Team projects
Why a team project?
The team project is an introductory project management module open to first-year Master’s students at Sciences Po.
It is practice-based and optional: students choose their project and commit to carrying it out for and with a partner.
The team project transforms the learning experience by having students work over a long period (about eight months) under conditions that simulate professional practice—a highly effective way to acquire the soft skills employers are looking for.
The teams are composed of three to five students who did not previously know each other, from different Master’s programmes and often from different countries, and who work together for the duration of the assignment. The approach is designed to immerse students in the realities of working life.
A tutor appointed by the partner organisation meets with the students once a month and guides them through the project. He or she provides a methodological framework, expert advice and technical support while leaving the group free to determine their own work methods.
Most students are highly satisfied with their project. It gives them hands-on experience in a professional environment and enhances both their CV and their network.
Partners appreciate our students’ academic competence and their ability to quickly take ownership of what are often complex topics. They appreciate the students’ multidisciplinary, international backgrounds and the outside perspective they bring to the partner’s activities.
Please consult the list of our ongoing team-projects.
Propose a project
Partners
Do you need a fresh perspective on your organisation’s activities? If so, it’s time to do a team project with Sciences Po.
You will be put in touch with well-trained French and international students who want to discover your sector and tackle a professional challenge.
To propose a project, simply complete and return the online form.
If you have trouble formulating your proposal, you can check out the list of projects from previous years.
We receive more than a hundred proposals each year so it is up to you to make your project appealing!
Project proposals are reviewed between January and May. If your project is accepted, it will be posted with all the other projects at the start of July so students can peruse them over the summer.
Students make their choice at the end of August. If your project has been chosen, you will receive your team members’ CVs in mid-September.
Very soon after this, a kickoff meeting is held with the team projects coordinator, the tutor appointed by the partner and the team of students selected by Sciences Po.
The project can then get underway.
Students
A group of at least three students may also propose a project, which will be submitted for review and approval by the team project coordinator.
You must have an institutional partner who will help you carry out your project.
To propose a project, simply complete and return the online form.
Apply
Who is eligible?
All first-year Master’s students. Students in their second Master’s year may only apply if they are present on campus all year.
The Urban School proposes its own projects. If you are from the Urban School and wish to apply for one of our projects, you will not be able to earn the credits.
When?
Consult the list of the projects.
Registrations will take place from 26th August 2019, 10:00am to 2nd September, 8:00am. The teams will be formed from 3rd September and you will receive an answer by email.
How?
Choose the team projects you would like to apply for. You may choose up to three in order of preference. Please complete the form.You need to use your Sciences Po email.
Please note: if you choose three projects, you may well be assigned your third choice, so don’t make any choices by default. But you do need to be realistic: we receive many applications (671 in 2018) and there are only four or five spots per project.
Once you have completed the form, you must send your CV and cover letter in a single document, saved under SURNAME_First name, to the following address: projets.collectifs@sciencespo.fr. Please use a standard format (PDF or word).
Take care over the presentation of your application. It will be sent to the partners.
- Your CV should be one page only and up to date. We receive many CVs that do not include the current year! So we do not know in which master you are!
- Your cover letter should also be no longer that one page.
- If you are applying for more than one project, write a single cover letter with one paragraph per project. In this case, the letter may exceed one page.
- If you are applying for a project in English and a project in French, write a single letter with a paragraph per project in the corresponding language. Attach a CV in French and a CV in English.
Your application will be complete only once you have filled out the form and sent your CV and cover letter.
If the project is proposed in French, it means that an excellent command of French is required.
Take your time making your choice. We only examine the applications once the procedure is closed.
Practical details
The project is annual: it starts in September / October and ends in April / May.
The coordinator will remind you of the project framework at the kickoff meeting, but you will also find all the information you need in our “Team Projects Guide” (PDF, 1.8 Mo).
You will meet your partner very soon after the team is formed. It’s preferable to get an early start because time is limited. You will need to meet with your team once a week.
The keys to a successful project are organisation, time management, teamwork and a good relationship with the partner.
There are many tools at your disposal (detailed in the guide) and the team project advisors are available throughout the year to help you and answer your questions.
At the start of the year, for instance, you can take introduction to project management workshops led by Enactus:
- Project management, in English (PDF, 2.71 Mo) or in French (PDF, 2.99 Mo)
- Fundraising (PDF in French, 3.29 Mo)
The project must be validated by the partner and the team projects coordinator for successful completion of the module and award of the six ECTS credits.
