1st year of engineering degree (Biotech 1)

During this 1st year of the Preparatory Cycle, student engineers are introduced to active schooling directing them towards a certain autonomy. Students attain specific skills in biology and engineering science, as well as general skills. English is an essential language in the field of biotechnology and so studies are focused on language learning with language experience in an English-speaking country for a period of a month.

1^st year

2^nd year

3^rd year

4^th year

5^th Year

Skill acquisition

Experimental sciences

Fundamental sciences

Molecular Biology
Cellular Biology
Mathematical analysis and Algebra
Atomic, kinetic and chemical balance
Biodiversity
Bacteriology
Structural Biochemistry
Practical Exercises in biological, chemical and biochemical engineering

Engineering Sciences

Thermodynamics
Physical mechanics
Discovering computing: web functions, Python programming
Practical exercises in computing

Practical training

Right from Biotech 1, the project approach is an important part of the training and the student should be able to work as a team and know how to efficiently lead a project, making the most of all the qualities of the team members.

Learning these skills comes from working cooperatively with class mates: the student learns the rules of group work on a practical level.

Economic Sciences

The workings of the economy and the business world, place of professional integration, should become more and more familiar to the future graduate:

Fundamentals and concepts of the economy
Understanding of the economic circuit
Documentation projects on companies, issues linked to sustainable development, a science popularization project in poster form

Awareness of company demands

The Biotech 1 student still knows very little of the world, corporate ins and outs and the vast biotechnology market. SupBiotech offers different conferences focusing on various topics, as well as several on-site company visits which give the student the possibility of visualising and gradually establishing their professional orientation in the frenzied world of biotechnology.

Learning autonomy

Changing from traditional teaching to active teaching and autonomy involves a certain methodological awareness. This transition requires important changes in the student’s approach: he learns how to become the actor in his own education and is aware that his future is today in his hands. The student must expect his/her teachers to provide the fundamentals in learning and in return he must learn to interact and enter into debate with them. Each lesson is prepared in advance which helps the student ask the right questions making him proactive in his education and interested in learning more.

International dimension

SupBiotech spotlights its international dimension by opening up an Anglophone section right from the first year.

Linguistic experience

At the end of their first year students pursue a linguistic experience with a month-long immersion visit to an English-speaking country to establish or improve their level of English. English plays a vital role in the field of biotechnology, and so it is wise to develop acquired linguistic skills throughout the year through the various exercises given by the English teachers, including a practical period focusing even more on improving comprehension and accent.

This course takes place during the summer months of July and August with the required approval from the administration department of the chosen destinations.

Speak Easy Sessions

Before the immersive experience, English language practice will take up an important place in the student’s curriculum. On top of the weekly lessons, weekly ‘speak easy’ session are held throughout the year when the students can work thoroughly on their comprehension and expression skills, both oral and written.

In the first year, I achieved a much greater autonomy compared to previous years. I had to learn to organise myself better because of a greater work load than at the lycée, but the lessons are far more interesting and I feel much more fulfilled.
Elsa Thierry (Promo 2019)