Paris, France
“HEC is one of the stricter schools on IEP’s roster but I think it helped keep my brain from turning into jelly. I learned how to become even more efficient in my work process because I wanted to spend all my free time exploring...Getting settled was a little frustrating at first, but studying at HEC gave you a good balance of work/play and community. It’s also close enough to Paris to make you still feel connected to civilization.”
Anonymous, Spring 2019
Founded in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, HEC is one of the oldest and most prestigious Business Colleges in Europe. HEC was created by business representatives to serve specific needs and to be continuously responsive to the evolving demand for highly trained managers and leaders. HEC is one of the leading institutions in the Europe, with a complete Business Management curriculum. The School offers a wide-range of business management programs.At present, there are 12 different programs, and seven (7) different international Centres of Higher Learning. They offer 5 distinct full-time MBA programs, 12 Full-time MA programs, 7 specific executive MA programs, a Grand Ecole MSc program and 2 Ph.D. programs in Business
Campus:
The University campus has over 20 buildings, and is located 20 miles outside of the Paris city centre.
Facilities and Housing:
The HEC campus has 2 soccer fields, I rugby field, 1 athletic track, and 1 sports hall (with tennis, basketball, hand-ball, volleyball, badminton and climbing wall.), as well as an arts center. There is 1 main library, and a multi-media resource center, with 60,000 volumes, and 736 journal titles on cd-rom. There is a trading room for students to track stock movements from all of the major worldwide markets. All IEP students have been guaranteed housing in one of the 10 on-campus residences. The students can choose either single or double accommodation, and may choose to have either a local roommate, or a roommate from the IEP program.
Students and Student organizations:
HEC has one of the most diverse and active student bodies in France. There are only 4000 students, attending HEC, of which over 60% are from Countries other than France. They admit 300 exchange students each term; there are over 120 student organizations and clubs, covering a range of areas and interests. There is a Student Centre on campus that helps oversee a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Curriculum:
The semester at HEC is 13 weeks in length, with a 2-week examination period. Courses meet for 3 hours each week, with some courses meeting for only 3-4 weeks, and others meeting 5 days in a week, and then no more during the semester. Students must enroll in 26-30 HEC (ECTS) units each semester. The number of units differ between classes, so the average student may enroll in 6-7 courses in order to meet the 30-unit minimum.
Sample Schedule:
Business Law
Hi-tech Entrepreneurship
Transatlantic Mergers and Acquisitions
International Business Transactions
French Management and Strategy
Emerging Countries and Capital Markets
Strategic Management of Innovation
Semester Dates:
Fall Semester: Early-September till Late-December
Spring Semester: Mid-February till Mid-June
Additional Resources
General University Information
HEC International Office (including Exchange Guidebook)