ECTS
60 credits
Duration
1 year
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Language(s) of Instruction
French
Overview
The first year (M1) of the program forms the foundation of the curriculum, focusing on the fundamentals of microbial ecology. It offers a core curriculum and elective courses that allow students to choose between two tracks: one focused on “Basic Research” (Track 1) and the other more oriented toward “Research & Development” (Track 2).
Project-based learning and educational innovation are emphasized. Through the pooling of expertise with the Master’s program in Bioinformatics in the Faculty of Sciences and the establishment of the BioInfoLearning Lab (BILL), an innovative interdisciplinary learning laboratory, students are encouraged to take an active role in their education by managing a mini-research project from start to finish (from field sampling to the extraction, sequencing, and analysis of microbial sequences in the first year of the Master’s program) and by disseminating their results (through publications and conference presentations in the second year of the Master’s program).
The program is designed to teach students the scientific research process. Students work with bibliographic resources (research, comprehension, critical analysis, and synthesis of the literature) and pedagogical communication methods. During their first year of the master’s program (M1), they complete a 4-month internship at a public or private research laboratory or in a company, which includes writing a thesis and presenting it orally before a panel of experts.
95%
Success Rate
Organization
Open on an alternating basis
This program is offered as a work-study program.
Internships, supervised projects
Internship | Required |
|---|---|
Duration of the internship | 4 |
Internship Abroad | Possible |
Duration of the internship abroad | 4 |
Program
The first year consists of a core curriculum and elective courses that allow students to choose between two tracks: one focused on “Basic Research” (Track 1) and the other more oriented toward “Research & Development” (Track 2).
Students in Track 2 (selected based on application review) have the opportunity to earn a dual degree by completing four additional 5-ECTS course units offered by the IAE de Montpellier (two course units per year, for a total of 20 ECTS).
During their first year of the master’s program (M1), students complete a 4-month internship at a public or private research laboratory or in a company, and write a thesis that they defend orally before a panel of experts.
One EU is dedicated to career readiness, where students work on their résumés and their professional and personal goals.
Biostatistics with R
5 creditsEnglish
5 creditsImmunity and the Genetics of Microorganism Interactions
Microbial Ecology
6 creditsCHOICE 3
3 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Emergencies, Resilience, Adaptations
3 creditsCHOICE 1
6 credits
Bioinformatics Learning Lab
2 creditsPreparation for the internship and transition into the workforce
2 creditsMolecular Microbial Ecology 1
3 creditsMolecular Microbial Ecology 2
2 credits4-Month M1 Internship
18 creditsCHOICE 4
3 creditsChoose 1 out of 6
Integrative Parasitology (University of Perpignan)
3 creditsMicrobiEAU
3 creditsBioenergy
3 creditsPollution in Agro-Environmental Systems
3 creditsProject Management
3 creditsBioprocess Engineering - Metabolism and Bioproduction
3 credits
Admission
Admission Requirements
Students must hold at least a bachelor's degree in Life Sciences and have successfully completed courses in microbiology.
Registration Procedures
Applications can be submitted through the following platforms:
- French and European students: Follow the “Mon Master” procedure on the website: https://www.monmaster.gouv.fr/
Target Audience
The IMHE Master’s program is part of the academic pathway that follows the Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Microbiology Track, at the University of Montpellier (Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Mechanisms of Life). It is open to students who have earned a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences with a specialization in Microbiology, whether in France or abroad. It also serves as a specialization in microbiology for students in medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry, as well as for engineering students at schools specializing in biological sciences and agronomy (such as Montpellier SupAgro).
Mandatory Prerequisites
Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Bachelor's level
Recommended Prerequisites
A basic level of computer skills and English is recommended
And then
Continuing Education
Upon completion of the M2, students take the entrance exams for doctoral programs, notably GAIA, which oversees the master’s program, or may enter the corporate R&D sector; these career paths are made possible by the continuity between the two M1 tracks.
We encourage students interested in pursuing a career in entrepreneurship to enroll in the IMHE FdS/IAE dual-degree program in Management and Business Administration, which will be available starting in the 2021 academic year.
Students can continue their studies by enrolling in an M2 program in Bioinformatics or a MEEF master's program to prepare for teacher certification exams.
Continuing Your Education Abroad
Thanks to the network of international collaborations maintained by the Montpellier laboratories and the numerous ties between the Master’s program’s teaching teams and foreign laboratories, both M1 and M2 internships can be completed abroad (primarily in Europe and North America, but also in Asia, Africa, and Latin America). This provides students with the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. at the host laboratory where they completed their internship or to join international Ph.D. programs. This opportunity is not limited to students completing their Master’s internship abroad; it is also widely available to those completing their internships in Montpellier or at other research centers in France.
Transition Programs and Reorientation
Our M1 students may switch to the Master's in Biology and Health, in either the Infection Biology or IBIS tracks.
Employment Placement
The IMHE program offers students the opportunity to pursue a variety of career goals, with a high placement rate for students entering doctoral programs (40 to 50 percent, depending on the year) or securing professional opportunities in the private sector immediately upon graduation.
The careers that result from this program are:
- Faculty Member and Researcher
- Research and Development Engineer
- R&D executives in the fields of plant protection, agri-food, health, and microbial biotechnology
- Experts and Program Officers
- Teacher and Trainer
The fields of employment in microbiology are wide-ranging, covering health, agriculture, food, cosmetics, health and safety, the environment, biotechnology, and more...
Specific courses provide students with the foundational knowledge and essential tools they need to enter the workforce.