The French Bachelor: a new kid on the block
UK ENIC Research Manager Emma Kirby explores the French BUT, a new degree first awarded in 2024…
For as long as I can remember, the word Licence has been synonymous with ‘undergraduate degree’ in France.
Bachelor degrees were also offered – and could be granted equivalence to the Licence through a so-called visa. But a Bachelor degree was not, in and of itself, a French degree.
Except these days it is. At least it is if the award in question is a Bachelor universitaire de technologie (or BUT for short).
First awarded in 2024, the BUT is now a national diploma aligned to the same level as the Licence on the French qualifications framework. As such, UK ENIC compares the French BUT to UK Bachelor (Honours) [login is required for this link].
So, what distinguishes the BUT from other undergraduate degrees?
BUT programmes are professionally orientated and specific to higher technical institutions known as IUTs. As courses are designed to marry theory and practice, award holders should be prepared for both the labour market and postgraduate study.
Unlike the vocational degrees of yesteryear, however, BUTs are three years post-secondary.
Students will usually therefore have enrolled on BUT programmes straight from school.
The same reform that spawned the BUT also brought about changes to a veteran of the French post-secondary landscape: the Diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT).
Historically, a stand-alone qualification, DUTs issued from 2023 onwards indicate that a student successfully completed the first two years of a BUT programme.
UK ENIC continues to compare the DUT to a UK Foundation degree/HND.
French BUT: at a glance
- Professionally orientated undergraduate degree
- Typically three years post-secondary
- Offered by IUTs
- Gives access to the labour market and postgraduate study