Intended Level of Study
Bachelor's degree (BAC +3)
ECTS
60 credits
Duration
1 year
Training Structure
Institute for Preparation for General Administration (IPAG)
Language(s) of Instruction
French
Overview
Description:
The third-year bachelor's degree in "Public Administration" (LAP) is designed to prepare students for Category A and B competitive examinations in the three branches of the civil service (state, local, and hospital).
The LAP also prepares participants for the direct recruitment of executives established by the 2019 Civil Service Transformation Act, as well as for the internal promotion of civil servants (continuing education). The LAP thus meets the expectations expressed by the Ministry responsible for the civil service to build a civil service that reflects society—that is, to allow access to Category A for anyone, regardless of their prior educational background (L2, CPGE, BTS, DUT, as well as those who already hold a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree) and their field of specialization (law/economics/management, humanities, sciences, etc.), while benefiting from a common foundation in public administration and its challenges.
Instructors (academics and professionals) frequently serve on competitive exam panels, which allows for training that is specifically tailored to what examiners and graders expect in civil service exams.
The bachelor's degree in public administration thus serves as a pathway to social mobility.
Objectives
Learning Objectives:
- Academic goal: to earn a bachelor's degree that will allow me to pursue a master's degree.
- Goal of the exam preparation program: to achieve the required level (bachelor’s degree) to take the Category A competitive exams and receive customized preparation to pass the exams.
Organization
Open on an alternating basis
Contract Type | Apprenticeship Contract, Professional Training Contract |
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Duration and Organization
1-yearprogram (leading to a national bachelor’s degree)
Possible work-study program:
- First semester: 3 weeks of classroom instruction / 1 week of work-study
- Second semester: 2 weeks of classroom instruction / 2 weeks of work-study
- After graduation: full-time work-study program
What is a work-study program?
Students alternate between periods of study at the university and periods of practical training in the workplace.
2 benefits:
- The apprentice is paid a monthly wage ranging from 67% to 100% of the minimum wage, depending on his or her age
- The apprentice gains practical skills
What is the purpose of work-study programs?
A work-study program serves as a springboard to entering the workforce. During your years in the program, you’ll have the opportunity to meet employers who may hire you directly or help you succeed on entrance exams.
The goal of the work-study program is to give you hands-on experience in your future profession.
Let yourself be introduced to the professional world and real life, and maximize your chances of success on the entrance exams.
Why Choose the Work-Study Program at IPAG?
You can prepare for civil service exams while working part-time in a public administration setting: state agencies such as prefectures or the DGFIP, local government agencies such as a department or municipality, and public hospitals. You can also serve as an apprentice in social security agencies, EPICs, mixed-economy companies, and more...
During the oral exams for competitive exams, an apprentice is twice as likely to succeed.
Work-Study Programs at IPAG
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Recruitment requirements? |
Which IPAG degree program? |
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In what type of facility?
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Internships, supervised projects
Internship | Possible |
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Program
SEMESTER 1:
Lectures:
- Administrative Institutions: 25 hours (2.5 credits)
- Digital Culture: 20 hours (2 credits)
- State Public Finance: 25 hours (2.5 credits)
- Activities and Operations of Public Administrations: 50 hours (5 credits)
- Contemporary Political, Social, and Environmental Issues: 25 hours (2.5 credits)
- Political Institutions: 25 hours (2.5 credits)
- Political Economy: 25 hours (2.5 credits)
Tutorials:
- Methodology Lectures: 20 hours (2 credits)
- Lectures on general administrative culture: 20 hours (2 credits)
- Lecture and Discussion: 8:00 p.m. (2 credits)
- Policy Brief: 20 hours (2 credits)
- English: 25 hours (2.5 credits)
SEMESTER 2:
Lectures:
- Political Economy: 25 hours (3 credits)
- European Issues: 8:00 p.m. (2.5 credits)
- Activities and Operations of Public Administrations: 20 hours (3 credits)
- Local Finance: 25 hours (3 credits)
- Contemporary Political, Social, and Environmental Issues: 45 hours (3 credits)
- Public Service: 25 hours (3 credits)
Tutorials:
- English: 25 hours (2.5 credits)
- Methodology Lectures: 20 hours (2.5 credits)
- Methodology Lectures in General Administrative Studies: 20 hours (2.5 credits)
- Lecture and Discussion: 8:00 p.m. (2.5 credits)
- Policy Brief: 20 hours (2.5 credits)
Select a program
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Admission
Admission Requirements
Hold a degree equivalent to at least two years of post-secondary education
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MEMBER OF THE COLLEGIUM |
BRIDGES |
YEARS OF RELEVANT STUDIES |
DEVICE TYPE |
APPLICATION TOOL |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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IPAG |
L2 Law, Political Science, Economics, Social and Economic Sciences, Management |
L3 Public Administration |
Automatic eligibility for the L3 AP program |
E-Candidate |
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Second-year degree in a field other than Law, Political Science, Economics, Social Sciences, or Business Administration |
L3 Public Administration |
Admission to the L3AP program is possible following a review of the applicant's materials by the admissions committee |
E-Candidate |
Target audience: Undergraduate students majoring in the humanities, sciences, etc. | |
|
Committees on the Equivalency of French Degrees |
L3 Public Administration |
Admission to the L3AP program is possible following a review of the applicant's materials by the admissions committee |
E-Candidate |
Target audience: students who have earned 120 ECTS credits and completed a BTS, DUT, BUT, CPGE, or similar program… | |
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Talents Prep Agreement - ENCCRF |
L3 Public Administration |
Students in the preparatory program are automatically admitted to the L3 AP program |
E-Candidate - Automatic Admission |
provided that the student has earned 120 ECTS credits |
Registration Procedures
- For registration details, follow this link (applications must be submitted via the E-candidat platform): https://ipag.edu.umontpellier.fr/candidater/
- Once your application has been reviewed, if you receive a positive decision, you can move on to the next step: registration.
Visit our website, click on the "Apply to IPAG" tab, then "Registration After Applying to IPAG"
Target Audience
Whether you’re a student, a current civil servant, a job seeker, or looking to change careers, as long as you have a two-year post-secondary degree, you’re eligible! IPAG will help you prepare for civil service exams.
Tuition Fees
2025–2026 Rates
Established by ministerial order
- For initial training: 178 euros
In addition to that, you'll need to add the CVEC and tuition fees.
Free for scholarship recipients and students in work-study programs.
- For continuing education: 1,268 euros (2,518 euros if the training is paid for by an organization)
Capacity
100 students
Mandatory Prerequisites
- Minimum oftwo years of post-secondary education (120 ECTS)
- Any field of study is acceptable as long as the career plan is coherent
- Automatic admission for second-year students in Law, Political Science, Economics, Applied Economic Sciences, and Business Administration at the University of Montpellier (law transfer programs)
- Application materials are evaluated by a selection committee for other academic backgrounds, such as BTS, CPGE, and literature or science tracks... (transfer pathways subject to certain conditions)
And then
Continuing Education
Continuing Studies in the Master's Program in Public Administration
Employment Placement
Local Public Service:
- Local Government Attaché
- Senior Editor
- Local Government Editor
State Civil Service:
- IRA (State Administrative Attaché)
- Inspector and Auditor, DGFIP
- Inspector and Auditor, DGCCRF
- Customs Inspector and Auditor
- Labor Inspector
- Director / Correctional Officer for Reintegration and Probation
- Director of Services at the PJJ
- Clerk of the Court
- Administrative Secretary / SAENES
- Gendarmerie Non-Commissioned Officer
- Police Officer
Hospital Civil Service and the Health and Social Services Sector:
- Director of a Social Security Agency (EN3S)
- Health and Social Services Inspector
- Hospital Administration Clerk