicant’s academic performance, his/her attitude and progress in class, his/her motivation, the relevance of his/her career plans, extra-curricular activities, and his/her level of proficiency in English.

Application procedure

Applications open on 31 October 2022
Applications close on 26 May 2023
Apply online: https://ecandidat.ec-nantes.fr
Contact: bachelor.admission47a6bda3-ae97-4da3-95c9-6d591ded0620@ec-nantes.fr

You will need to submit the following documents as part of your application:

• Curriculum Vitae and cover letter in English
• A certified copy in English or French of your secondary school diploma; or failing that, the current year's enrolment certificate for the final year of high school studies and academic transcripts
• Copy of an identity document (e.g. passport)
• English test score (TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS). NB Not required for native speakers of English.

Selected applicants will be invited for an interview via videoconference.

The purpose of the interview is to confirm information provided in the application and to assess:

• Motivation to follow the programme;
• Extra-curricular activities;
• Intellectual curiosity;
• Potential and ability to adapt to a new environment;
• Language proficiency in English. 

Tuition Fees

• €12,000 per annum. Tuition fees are guaranteed for the duration of the programme.
• Early Bird: a reduction of €1,500 for the first year of study is granted to international students who make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.

Scholarship opportunities

• Elite Scholarships may be awarded based on scientific excellence criteria. The award is for the duration of the 3-year programme (provided that the student does not repeat a year) for a maximum annual amount of €6000.
• Opportunities within the framework of certain international agreements, may be available for periods of international mobility within the programme.

Contribution to sustainable development goals

Pursue your studies

Graduates of the BSc in Engineering can pursue their studies with an international master's programme in France or elsewhere. They are ideally placed to continue their studies at Centrale Nantes on one of our 6 Master of Science (MSc) Programmes, all of which are fully accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. These programmes are taught in English with a choice of 14 different specialisms. Centrale Nantes is also involved in five Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees and three Joint Master's Programmes.

With a choice of four academic focus areas in year 3, students are prepared more specifically for the challenges of the following Master's programmes:
 

Career Prospects

Students benefit from individual careers guidance from the Student Life Team at Centrale Nantes. Face-to-face or online careers sessions, mentoring sessions with graduates, webinars, online forums, etc. help future graduates to find their path.

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering prepares its students for direct entry into the workforce. Excellent careers prospects await graduates in startups, SMEs, mid-sizes and large groups alike across varied sectors of activity:

• Transport - automotive, aeronautical, naval and railway
• Building, public works and sustainable construction
• Energy, water and environment
• Food and beverage industries
• Health, biomedical
• Robotics and telecommunications
• Defence
• Maritime industry (offshore, MRE)

Examples of job opportunities:

• Works coordinator: The works coordinator is a supervisor on the building sites. Throughout a project, he or she is responsible for ensuring that the work is carried out properly by all the external service providers selected. The works supervisor ensures good contact and communication between all the service providers in the field, and coordinates the tasks under the authority of the works manager. Their daily work consists of managing the technical resources required for the construction of a project, as well as the human and financial resources needed to ensure that the project runs smoothly.
• Structural draughtsman: The job of structural draughtsman consists in making a project imagined by an architect a reality by adding calculations made by the design engineers. He/she draws up the various plans and diagrams of the future structure. It is up to him/her to choose the most appropriate scale and not to leave out any detail in the representation of the various structures. He/she is also a mediator between the designers of the project and those who carry it out, when sometimes the design proves to be impossible as it stands, and requires certain modifications.
• R&D technician: The R&D technician participates in the various development phases of a research and/or development project (carrying out tests, measurements and analyses, making 3D projections, first-level maintenance of laboratory equipment).
• Technician / Methods manager: The main objective of the methods manager is to optimise production by allocating the necessary resources (equipment, methods, human resources, etc.). The methods manager validates and improves the manufacturing process.
• Robotics integrator: The robotics integrator studies, integrates and develops robotic solutions for existing processes or those under development.
• Operational manager of an energy production site
• Assistant CFD calculation engineer in a design office or research laboratory
• Assistant design engineer for energy systems

Emilie, Bachelor of Engineering Graduate, Class of 2022

Why did you choose Centrale Nantes?
"I chose Centrale Nantes as it is considered as one of the top engineering schools in France. Also, it is a general course giving an insight in different fields such as mechanical, electrical and industrial engineering. Centrale Nantes lends a lot of importance to internships, and a strong emphasis is also given to language courses, sports activities, entrepreneurial courses, finance courses, environmental and sustainable engineering and engineering projects."

What did you enjoy the most about the course?
"I enjoyed learning from the different professors who were all unique in their ways of teaching. Studying in France was definitely the most challenging and enjoyable experience."

What about student life on campus?
"There are different associations and sports activities that you can join."

What are you doing now and what are your plans for the future?
"I am working as a Technical Support Engineer in Mauritius. Doing my master is definitely one of my future goals."

How would you describe Centrale Nantes in 3 words?
"Challenging - Knowledge - Success"

Julian, Bachelor of Engineering Graduate, Class of 2022

Why did you choose Centrale Nantes?

"As one of the top French universities, Centrale Nantes offers a core learning framework that shapes students into the great leaders of tomorrow. This, in addition to the solid engineering coursework, multicultural experience, and highly qualified professors convinced me to choose ECN for architecting my career goals."
 
What did you enjoy the most about the course?
"What I enjoyed the most about the course is that it gave me an opportunity to experience both theoretical and industrial knowledge from as early as the first year. I had a couple of long internships with different companies in the civil engineering and construction sector that gave me hands-on experience and really helped jump-start my career."
 
What about student life on campus?
"Life on campus was undoubtedly the best, characterized by the comfort, security, convenience, community, and diversity of the people around. I met friends from different parts of the world who have definitely made me have a multicultural perception. We shared a bunch of experiences from food, music, language, sports & games, and career plans. It was simply amazing and enriching."
 
What are you doing now?
"Currently, I am working for MSALABS - a global provider of a full range of geochemical laboratory services, as a senior project engineer. I have been in charge of developing, designing, and managing several construction projects in Africa, the Middle East, and Canada."
 
What are your plans for the future?
"My future goal is to pursue a postgraduate degree in Civil engineering, particularly in the field of materials and structures at Centrale Nantes. I believe this will provide greater avenues in my professional growth."
 
Centrale Nantes in 3 words?
"Excellent, Dynamic, Life-changing"

Centrale-Audencia-ensa incubator

The Centrale-Audencia-Ensa incubator is an entrepreneurship support programme which aims to boost the creation of innovative companies in the Pays de la Loire region. The incubator is open to students and graduates of the three establishments of the Centrale - Audenica - ensa Nantes Alliance with a mature project (solution, market, team) to develop.

The unique collaboration between three nationally and internationally recognised educational and research establishments, in the fields of engineering, management, communication, design and architecture, provides exceptional conditions for the development of incubated projects. The Centrale-Audencia-Ensa incubator is fully in tune with the dynamics of the Nantes and Loire region thanks to its strong involvement in a particularly innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
 

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Hydrodynamic and Ocean Engineering Tank

Amongst the largest in Europe, Centrale Nantes' ocean test facilities include a towing tank, a hydrodynamic and ocean engineering tank, a shallow water tank and a recirculating canal. The ocean engineering tank measures 50m long by 30m wide by 5m deep and is equipped with a segmented wave maker. It is used, for example, to study deep water offshore systems, seakeeping trials for ships, study of the performance of wave power systems and floating wind turbines.
 

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Engine Test Benches

These test facilities allow experimental characterization and numerical modeling of complex energy systems. This research is accompanied by a societal challenge: reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and polluting emissions.
 

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Sustainability and Green Building Platform

This platform provides researchers and companies with exceptional experimental and digital resources.

In order to meet the challenges of environmental civil engineering, the platform brings together simulation tools adapted for design and management of the lifecycle of structures.
 

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Composite Materials and Processes Platform

This experimental equipment makes it possible to produce organic composites and to characterize materials in physical terms. The platform provides the right conditions for the world-class research activity conducted in the field of mechanics of materials and processes.
 

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