Teaching method

The pedagogical approach of the program has been devised according to three main principles :
 
A pedagogy of interdisciplinarity  
The program opens students to the main theoretical angles of approach to the problems and practice of regional development. The group activities stimulate openness and interdisciplinary encounters. In the practical work, the need to communicate influences the formulation of syntheses revealing the complementarity of approaches.
 
A pedagogy of project work   
The program stresses the development of knowledge, interpersonal skills and the knowhow necessary to manage the processes of regional change in a complex decisional context. It is about being able to anticipate social evolutions and propose scenarios to which a global regional strategy can be related and on which specific operations can be founded : the (re)development of sites, the development of transport networks, design of new neighbourhoods etc.   

A pedagogy based on concrete regional experiences 
The program devotes much space to the critical analysis of experiences, in particular those of the participants. It is also based on the field work where real problems are encountered, and is directed as a team with the participation of the teachers concerned, its objective being to arrive at collective proposals for intervening which can be submitted to public debate.
 

The theoretical interdisciplinary courses
Evaluation procedures determined by each teacher (see course descriptions)
 
The workshops
Intermediate evaluation midway in the form of a group presentation before the workshop teachers. Final evaluation on the basis of a public defence of the results of the group work by a board consisting of the teachers and an external person.  

The interdisciplinary seminar 
Individual written work. Report and critical analysis of the lectures.

The placement and thesis 
The placement ends with a report, which may form an integral part of the thesis or constitute an appendix. There will be an oral defence of the before a board chaired by the president or secretary of the degree committee and consisting of the supervisor and two readers (see also General presentation of the programme: the placement and the thesis)