École pratique des hautes études

The École pratique des hautes études (ekɔl pʁatik de ot.z‿etyd), abbreviated EPHE, is a Post Graduate top level educational institution or Grande École in french (badly translated as Grand Établissement), in France. EPHE is considered a highly selective and prestigious research and higher education institution, it is a constituent college of the Université PSL (together with ENS Ulm, Paris Dauphine or Ecole des Mines). The college is known for its degrees in religious studies and in history, and ranks 25th on the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking for global universities in France. The college is closely linked to École française d'Extrême-Orient and Institut français du Proche-Orient. Prominent researchers in military strategy have taught in EPHE in the past such as Hervé Coutau-Bégarie. In addition, researchers in natural sciences (including neurosciences and chemistry) teach at EPHE (among them Jean Baptiste Charcot and Marcellin Berthelot). The EPHE brings together 260 faculty members and about 3,000 students/attenders into three core departments called “Sections” : Earth and Life Sciences, Historical and Philological Sciences, and Religious Sciences. It has headquarters in Paris, and has several campuses across France (Paris and its region, Nancy, Dijon, Lyon, Grenoble, Montpellier, Perpignan, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Caen, Dinard, French Polynesia). Teaching and research in human sciences are conducted in Paris, notably at the Sorbonne, the historical house of the former University of Paris and in the building of Maison des Sciences de l'Homme. The college provides Master's and Doctorate degrees, and the postdoctoral Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches. The School also offers its specific postgraduate degrees – the “Diplôme EPHE” and the “Diplôme post-doctoral” – as well as joint degrees with other universities. The EPHE maintains extensive cooperative exchanges with universities and research institutions. Priority areas of cooperation are in Europe, the Mediterranean, Middle-East and Asia.