Sciences Po’s eight schools welcome graduate students from all over the world. Our graduate programmes provide students with both an in-depth academic background in the social sciences and hands-on experience of the professional field they aim to work in.

Discover the School of Research

At the heart of knowledge creation and dissemination, The School of Research, one of Sciences Po’s eight graduate schools, brings together all Sciences Po’s research degrees under one roof. We offer Master’s and PhD programmes that equip students with the concepts, analytical techniques, and methods of social science research. Underpinned by a faculty of 200 academics with highly international backgrounds, our programmes are structured around Sciences Po’s five main disciplines: law, economics, history, political science, and sociology.

Discover our project.

The School of Research Master's Programme

The School of Research Master’s programme is structured around four central academic disciplines that form the core of Sciences Po's intellectual scope: economics, history, political science and sociology.

Master's degree in Economics

The Master's degree in Economics, taught entirely in English, provides a solid technical grounding in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, supplemented in the second year by specialisation courses and a supervised research dissertation. It is the only Master's programme at Sciences Po that provides access to a PhD in Economics and also prepares students for careers requiring strong quantitative skills, particularly in international organisations, think tanks and consulting.

Learn more about the Master's degree in Economics.

Master's degree in History

The Master's degree in History offers seminars, workshops and tutorials, enabling students to specialise in a field of research in contemporary history and gradually build their dissertation in close collaboration with the teaching team. The programme is aimed at students pursuing careers in teaching and research, as well as those moving into other sectors: the civil service, heritage, libraries and archives, the private sector, particularly the cultural and audiovisual industries, publishing, the press, the media and associations.

Learn more about the Master's degree in History.

Master’s degree in Political Science

The Master's degree in Political Science offers excellent theoretical and methodological training, provided by an internationally renowned teaching staff. Primarily intended for students wishing to pursue a career in research and teaching, it also paves the way for careers as experts in international organisations, the civil service or diplomacy. The two-year programme combines fundamental teaching with specialised courses depending on the chosen major (Comparative Politics, Public Policy, International Relations and Political Theory, Political Behaviour, or a general track in English) and concludes with the writing of a research dissertation demonstrating mastery of the tools and approaches specific to the discipline.

Learn more about the Master’s degree in Political Science.

Master's degree in Sociology

The Master's degree in Sociology trains students in research methods and rigorous analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, with early immersion in field research. The two-year programme, taught in French and English, culminates in a supervised dissertation that reflects the diversity of the methods and topics taught. This programme prepares students for both doctoral studies and careers in national and international organisations, consulting, and research institutes.

Learn more about the Master's degree in Sociology.

The master's dual degree programmes

Dual Degree in Economics and Quantitative Economics with Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne. 

Dual degree in Economics and Quantitative Economics. This programme, taught entirely in English, combines applied economics, mathematics and social sciences, with the possibility of an internship and writing a dissertation in the final year. The first year takes place within the framework of the Paris 1 Master's degree Erasmus Mundus Models and Methods of Quantitative Economics. The second year is spent at Sciences Po, within the Master's degree in Economics. The programme leads to opportunities in doctoral studies, statistical engineering, actuarial science, banking, finance, insurance and consulting.

Find out more about the programme and its specific admission requirements.

Sciences Po - École du Louvre

This programme combines the complementary expertise of both institutions: Sciences Po's training in humanities and social sciences and the École du Louvre's training in art history and museology.

Learn more about the programme and its specific admission requirements (in French).

Sciences Po - King’s College London

Double degree in Global & International History. This programme enables students to acquire a solid knowledge of global/international history, combining theory, methodology, historiography and research methods. The first year is spent at Sciences Po, and the second at King's College. As part of this programme, students will also be able to benefit from the opportunities, networks and services offered by both institutions on either side of the Channel.

Learn more about the programme and its specific admission requirements.

The School of Research Phds

The School of Research offers five doctoral programmes in law, economics, history, political science and sociology. PhD students benefit from support from internationally renowned thesis supervisors and personalised guidance within Sciences Po's research centres. PhD graduates are also prepared for entry into the job market.

Doctorate in Law

The Doctorate in Law is aimed at students who wish to make a significant theoretical contribution to the understanding of legal phenomena, with an open approach to multidisciplinary approaches and the diversity of legal cultures. Welcomed into the School of Law's doctoral programme and integrated into its Research Centre, doctoral students follow a three-year course: development of a research project, a period abroad, then writing of the thesis and teaching. They participate in the academic life of the School and must fulfil certain academic obligations, including a preliminary defence before the final defence.

Find out more about the Doctorate in Law

Doctorate in Economics

The doctoral programme in economics trains outstanding economists for academic careers in France and abroad, as well as for professions requiring a first-rate doctoral education. Doctoral students in economics at Sciences Po are integrated into the economics department, where they benefit from individual supervision and complete immersion in academic life. They regularly participate in seminars, meet with visiting researchers, present their work and take part in group activities such as presentation days and reading groups. Doctoral students actively participate in academic life and may teach. The thesis is based on a series of articles, including a central piece of work that prepares students for entry into the international academic market.

Find out more about the Doctorate in Economics

Doctorate in History

The Doctorate in History offers excellent theoretical and methodological training (image analysis, oral history, archives) in contemporary history. The Doctorate in History programme is based on the continuous involvement of doctoral students in the research and training activities of the History Centre: participation in the compulsory doctoral seminar, the monthly general seminar and the Centre's thematic seminars, as well as the organisation of scientific events and specific activities such as conferences and doctoral workshops.

Find out more about the Doctorate in History

Doctorate in Political Science

The Doctorate in Political Science allows students to develop strong research and critical analysis skills in one of three areas: Comparative Politics, International Relations or Political Theory. Doctoral students in Political Science are affiliated with one of the research centres in the field (CEE, CERI or CEVIPOF) and may be asked to teach. In their first year, they follow a structured programme comprising two compulsory seminars—one at their centre and one at the School of Research—as well as an optional seminar of at least 15 hours.

Learn more about the Doctorate in Political Science

Doctorate in Sociology

The Doctorate in Sociology covers a broad disciplinary field ranging from the sociology of organisations and social change to the study of inequalities, cities, schools and culture. The programme is taught at one of the department's research centres (CRIS, CSO, CEE or Médialab), each of which offers a doctoral programme structured around seminars, workshops and training courses. Doctoral students receive group support in addition to their thesis supervision and are required to present their work each year.

Learn more about the Doctorate in Sociology

Where do our alumni work?

As a centre of teaching through and for research, the School of Research also provides extensive opportunities for its students to develop concrete practical skills. It promotes its graduates to recruiters of various professions across the public and the private sector.

Career opportunities by sector