Programme structure - Master Governing the Large Metropolis
Semester 1 at Sciences Po (September - December)
The first semester is organized around high level academic classes to provide analytical skills and a solid background in issues of public policy, political economy, governance, and urban sociology in the context of the large metropolis. Quantitative and qualitative methods for applied urban research are provided, as well as GIS (Geographic Information Systems).
Semester 2 at Sciences Po (January - mid-June)
The second semester will start with the study trip (compulsory) and a pre-week aiming at working on the study trip report, at providing the students with basics of urban economics, as well as management tools for capstone team work. During the S2, students start their specialisation choosing to study metropolitan governance in specific regions of the world. Comparative Law and Urban and Regional Economics constitute the main disciplinary lectures.
In their classes students are supported for academic writing and encouraged to present and discuss their draft. Students wishing to engage in the entrepreneurial track or in the research track start dedicated courses.
A Gap year between the first and the second year is possible, submitted to the approval of the GLM academic advisor, when related to a professional project and working experience, coherent with the GLM scope.
Semester 3 at Sciences Po (September - December)
The third semester aims at providing students with management and policy skills, operational tools and procedures in professional environments. In this semester, GLM offers a deep policy specialization and students may choose one of our 4 clusters of specialisation:
Governance & planning
With courses on Mobility Issues in Large Metropolis, Planning in the Large Metropolis; and workshops on Governance of Large-Scale Project Implementation, The Dynamics of Criminal Governance, Integrating heritage into urban planning, Ecological Challenges and Communication Strategies in the Metropolis, Integrated Urban Development and Planning.
Social policies
With courses on Migration Issues in Large Metropolis, Cultural Policies, Housing and Land Regulation in Large Metropolis; and workshops on Feeding the Metropolis (Logistics and Policy Instruments), Dealing with Poverty in Large Metropolis, Policy-Making towards Migrants in Large Metropolis, Implementing Housing Policies, Making an Urban Project.
Quantitative methods for metropolitan governance
With courses on Policy Evaluation: ex ante, ex post; by indicators or randomized?, Computational Methods and Data Science for Urban Governance; and workshops on Advanced Quantitative Methods for Ecological Analysis, Open Data: Data Management and Analysis, Harnessing the Power of Technologies-Smart City, Start up the city.
Utilities and infrastractures
With courses on The Political Economy of Urban Utilities in the Global South: markets, regulations and providers, The Geography of Urban Infrastructure: Water, Sewage, Waste, Energy & Urbanisation; and workshops on Extending basic services in unplanned settlements, Access to Services for All in Large Metropolis, Ecological Challenges and Communication Strategies in the Metropolis, Comparative Approach to Financing Metropolitan Development, Urban management & Public Private Partnerships.
Each cluster is constituted by lectures by our faculty and workshop by professionals coming from many different Countries. Choosing a cluster is suggested to better specialise. They are not compulsory, and students may find their own courses and workshops combination.
Semester 4 : Out
Consult the programme for semester 4.
Students enrolled in the core professional track have to do an internship (not less than 14 weeks). Student are encouraged to be very pro-active in looking for the internship that better fits with their professional project. A method for seeking an internship is developed in special meetings during the second and the third semesters.
Students doing an internship have to write an Internship Report, concerning their mission, task and learning. This report will be read and evaluated by a GLM academic tutor. Students have also the possibility to write a Professional Dissertation instead of an internship report. It is a well researched academic paper around a policy issue related to the content of the internship, evaluated by an academic committee of 4 GLM teachers, coordinated by prof. Charlotte Halpern (Sciences Po, CEE). The professional dissertation is written under the individual supervision of one of the GLM faculty. The experience has proved it to be really rewarding for the students, and some professional dissertations have been published. Dissertation are often required in the labour market.
Students may also choose to go for a semester exchange in partner universities: Hong Kong University, Politecnico di Milano, Renmin University of China, UCL Bartlett School of Planning, University of Amsterdam, Zhejiang University and UCLA (see below).
Students enrolled in the entrepreneurial track (see below) have to spend the whole semester in the Sciences Po incubator to develop their own business project and start creating their start up. They may attend special workshop and support on their business plan, organisation and marketing strategy. They still have to write a Business Report on the development of their business project.
Students enrolled in the research track (see below) have to spend the whole semester in a large metropolis (not in Europe!), doing fieldwork, and write a Research Dissertation by mid May. They may have a support by one of Sciences Po partner university, but work under the supervision of one GLM faculty, as decided by a joint commission of the Urban School and of the School of Research of Sciences Po.
Tracks (optional)
Research Track
Students who intend to do a PhD can begin a research track in sociology or political science since the second semester of the Master's programme (faculty in charge: Laurent Fourchard). The Research Track is organised in collaboration with the Sciences Po School of Research and open to every GLM student in the second semester, but then it is submitted to a selection process by a joint committee of the Urban School and the School of Research at the end of the second semester. The selection is not based on a closed number of places, but on the skills of the applicant. Student’s grades, motivation and a preliminary research proposal are taken into account.
Entrepreneurial Track
Students who intend to open their own start-up, or who want to acquire skills to work in a start-up, or who want to familiarize with open-management techniques for small-size enterprises on metropolitan topics can engage in the entrepreneurial track. It is organised in collaboration with the Sciences Po Entrepreneurial Center and open to every GLM student in the second semester, but then it is submitted to a selection process by a joint committee of the Urban School and the Entrepreneurial Center at the end of the second semester. Students may take specific courses in the second and third semesters and join the Sciences Po incubator to receive support on management, financing and marketing around a valuable business project.
Cities of Africa Track
Students who wish to specialise on Cities of Africa in the second semester can take specific courses on Governance and informal activities in Cities of Africa. They engage in a capstone on issues related to Cities of Africa and they spend the 3rd semester in an exchange with the IEP of Bordeaux. This French school is recognized internationally for its expertise on the African continent and offers special courses on economics, anthropology and political science applied vto African Cities. Finally, during the 4th semester, they do an internship in the African continent under the supervision of the GLM academic team (faculty in charge: prof. Laurent Fourchard).
Students Exchange Semester with UCLA
Students interested in topic related to governance & planning of large metropolis may enrol in a Students Exchange Semester with the Luskin School of Public Affairs, Department of Urban Planning, UCLA. Each year, during the third semester, the three GLM students going to UCLA will have classes at the Planning Department about urbanization, planning, globalization and regional development and quantitative analysis (faculty in charge: prof. Patrick Le Galès).
