The LMD system aligns degree programs across participating European countries to ensure comparable academic standards and qualifications, thereby facilitating diploma recognition. It also aims to promote European cooperation and foster the mobility of students and faculty. To achieve this, France has adopted the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). One year of higher education corresponds to 60 credits, representing between 1,500 and 1,800 hours of student workload. Each credit therefore reflects around 25 to 30 hours of student work. Credits are awarded once the assessment requirements defined by the specific rules of each program are met. Each cycle is defined by the number of credits required and by the description of the learning outcomes and skills that graduates are expected to acquire.

The Master’s degree is a two-year program globally, typically aimed at deepening specialized knowledge and developing advanced skills following a Bachelor’s degree. In France, the Master’s program is split into two separate years:

• Master’s 1 (M1), or Year 1, is the first year, which often covers foundational advanced courses and broadens knowledge in the field of study.
• Master’s 2 (M2), or Year 2, is the second year, where students focus on more specialized or applied courses, often preparing for specific career paths or research.

This structure allows students in France to complete their Master’s studies progressively, with an option to exit after the first year (M1) or continue to complete the full Master’s degree (M2).