A combination of transverse Major / scientific Major
The third year combines a transverse and scientific Majors. This combination aims to match the training profiles required in high-tech industries where high level engineers need to combine both dedicated expertise and versatility.
It has become clear that specialisation needs a solid general scientific and technical common core but this can be enhanced by allowing the engineers concerned to move forward fast in terms of their chosen specialities and career paths.
Under this logic, the student chooses his courses neither from an a la carte menu that would make the acquisition of expertise difficult through lack of the basic pre-requirements for a course nor within the framework of an exclusive specialisation. Rather the student builds a coherent internship with a professional project in view. The transverse and scientific Major architecture allows for a greater variety of paths than a tree-structure architecture that would end in disciplinary separation.
Obviously, some courses are used more than others and it is the Institute’s responsibility to foster positive career outcomes for the students by placing emphasis on such courses as the students find their way forward. Almost no choice is prohibited ex ante, with some being seen to be a more natural (or more conventional) choice, while others need to be explained by the student candidate to be validated.
Additional programs
For students in all specialities, the third year also includes courses in English and another modern language, three series of courses and seminars covering economics and management in an international context, and a cycle of lectures.
Final Project (Master's Thesis)
Studies are rounded off by an industrialinternship lasting at least three months and at most six months and the Final Project (Master's Thesis) [FPT]. This project is generally conducted in an industrial environment. Each FPT internship is monitored by a internship supervisor in the host company or laboratory as also by an academic supervisor at ISAE/SUPAERO. The internship is terminated by the write-up of a report and a defence (viva voce) before a commission. Defences relating to the same disciplinary areas are, in so far as is possible, grouped together in sessions (end of August – beginning of September).
For students who follow a second year of a Research Master in parallel with the third year, the Final Project is generally merged into the internship for the Master’s degree.
Engineers working in weaponry (whether coming from the Ecole Polytechnique or not) following their program with ISAE/SUPAERO conduct a nine month long FPT.
DESIA
After selection and in parallel of their engineering course, third year SUPAERO students also have the opportunity to follow DESIA (Diplôme d’Études Supérieures en Ingénierie des Affaires) training. DESIA is an institutional diploma specific to the ISAE.