MS Degree
objectives
The goal of the MS Bachelor’s Degree is to train professionals in the management and organization of physical and sports activities for all types of participants (children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and even people with disabilities) and across various sports-related sectors, three of which are of particular focus: sports associations(sports federations, leagues, clubs…), public agencies (local governments), and private organizations involved in sports and event management.
OVERVIEW
The MS Bachelor’s Degree is an interdisciplinary program. On the one hand, it combines courses in science, sports, and management; on the other hand, within these areas, it covers the full range of management sciences (as well as economic and legal skills). It prioritizes career readiness by placing a strong emphasis on internships (offered every semester). It ensures student success, notably through a tutoring program. It incorporates the use of modern languages into the curriculum each year. Some members of its teaching staff promote TOEIC certification through a complementary university diploma (DU). A link to research training is established through an introduction to epistemology. Since the 2024–25 academic year, courses on ecological transition have been incorporated into the curriculum.
TRAINING STRUCTURE
The MS Bachelor’s degree program is structured in a funnel-like format: only the core curriculum is offered in the first year (L1); a management specialization begins in the second year (L2) and expands in the third year (L3), eventually accounting for the majority of the curriculum compared to the core curriculum during that final year. Two tracks (to choose from) are offered to third-year MS students: Business and Recreational Sports on the one hand, and Local Public Administration (shared with the ES Bachelor’s program) on the other.
RECRUITMENT
A significant proportion (between 15 and 25 percent, depending on the year) of students in the Bachelor’s in Sports Science (MS) program do not enroll in the first year (L1) of the STAPS program at Montpellier but instead enter the program directly in the second (L2) or third (L3) year of the MS program. These students primarily come from either other STAPS departments (whether or not they offer a management specialization), IUTs (GEA, Tech de Co), or the DEUST ACSS program, and, less commonly, from BTS programs, preparatory classes, or the Campus France program.
PROFESSIONALIZATION
The natural career path for students enrolled in the FPT track is to join the local civil service by passing an entrance exam for which the program prepares them (ETAPS, CTAPS). Students enrolled in the Business and Recreational Sports track, on the other hand, are preparing to manage sports facilities and/or infrastructure (whether for-profit or nonprofit). Their career paths are diverse: distribution, event management, fitness, sports recreation and tourism, administration within professional sports clubs, (digital) communication, marketing, and more. In recent years, a growing number of students entering the job market have chosen to broaden their horizons by joining organizations that are not necessarily part of the sports sector.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Students wishing to pursue a master’s degree have numerous opportunities to do so and are regularly admitted to a wide variety of master’s programs. Notable examples (based on the last 10 years) include, within our institution, the Master’s in Sports Tourism Management, as well as 8 master’s programs offered by MOMA and 4 by the IAE in Montpellier. In addition, many of our alumni have earned their Master’s degrees at one of the 21 leading French universities and/or IAE institutions outside of Montpellier. Finally, for the past 10 years or so, approximately 4 to 5 students each year have also continued their studies at an institution that is a member of the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles.