Intended Level of Study
Bachelor's degree (BAC +3)
ECTS
180 credits
Duration
3 years
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Overview
"Earth, Water, and Environment" Major: Bachelor's Degree (L1) in the Earth, Water, and Environment Portal
The Earth, Water, and Environment bachelor's degree program aims to train the scientists of tomorrow to address major current and future environmental challenges in the Earth and Water Sciences.
To this end, the Land-Water-Environment bachelor’s degree program trains students in geosciences and hydrosciences in response to strong societal demand in the areas of natural resources, natural hazards, the environmental impacts of human activities, and global change. It also offers a multidisciplinary track in the fields of life sciences and earth sciences.
It draws on the research capabilities of several laboratories, including GM (Géosciences Montpellier), HSM (HydroSciences Montpellier), and ISEM (Montpellier Institute of Evolutionary Sciences), with which the majority of the bachelor’s program’s faculty members are affiliated, thereby facilitating connections with these laboratories’ research themes and activities, as well as strong ties to the local business community through various networks (Pole Aqua Valley, Cluster Terinov, etc.).
Finally, it draws on the unique natural environment of the Montpellier region, which is ideal for observing exceptional natural habitats.
This bachelor's degree program offers three tracks:
- a general track titled “Earth, Water, and Environmental Sciences” (STEE), whose main objective is to prepare students for master’s degrees in Earth, Planetary, and Environmental Sciences (STPE), Water Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Energy.
- a career-oriented track offered in the third year of the bachelor’s program, titled “Geosciences, Pollution Prevention and Treatment” (GPTP), whose main objective is to provide career opportunities at the advanced technician level in the field of water and pollution management.
- a course titled “Teacher Training Program in Life and Earth Sciences” (CME-SVT) whose goal is to provide initial training for future teachers, leading to a master’s degree in Teaching, Education, and Training (MEEF). This track becomes customized starting in the second year of the bachelor’s program.
Second-year TEE students on a field internship in Orpierre (Alpes)
Higher than 85% in L2 and L3
Success Rate
The Benefits of the Training Program
• Petits effectifs (< 40 étudiants dès le L2), > 85% de réussite en L2 et en L3.
• Plus de 40% d’enseignements pratiques (travaux pratiques en salle et sur le terrain,
camps de terrain).
• Enseignement de maths/physique/chimie adaptés au profil des étudiants.
• Formation par et aux outils numériques.
• Stage en entreprise obligatoire en L3 GPTP et projets tutorés sur le terrain et/ou en
laboratoire en L3 STEE.
• Mobilité internationale possible dès le L2.
• Entrée dans la vie active possible à bac + 3 ou poursuite en master (> 60%) dans les
Sciences de l’Eau ou Géosciences à Montpellier, en France ou à l’étranger.
• Réseau d’employeurs au niveau régional et national.
Objectives
The TEE bachelor’s degree program is designed to provide a solid scientific foundation in the fields of geosciences and water sciences, with the goal of preparing future professionals at the bachelor’s level, as well as for master’s and even doctoral programs.
From an educational perspective, the TEE bachelor’s degree program will aim to enable students to acquire the fundamental concepts necessary for describing and understanding geological environments. Students will also be trained in the use of modern physical and chemical tools that allow for better observation of these environments and quantification of the processes that affect them.
Through the acquisition of a body of knowledge and skills, a fundamental objective of the TEE bachelor’s degree program will be to enable students to master the fundamentals of the scientific method. This approach will be essential for them to critically address today’s major environmental issues.
Expertise and Skills
The knowledge and skills covered in the TEE bachelor’s degree program focus on learning the scientific method as applied to natural environments and geological settings.
1) Understand how natural environments function and how they change over time (past and future).
Draw on the fundamental concepts of the major disciplines in Earth and water sciences: Earth materials, tectonics, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrogeology, environmental chemistry, paleontology, soil science, and pollution treatment.
2) Observe the natural environment
- Understand and use the tools needed to interpret and describe landscapes, geological materials, and structures in the field. Create a geological map excerpt and interpretive cross-sections
- Identify and characterize geological features: determine their composition and structure.
3) Experiment with, quantify, and model natural environments
- Use basic concepts and tools from mathematics, physics, and chemistry to understand and model how natural systems work
- Use mapping software (GIS) and basic programming skills (Python, MATLAB) to acquire and process geological and geophysical data
- Use scientific equipment (optical microscopes, chemical analysis instruments, geophysical, hydrogeological, and hydrological instruments) and take in-situ measurements.
4) Report observations and the results of observations; take a critical look
- Compare experimental results with theoretical models, identify sources of error, and calculate uncertainties-
- Present scientific work in the form of reports and oral presentations
- Be able to use the English language with ease, both in writing and speaking.
5) Preparing for Entry into the Workforce
- Identify the major challenges in the environmental sciences and the role of Earth and Water Sciences within these challenges. Identify academic and professional opportunities related to the bachelor’s degree program.
- acquire the basic skills needed for entering the workforce (writing a resume, cover letter, and preparing for an interview).
- Gain professional experience through internships (in companies, laboratories, or secondary schools) in accordance with the specific requirements of the GPTP and CME-SVT programs.
Organization
Program
The bachelor’s degree program is organized into 6 semesters (S1 through S6) and structured around required and elective course units (UE). Each semester is worth 30 European credits (ECTS). To earn the bachelor’s degree, students must earn a total of 180 ECTS.
Admission to the TEE bachelor’s degree program begins in the first year (L1). Students wishing to pursue this degree must apply directly through the TEE portal on the Parcoursup platform.
Students choose their track upon completion of the L1 TEE program for the STEE or CME-SVT tracks, and upon completion of the L2 STEE program for the GPTP track.
Theoretical and practical instruction is delivered through lectures, tutorials, and lab sessions. What sets this track apart is the significant emphasis placed on practical training (approximately 50% of the program over the three years), particularly in the field. Specific field trips are dedicated to collecting experimental data in situ or to observation. Field camps (lasting 4 to 10 days, depending on the semester) are also a key component of our program. They allow for total immersion and the application of knowledge acquired in various disciplines to characterize and understand the functioning of a natural feature or a complex geological area.
Select a program
Earth, Water, and Environmental Sciences
Within the Land-Water-Environment bachelor’s degree program, the “Earth, Water, and Environmental Sciences” (STEE) track is primarily designed to prepare students for admission to master’s degree programs, mainly in Earth, Planets, and Environment (STPE) and Water Sciences, as well as potentially multidisciplinary master’s programs in Environmental Sciences.
Geosciences, Pollution Prevention and Treatment
The Geosciences, Pollution Prevention and Treatment (GPTP)professional track isone of the three tracks in the Earth-Water-Environment bachelor’s degree program. It aims to provide a broad-based education in Earth Sciences, supplemented by professional training in the fields of pollution prevention and treatment— particularly water pollution—and includes a 4- to 6-month internship in a professional setting or laboratory .
Teacher Training Program in Life and Earth Sciences
The “Cursus in Teaching Professions in Life and Earth Sciences” program (L2 and L3 CME-SVT) is designed to prepare students for admission to a Master’s in Teaching, Education, and Training (MEEF) upon completion of their bachelor’s degree. This is a selective and intensive program that combines coursework focused on the scientific knowledge necessary to master biology and geosciences with pre-professional training related to careers in education, teaching, and training, particularly the teaching of Life and Earth Sciences at the secondary level (middle school and high school).
Admission
Admission Requirements
If you want to apply for the L1 TEE program, apply through Parcoursup and select the Land-Water-Environment portal of the University of Montpellier’s Faculty of Sciences.
If you’d like to apply for one of the three programs in the second or third year of undergraduate studies, apply starting in April or May through the University of Montpellier’s e-candidat application.
If you are an international student who wishes to apply for the first year (L1) of the TEE program or one of the three tracks in the second (L2) or third (L3) years, and you are currently enrolled in a program in one of the countries covered by the “Etude en France” initiative, please apply through the “Etude en France” application .
Target Audience
Any student interested in environmental science, the preservation of natural areas, natural resource management, water resource management and pollution control, and natural hazards.
Mandatory Prerequisites
For the L1 TEE program: Our program is open to any student who holds a high school diploma and who took at least one of the following specializations in their senior year: Life and Earth Sciences, Physics-Chemistry, or Mathematics. Taking two of these three specializations is ideal for admission to our bachelor’s program.
For the L2 STEE program: Admission is based on application review for students who did not complete the L1 TEE program at the University of Montpellier. The program is open to any student who has completed the first year of a science-based bachelor’s degree (particularly an L1 SV-SE with optional course units in Earth Sciences), a CPGE, or the first year of a health studies program (PASS). Students holding a BTS or DUT may also be admitted to the second year (L2), provided that the content of their prior program aligns well with the TEE bachelor’s degree.
For the L2 CME-SVT program: Admission is based on application materials, including for students who have completed an L1 TEE or SVSE program at the University of Montpellier. This program is designed for students with a diverse background in Life Sciences and Earth Sciences, and is limited to approximately 20 students.
For the L3 STEE program: Admission to our program is based on application review and is open to any student who has completed a program in Earth and Water Sciences at another university, and, depending on the case, to students who hold a BTS or DUT in the field of Earth Sciences.
For the L3 GPTP program: Admission is based on application review and is open to any student who has completed an L2 or L3 program in Earth and Water Sciences at another university in France, as well as to any student holding a DUT or BTS in the fields of environmental management, water management, or pollution control.
Recommended Prerequisites
For admission to the first year of a bachelor's degree program, we recommend taking the SVT track in your senior year of high school.
And then
Continuing Education
The TEE bachelor’s degree offers three tracks with different career paths. While the GPTP track leads to entry into the workforce after three years of higher education, the natural next steps for the STEE and CME-SVT tracks are to pursue a master’s degree.
The master’s programs accessible through our bachelor’s degree are the master’s programs in Earth and Planetary Sciences (STPE), Water Sciences, and Teaching, Training, and Education (MEEF). Other master’s programs may also be accessible upon completion of this bachelor’s degree, such as multidisciplinary master’s programs in Environmental Management, Energy, Paleontology, and Oceanography.
Upon completion of these master's programs, students can enter the workforce or continue on to a Ph.D. program at the university.
Continuing Your Education Abroad
Various programs are available that allow students who wish to do so to spend a semester or a year studying at a foreign university, or to complete an internship there, during their bachelor’s degree program, provided that the academic programs are compatible. An academic agreement is signed with the partner university for this purpose. Several international programs established in partnership with the Faculty of Sciences enable students to participate in these exchange opportunities under excellent conditions.
Transition Programs and Reorientation
Students wishing to enroll in the TEE bachelor’s degree program can do so in the first year (L1) through the ParcourSup platform (Land-Water-Environment Portal). Admission to the second and third years is based on application review and is open to students who have completed university-level science programs, preparatory classes for the grandes écoles, the first year of preparatory studies for medical school, and BTS and DUT programs in the field of Earth and environmental sciences.
Students who have completed the first year (L1) of the TEE program may enter the second year (L2) of the Life Sciences program, provided they have completed four biology course units during their first year (L1).
Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, students can naturally pursue a master’s degree in Earth, Planetary, and Environmental Sciences or Water Sciences. However, their bachelor’s degree will also enable them to pursue multidisciplinary master’s programs in environmental management, energy, paleontology, or oceanography.
Employment Placement
The TEE bachelor’s degree offers a career-oriented track (GPTP) explicitly designed to lead to employment upon graduation, at the advanced technician level, in the field of pollution management and prevention. This track draws on a regional network of companies and ensures excellent job placement immediately upon graduation.