Poitiers campus

The Latin America-Caribbean 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 Latin America, from a comparative perspective in relation to the European Union and the Iberian Peninsular.

The programme is taught mainly in French, with some courses in English and Spanish. Students explore Latin America's history and contemporary questions such as democratic issues, how economies are integrating into the globalised economy, urban development, and regional and continental integration.

The Poitiers Campus curriculum is constantly being developed to cohere as closely as possible with contemporary problems and transnational issues. Pedagogic innovation is a priority for the campus, which has designed several new course formats (e.g. the Globe Courses series taught in conjunction with lecturers at universities abroad) and regularly introduces new programmes (including the Sea and Ocean Certificate).

Students can also study the two main languages of the geographic area: Spanish and Portuguese.

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A unique experience in an international environment

The Poitiers campus has about 260 students, 30% of whom are international students, mainly from Latin America and Spain. 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 year. Students are able to initiate and take part in debates, conferences, study trips, and sports and cultural events, giving them a strong sense of empowerment. 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 Le Havre campus enjoy very close attention from the faculty for both their studies and extra-curricular activities.

Poitiers, a university town in a medieval setting

The campus, housed in an exceptional building of the eighteenth century, is located in the heart of the city centre with its pedestrian streets and its masterpieces of Romanesque art. It has been renovated and equipped with state of the art facilities and offers spaces suitable for all uses (cafeteria, video studio, music room, coworking space, etc.). It is accessible on foot or by bike, close to housing, cultural and sports centres.

Just an hour and fifteen minutes from Paris by high-speed train, Poitiers is city with an exceptional Gallo-Roman heritage, reflected by a number of historical monuments (including the oldest baptistery in Europe). The city was home to Eleanor of Aquitaine and bears the memory of other illustrious figures, such as Clovis or Joan of Arc. Development of one of the oldest universities in Europe (founded in 1431) has made Poitiers an important university town in France (Pierre de Ronsard, René Descartes and Michel Foucault studied there), with a student population that makes up a quarter of the total population.

Poitiers has a national theatre (Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers (FR)) and hosts some major international cultural events (the Poitiers Film Festival, Filmer le travail, Festival A Corps and the Hispano-American Film Festival). A youth-friendly cultural policy facilitates students' access to arts and culture venues in the city.

Practical information