Menton campus

The Mediterranean-Middle East Minor

In conjunction with the multidisciplinary programme in the social sciences common to the entire Undergraduate College, students have the opportunity to focus on the geopolitical, economic and social issues of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Gulf countries.

The programme is offered in both English and French and allows students to exchange viewpoints and refine their thinking on this region of the world.

They study contemporary political, economic and social issues affecting countries in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Gulf from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective, giving them a more contextualised understanding of current affairs in the region. Finally, they work to envision the future of the region, by paying particular attention to evolving contexts in Mediterranean Europe, the Arab world, Turkey, Israel and Iran.

Courses offered on the Menton Campus include: “Political Transition and Violence in the Mediterranean”, “Contemporary Berber Worlds”, “The Arab Spring: Contestation, Revolution, Civil War”; “Women and Literature in the Mediterranean”, etc.

In perfect complement to the programme, several of the region’s languages are taught, including Arabic, Turkish, Italian, Spanish, Persian and Hebrew, as is French as a Foreign Language for students that do not have a B1-equivalent level in French.

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A unique experience in an international environment

The Menton campus accommodates more than 350 students, over 65 percent of whom are from outside France. This cultural diversity makes the first two years on campus an international experience in itself, which is capped off with the third year abroad studying at one of Sciences Po's 480 partner universities or with a dual degree.

Campus life is also kept vibrant by the vast range of clubs and associations on offer and many events throughout the yeaar. Students are empowered by initiating and taking part in debates, conferences, sporting and cultural events, etc. They are also encouraged to get involved in initiatives focused on the local community and citizen engagement.

Thanks to the small class sizes, students on the campus enjoy very close attention from the faculty for both their studies and extra-curricular activities.

Menton, a seaside town on the French Riviera

Located on the French Riviera, bordering Italy and the Principality of Monaco, Menton is a seaside resort that enjoys a Mediterranean climate: lemons—the "golden fruit" that serves as the town symbol—and olives have been lovingly cultivated there for five centuries. The town's cultural life draws on various influences: painting and poetry took root there thanks to Jean Cocteau, to whom a museum (FR) designed by Mediterranean architect Rudy Ricciottiis dedicated; and music is showcased there during the classical music festival (FR), the oldest in France after the one in Aix en Provence. The starting point for hikes in the high country, Menton also offers students the possibility of a number of water and outdoor sports activities.

Set in the heart of the old town, in a historic nineteenth-century Italian-inspired building facing the Mediterranean, the Menton campus provides an exceptional setting for personal and intellectual fulfillment.

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