Training Structure
College of Sciences
Overview
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.
Objectives
The STEE track of the TEE bachelor’s degree program is designed to provide a solid scientific foundation in the fields of Earth Sciences and Water Sciences, with the goal of preparing students to pursue master’s or even doctoral studies.
The Earth, Water, and Environmental Sciences (STEE) track combines naturalistic and quantitative approaches to Earth and Water Sciences. Fieldwork is an integral part of the curriculum. It builds on previous bachelor’s degree programs in these fields, which have had various names over the years.
The traditional disciplines of the geosciences (petrology, sedimentology, geophysics, geochemistry, tectonics, hydrogeology, etc.) are at the core of the program. The connection between these disciplines and environmental issues is explicit (resources, risks, paleoenvironments, global changes, pollution, hazards). Mastering computational, mathematical, geophysical, and geochemical tools is also a key component of our program.
In the third year of the STEE bachelor’s program, a project course allows students to apply their knowledge and skills by completing an independent project supervised by faculty members and researchers from research laboratories affiliated with the TEE bachelor’s program.
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).
- apply the fundamental concepts of the major disciplines in Earth and water sciences: Earth materials, tectonics, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrogeology, environmental chemistry, paleontology, and soil science.
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 approach
-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).
Organization
Program
Theoretical and practical instruction is delivered through lectures, tutorials, and lab sessions. A distinctive feature of this program is the significant emphasis placed on lab and fieldwork (averaging 50% of the curriculum over the three years). Specific field trips are dedicated to collecting experimental data in situ or conducting field observations. Field internships (lasting 4 to 10 days, depending on the semester) are also a key component of our program. They allow for full 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
Second Year of the Bachelor's Degree Program
General Knowledge - Choose from the list below +
2 creditsChoose 1 out of 12
Calling bullshit
2 creditsCreative Writing
2 creditsHigh-Frequency Waves for Medical and Healthcare Applications
2 creditsArts and Sciences
2 creditsIntroduction to Python Programming for Analysis and
2 creditsAn Introduction to Electronics Through Instrumentation
2 creditsSports
2 creditsNutrition, Sports, and Health
2 creditsConceptual Information Tools (PIX)
2 creditsExperimenting to Create—A Dialogue Between Art, Music, and Material
2 creditsScience and Society
2 creditsOulipian Pastimes
2 credits
Seismology and Data Processing
5 creditsSedimentary Geology, Tectonics, and Mapping
4 creditsStructural Geology
2 creditsHydrogeology
5 creditsMath TEE S3
5 creditsMinerals and Rocks
5 creditsEnglish S3
2 creditsASTRE's Scientific Approach to the Ecological Transition
2 credits
Geology of France
4 creditsOcean, atmosphere, hydrosphere
5 creditsMapping
4 creditsEnvironmental Chemistry
5 creditsEU Field Training
5 creditsOption 1
5 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Hydrau Selection
5 creditsHydraulics
4 creditsApplied Hydraulics
1 credit
Geochemistry
5 credits
English S4
2 credits
Junior Year
CHOICE 1
3 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Pedology, Soil Science
3 creditsPaleoenvironments and Biostratigraphy
3 credits
EU Deep-Sea Field Training Course
3 creditsEnglish S5
2 creditsEarth Physics
6 creditsEndogenous Petrology
3 creditsMineral Resources
3 creditsMajor Tectonic Systems
3 creditsTEE 1 Project
3 creditsSedimentary Rocks and Surface Runoff
4 credits
Choose one of the following two options:
EU Bundle: HAT608T + HAT609T
Fluid Resources in Reservoirs
4 creditsHydrology
4 creditsTEE 2 Project
2 creditsEU Field Training
8 creditsHydraulics
4 creditsGeomorphology
4 creditsGeodynamics
4 credits
EU Model HAT616T
Fluid Resources in Reservoirs
4 creditsTEE 2 Project
2 creditsEU Field Training
8 creditsGeomorphology
4 creditsEarth and Environment
8 creditsGeodynamics
4 credits
Admission
Admission Requirements
Admission to the STEE program occurs in the second year of undergraduate studies, following a first year of science coursework.
Thus, the first year of the TEE bachelor’s program provides students with a foundation of knowledge in the fundamental sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry) as well as in the life and earth sciences. The curriculum for this first year is ideal for students seeking admission to the second year (L2) of the STEE program.
However, students who have completed their first year of a bachelor’s degree program in Life Sciences, Physics, or Chemistry may be eligible for admission to the STEE track, based solely on their application materials.
Students who have completed their first year in a preparatory class for the Grandes Écoles, in the PASS or LAS tracks, may also be admitted to the L2 STEE program, based on their application materials only.
Finally, students who hold a BTS or a DUT whose curriculum is similar to that of this bachelor’s program may also be admitted to the second year of the STEE program, based on their application materials only.
Admission to the third year (L3):
Admission to the L3 STEE program is automatic for students who have completed the L2 STEE program at the University of Montpellier. Admission is based on application review for students from other institutions. In this case, they must have completed a second-year (L2) degree in Earth Sciences, Earth and Water Sciences, or Environmental Sciences at another institution, or, less commonly, a BTS or DUT in a field whose curriculum is sufficiently similar to that of the first two years of the bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences.
Applications can be submitted through the following platforms:
- French and European students: Follow the application process on the University of Montpellier's e-candidat portal: https://candidature.umontpellier.fr/candidature/
- International students from outside the EU: Follow the “Études en France” procedure:https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/etudesenfrance/dyn/public/authentification/login.html
Target Audience
The STEE program is designed for any student interested in environmental issues and wishing to pursue scientific studies in the fields of Earth and Water Sciences through the master’s or doctoral level.
Mandatory Prerequisites
Admission to the STEE program occurs in the second year of undergraduate studies, following a first year of science coursework.
Thus, the first year of the TEE bachelor’s program provides students with a foundation of knowledge in the fundamental sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry) as well as in the life and earth sciences. The curriculum for this first year is ideal for students seeking admission to the second year (L2) of the STEE program.
However, students who have completed their first year of a bachelor’s degree program in Life Sciences, Physics, or Chemistry may be eligible for admission to the STEE track, based solely on their application materials.
Students who have completed their first year in a preparatory class for the Grandes Écoles, in the PASS or LAS tracks, may also be admitted to the L2 STEE program, based on their application materials only.
Finally, students who hold a BTS or a DUT whose curriculum is similar to that of this bachelor’s program may also be admitted to the second year of the STEE program, based on their application materials only.
Admission to the third year (L3):
Admission to the L3 STEE program is automatic for students who have completed the L2 STEE program at the University of Montpellier. Admission is based on application review for students from other institutions. In this case, they must have completed a second-year (L2) degree in Earth Sciences, Earth and Water Sciences, or Environmental Sciences at another institution, or, less commonly, a BTS or DUT in a field whose curriculum is sufficiently similar to that of the first two years of the bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences.
And then
Continuing Education
Since the STEE track is a general program designed to prepare students for a master’s degree, it does not, in principle, guide students toward career opportunities immediately after completing their third year of undergraduate study. The natural career paths are at the master’s level (bac+5) or the doctoral level (bac+8). The master’s programs available after the TEE bachelor’s degree—Earth and Environmental Sciences track—primarily include any master’s program in Earth Sciences and Water Sciences, as well as multidisciplinary master’s programs in Environmental Sciences and Energy, and master’s programs with specializations in paleontology, oceanography, and more.
Continuing Your Education Abroad
STEE students in their first through third years of study are eligible to spend a semester or a year abroad that is equivalent to the semester or year spent in France, provided that the curricula 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 allow students to participate in these study abroad opportunities under excellent conditions.
Transition Programs and Reorientation
Students wishing to enroll in the STEE program may do so in the second year (L2) after completing the first year (L1) of the TEE (law) track, or through a review of their academic record after completing the first year (L1) of the SVSE or chemistry track, provided they have taken a few course units in the field of geosciences. For applicants from outside the University, admission to the second and third years is based on an application review and is open to students who have completed university-level science programs, preparatory classes for the grandes écoles, first-year preparatory programs for medical studies (PASS or LAS), 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 program will also prepare them for master’s degrees in environmental management, energy, paleontology, and oceanography.
Employment Placement
Since the STEE program is a general track designed to lead to a master’s degree, it does not, in principle, prepare students for career opportunities at the L3 level. The natural career paths are at the master’s (bac+5) or doctoral (bac+8) levels. At the master’s level, the natural career paths are executive/engineering positions in large companies, engineering firms, and local governments involved in the fields of water resource management, pollution control, natural hazards, and mineral and petroleum resources.