Master's Degree - Grande École Program | Curriculum
The 5-year Grande École Master's degree program prepares students for successful international management careers specialized in sales, marketing, and business development.
The ICD Business School degree, accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, and Research (MESR), confers the french "Grade de Master". The degree is registered with the french RNCP, no. 37714, level 7 (EU), NSF codes 310, 312, by decision of the french "France Compétences", dated 25 June 2021
Year 1
Discovering and understanding
The first year of the Grande École program at ICD Business School provides students with a solid understanding of the fundamentals of sales and marketing. In addition, they will study abroad, often for the first time, and complete a short-term company internship that will provide valuable exposure to the business world.
50 % of courses are taught in France - 50 % of courses are taught in England
Option: French-Chinese program - 8 to 10 hours of Chinese language classes per week
Semester 1
- Introducing students to the fundamentals of sales and marketing
- Understanding how business organisations interact with their broader environment
- Developing analytical and professional communication skills
Semester 2 (Immersion in English - Coventry University)
- Developing language and intercultural communication skills
- Increasing knowledge and understanding of 1st semester courses through university classes taught in English
- 3 to 4-month internship in sales or marketing
Year 1 Courses
Sales and Marketing
- Introduction to Sales, Marketing, and Business Development
- Introduction to Economics
- Cross-cultural Consumer Behavior
- Effective Sales Techniques
- International Marketing
Management
- Organisation Studies
- Business Game
- Introduction to Business Law
- Effective Sales Techniques
- Leaders in Business
- Doing Business in Europe
Soft Skills
- Coaching
- Finding an Internship
- Digital Presentation Tools
- Sport and Group Dynamics
Year 2
Delving deeper and learning to analyze
In year 2 of the Grande École program, students continue to build on the knowledge and understanding acquired in the first year. They also acquire a global approach to the way business organizations operate, enabling them to develop key operational skills.
Semester 1: On-campus courses
Semester 2: Full English - 3 to 4-month internship sales or marketing
Option: French-Chinese program - 8 to 10 hours of Chinese language classes per week
Strong career focus
Students at ICD Business School have multiple opportunities to build solid business skills through case studies, company projects, and participation in the national negotiation competition organized by the ICD Business School's faculty.
This hands-on experience can then be further enhanced by a 3 to 4-month company internship.
Semesters 1 and 2
- Furthering knowledge and understanding of sales and marketing
- Developing a comprehensive approach to driving business success
- Applying classroom theory to the real world through projects and targeted events
- Building professional networking skills
- 3 to 4-month sales or marketing internship
Year 2 Courses
Sales and Marketing
- Strategic Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
- Digital Sales and Marketing
- Marketing Research
- Marketing Mix
- Sales Portfolio
Management
- Costs and Decision Making
- Commercial and Corporate Law
- Micro-economics
- Budget Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Digital Project Management
Soft Skills
- Public Speaking and Persuasion (Public Speaking Competition)
- Career Coaching
- Developing a Professional Network
- Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Multimedia
- Sport and Group Dynamics
Year 3
Growing as a professional in an international context
The third year opens students up to the world and includes a study-abroad semester or a full year in a dual degree program with a foreign partner university. Experiencing new cultures and opportunities for international internships can provide valuable new perspectives on sales and marketing practices.
Choice from
Semester 1: Full English
Semester 2: Study-abroad semester at one of our 80 partner universities worldwide
or
Semesters 1 and 2: Classes at one of our 80 partner universities, including certain dual degrees
Option: French-Chinese program - 1 year of study in China
Stimulating negotiation competitions, known as "Les Négostars" in Toulouse or "Les Négociales" in Paris, or international business projects organized by ICD faculty are opportunities to assess not only students' improved skills and knowledge, but also their ability to think strategically and innovate.
This third year is also an opportunity to reinforce student interest in inter-cultural and business exchange:
- by completing the second semester at one of ICD's more than 80 partner universities
- or by spending a full year in a dual-degree program (additional fees €2,500.00)
- or, for those students who have opted for the French-Chinese program, by spending the whole year at a university in China
Year 3 Courses
Sales and Marketing
- Communication Strategies
- Managing Customer Relations
- Procurement
Management
- Human Resource Management and Labor Law
- Issues in Management
- Corporate Strategy and Governance
Soft Skills
- Management Skills
- Microsoft Office
- Excel for Business
- Career Coaching
Master's degree in International Business Development
Year 4
Taking risks and taking action
The first year of the Master's program offers two tracks: the Work-Study track and the International track.
Work-Study track
Choice of one of the following 6 majors:
- International Business Development (Paris and Toulouse)
- Responsible Trade and Customer Experience Management (Paris and Toulouse)
- Digital Marketing (Paris and Toulouse)
- Procurement (Paris)
- Luxury Marketing (Toulouse)
- Customer Relations Management in Banking (Paris)
Work-Study schedule:
- Paris: 3 days of classes every two weeks; detailed schedule available upon request
- Toulouse: 8 days of classes per month
International track
Semesters 1 and 2: Classes on campus (International Business Development major)
or
French-Chinese Program - A year of study in Shanghai, continuing from the third year
The entire year is spent in China at a partner university, providing students with an exceptional opportunity to develop business expertise specific to Europe-Asia trade.
Year 4 Courses
6 majors
Development
International Business Development
Career opportunities: Export Area Manager, International Procurement Manager, International Business Developer, Executive Director of MNCs (Multinational Corporations), Worlwide Sales Representative
Trade
Responsible Trade and Customer Experience Management
Career opportunities: Sales Network Manager, E-business Project Manager, Sales Director, Customer Relations Manager, E-commerce Account Manager, Customer Development and Loyalty Manager, Branch Manager
Marketing
Digital Marketing
Career opportunities: Founded of a Start-up or Innovative Company, Innovative Project Developer, Innovative Project Manager, Innovative Product Manager, Marketing Director, Brand Manager, Strategic Innovation Planner
Procurement
Procurement
Career opportunities: Purchasing Manager, Logistics Project Manager, Logistics Flow Manager, Export Area Manager, Procurement Sourcing Manager, Supply Chain Manager
Luxury
Luxury Marketing
Career opportunities: Brand Manager, On-line Marketing Manager, Strategic Planner, Community Manager, Web Marketing Manager, Marketing Consultant, Web Project Manager, Personal Shopper, Marketing R&D Manager
Banking
Customer Relations Management IN Banking
Career opportunities: Commercial Banking Advisor, Branch Manager, Key Account Manager, Marketing Manager, Point of Sale Manager, Retail Outlet manager
Learn more about available majors
Minors
Cultural Heritage and the Arts (1 year)
Available in French
Entrepreneurship (1 year)
Available in French
Entrepreneurship and Innovation (1 year)
Available in English
- Master 1 or Master 2: Developing a business Plan for a Real or Fictional Company
Luxury and Marketing (1 year)
Available in English
Arts and Culture
Available in French
Food Change (1 year)
Available in French
- Master 1 or Master 2: Designing the Future of the Food Industry
Ethical Finance (1 year)
Available in French
Business in Africa (1 year)
Available in English
Artificial Intelligence (2 years)
Available in French
- Master 1: Designing an Artificial Intelligence Project
- Master 2: Programming Artificial Intelligence
Fintech
Business in Asia (1 year)
Available in English
Learn more about available minors
Cross-disciplinary courses
- Performance Management and Dashboards
- Rethinking Business Models
- Business Plans
- E-commerce
- Digital Marketing and Communication
- Management of Information Systems
- Business Negotiations in English
- Foreign Language 2 (Spanish, German, or Chinese)
Career support and exploration
- Job Fairs
- Digital Convergence Master Class
- Conferences with Business Leaders
Year 5
Managing and deciding
Tomorrow's managers must possess not only expert technical knowledge in their field, but also an ability to identify and measure the impact of the current issues facing a company. The 5th and final year of the Grande École Program focuses on maximizing student employability and ensuring successful transition into the workplace after graduation.
Students follow course modules taught by ICD Business School faculty and business professionals who are experts in marketing, customer relations, and other related fields (data analysis, digital communication, etc.). Management disciplines such as human resources management and corporate financial management are also included in the curriculum. Students acquire the operational business skills, as well as the cross-disciplinary and critical thinking skills that managers need today. Upon graduation, they will be well prepared to take on any number of high-level roles in the business context of their choice and in any type of company.
Work-Study track
The 5th year courses allow students to gain in-depth knowledge of the major they chose in their 4th year:
- International Business Development (Paris and Toulouse)
- Responsible Trade and Customer Experience Management (Paris and Toulouse)
- Digital Marketing (Paris and Toulouse)
- Procurement (Paris)
- Luxury Marketing (Toulouse)
- Customer Relations Management in Banking (Paris)
International track
Students have the option of studying for a dual degree at one of our international partner universities (additional fees of €3,500.00).
Not available to 5th year transfer students or 4th year dual degree students.
Work-study schedule:
- Paris: 3 days of classes every two weeks; detailed schedule available upon request
- Toulouse: Toulouse: 8 days of classes per month
Year 5 Course structure
6 majors
Development
International Business Development
Career opportunities: Export Area Manager, International Procurement Manager, International Business Developer, Executive Director of MNCs (Multinational Corporations), Worlwide Sales Representative
Trade
Responsible Trade and Customer Experience Management
Career opportunities: Sales Network Manager, E-business Project Manager, Sales Director, Customer Relations Manager, E-commerce Account Manager, Customer Development and Loyalty Manager, Branch Manager
Marketing
Digital Marketing
Career opportunities: Founder of a Start-up or Innovative Company, Innovative Project Developer, Innovative Project Manager, Innovative Product Manager, Marketing Director, Brand Manager, Strategic Innovation Planner
Procurement
Procurement
Career opportunities: Purchasing Manager, Logistics Project Manager, Logistics Flow Manager, Export Area Manager, Procurement Sourcing Manager, Supply Chain Manager
Luxury
Luxury Marketing
Career opportunities: Brand Manager, On-line Marketing Manager, Strategic Planner, Community Manager, Web Marketing Manager, Marketing Consultant, Web Project Manager, Personal Shopper, Marketing R&D Manager
Banking
Customer Relations Management in Banking
Career opportunities: Commercial Banking Advisor, Branch Manager, Key Account Manager, Marketing Manager, Point of Sale Manager, Retail Outlet Manager
Learn more about available majors
Minors
Cultural Heritage and the Arts (1 year)
Available in French
Entrepreneurship (1 year)
Available in French
Entrepreneurship and Innovation (1 year)
Available in English
- Master 1 or Master 2: Developing a business Plan for a Real or Fictional Company
Luxury and Marketing (1 year)
Available in English
Arts and Culture
Available in French
Food Change (1 year)
Available in French
- Master 1 or Master 2: Designing the Future of the Food Industry
Ethical Finance (1 year)
Available in French
Business in Africa (1 year)
Available in English
Artificial Intelligence (2 years)
Available in French
- Master 1: Designing an Artificial Intelligence Project
- Master 2: Programming Artificial Intelligence
Fintech
Business in Asia (1 year)
Available in English
Grande École Program at a glance
5-year Master's degree program directly after high school
1 to 2 years of study abroad experience
8 international dual degrees
More than 80 partner universities around the world
20 to 30 months of business experience
More than 500 work-study students every year
89.6 % of graduates find full time employment in their fields within 6 months of graduation*
100 % of employed graduates found full time employment in their field within 6 months of graduation
* Source: Conférence des Grandes Écoles 2024 Survey; Grande École Program Class of 2023
International orientation seminar
To help our 1st year students settle in and adjust to the strong international focus of ICD's approach to learning, the program begins with an optional 2-week long international orientation seminar.
Subsidized by our partner companies, this seminar allows students to discover a new way of life while experiencing first-hand the unique culture of an economically strong, foreign country.
The program includes lectures, conferences, meetings with business leaders, cultural visits, and excursions, all designed to encourage the group members to learn more about one another and start building a team dynamic.
"I chose ICD Business School for the international aspects of its programs. My first experiences abroad, in Tokyo and then in Dublin, were really rewarding from both a personal and a professional perspective. I learned to become more independent and developed an ability to adapt to life in a foreign city, where the language and culture were so different. I was able to find a student job in Ireland, which was a great way for me to meet new people, improve my English language skills, discover a different approach to management, and earn some money. And last, but not least, the end-of-year internship was a great way to get more work experience. For me, ICD offers students a solid, all-round business education with close links to companies and a strong international focus!"
Marie-Amélie
Year 2 student, Grande École Program