HEC is partnering with Sciences Po, the prestigious Parisian school of political science, to offer a double degree in management science and public administration. The three-year degree will welcome its first students in September 2008.

The course will provide participants with vital insights into the nexus between market economics and public sector politics. Students will follow courses at HEC and at Sciences Po, spending a year on each campus with teaching provided jointly by both faculties. During a third year, students will complete two internships: one in the public sector and the other in industry.

The perfect dovetail
In the past, talented students wishing to gain qualifications in socio-political sciences and economics from these schools have had to follow two consecutive courses, studying for up to five years to gain complementary qualifications. This new degree blends and links key elements from both subject areas to provide students with a coherent vision of the field in just three years. "Our aim is to equip students with the tools to understand and respond to the challenges which pervade both business and politics," says Bernard Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC. "Contemporary issues of globalization, economic and financial regulation, the performance of public bodies and institutions, sustainability and corporate responsibility are not exclusive to one domain." As Richard Descoings, Director of Sciences Po, notes, "By leveraging the complementary teaching curricula of HEC and Sciences Po, we have an opportunity to further enrich the experience of our students."

The course will prove invaluable to graduates entering a wide range of professions. "HEC has a long-standing tradition of encouraging its students to consider tensions between individual gains and collective benefits, between industrial success and social impacts," says Professor Hervé Crès, Associate Dean, HEC MSc in Management. "Our collaboration with Sciences Po fits perfectly within this tradition. Whether graduates go on to work in industry or the political sphere, they will begin their careers with a unique perspective on economic, financial and social issues."

HEC has also established a portfolio of joint diplomas and double degrees with prestigious schools such as the London School of Economics, New York University and Tsinghua University. "Our association with Sciences Po extends our collaborative links with leading institutions from across Europe and beyond," says Mr. Ramanantsoa. "International and inter-disciplinary exposure is vital to our students' education. This new degree will reinforce our efforts in this domain."