CPES for Louis-le-Grand High School and University PSL is offered for the first time at Parcoursup. This two-year course will interest graduates who are attracted to the humanities.
Lycée Louis-le-Grand opens a new course. An extremely rare occurrence for this historic establishment on Mount Sainte-Geneviève. The Collegium Ludovici Magni or “College of Louis-le-Grand”, named in honor of the Sun King, will welcome from the beginning of the academic year 2023 a class of CPES (Postgraduate Interdisciplinary Course) in partnership with the PSL University (Paris Sciences and Letters) which brings together prestigious institutions such as the Dauphine, ENS Ulm, Mines and Ecole des Chartes.
Steady pace of work
On this three-year course, which aims to be the best in the preparatory and university class, students will study mathematics and humanities on equal terms. “This training will make it possible to meet new challenges related to the explosion of data in the field of culture, artificial intelligence, automatic language processing, and big data”, sums up Coralie Chevalier, Vice President of Coaching at PSL. As in preparation, the pace will be maintained with great supervision and control, and numbers will be limited (a class of only 40 students). Classes in the first year will be held at Lycée Louis-le-Grand with courses in Data Science and Arts and Culture. In the second and third year, they will continue their courses at the Jordan Campus of ENS and at other PSL institutions, depending on the chosen major: Data Science and Cultural Science or Data Science, Economics and Social Science.
“CPES is not a competitor but a supplement to prep materials”Joel Bianco, Principal of Louis Le Grand High School
CPES is already offered in about twenty institutions in France. Its neighbor, Lycée Henri-IV, pioneered the CPES created in partnership with PSL University in 2012. At the time Lycée Louis-le-Grand was not a stakeholder, but shortly after I took over PSL offered to develop a joint venture, which I decided to start. I find it stimulating to develop new line-ups and look for other fans. In a high school like Louis-le-Grand, you can buy something new without destabilizing the whole. This does not mean that we doubt the preparations”commented Joël Bianco, principal of the Lycée Louis-le-Grand since the beginning of the 2020 academic year. When asked if this signaled the end of the lower secondary classes, he replied immediately: “No way. Naturally, the CPES exam raises concerns, and some wonder if it will not jeopardize prep classes. But we have to reassure them. CPES is not simultaneous but complementary to prepas components.”
How will CPES students be selected from Lycée Louis-le-Grand?
The level required will not be the same to integrate a preparatory class at Louis-le-Grand, because the idea is not to prepare students for competitions, but rather for admission to the file. The jury that will screen the applications will first consider the academic record and cover letter. “Students will have to show in their cover letter that they are interested in culture in the broadest sense, and it can also be manga, and we don’t want to be left out.” says Coralie Chevalier. Finally, priority will be given to Crous Scholarship students, since CPES aims to accommodate 40% of scholarship holders. “We will go to secondary schools to better introduce ourselves to future students.”Joel Bianco explains. Indeed, despite its progress, CPES still lacks fame. However, the ports are interesting, insists Coralie Chevalier. After CPES PSL students can for example apply on file to ENS – PSL ».