
With almost 50% international students, representing 20 nationalities, École des Ponts ParisTech emphasizes multicultural skills and learning of languages and cultures.
Facts
- 13% of study time (excluding internships and PFE) is dedicated to languages
- On average, students spend one year of their course abroad
- Speaking other languages and contact with other cultures represent an essential part of the human and personal development of each student.
Preparing students for a multicultural career
Drawing on the extensive potential of our international campus (35% foreign students) and its international team of teaching staff (some twenty nationalities) offering languages for engineers, the Languages and Culture Department offers a grounding in languages that prepares students for an international and multicultural career, through:
- the teaching of ten foreign languages: students must choose two languages, one of which is English (compulsory), French as a foreign language (compulsory for foreign students), Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, and Japanese;
- speaking in day-to-day role plays (debates, chairing a work meeting, conducting a negotiation, job interview,…);
- internship reports are presented in the language of the host country or in English, when the internship is outside France;
- dual accreditation classes (scientific and linguistic);
- foreign study trips;
- students working in pairs, teaching each other their native language. There are two options for this type of autonomous learning: free pairing (without accreditation) and accredited pairing (in principle in the fourth semester) with a tutor from the Languages and Cultures Department.
Requirements
To study two languages, one of which is English
- English (compulsory for all students)
- Second language (free choice): German, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, or Japanese
- French as a foreign language (compulsory for non-French speaking foreign students)
To obtain a certificate of competence in English
- A pass in the TOEIC with a minimum score of 785 points (level B2+ according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages, see below) or in another equivalent test.
To spend a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks abroad during school education (“international obligation” for all students leaving the first year at the School)
Several options are available:
- second semester on an Erasmus exchange in a partner establishment:
- short or long company internship between the 2nd and 3rd year;
- end of course project during the last semester of study;
- 3rd year abroad: academic training in a higher education establishment outside France.