Group HEC consists of mainly three schools and several institutions. Three schools are; HEC-HEC (grands ecoles, the diploma is M.A.*), HEC-MBA (ISA) (MBA), HEC-MS (M.A.).

*M.A.: Master of Arts

Address	1, rue de la Liberation 78351 Jouy-en-Josas cedex France (23 km south-west of Paris/near Versailles)
Contact	Tel: +33(1)3967-7420, Fax: +33(1)3967-7394, http://www.hec.fr/
Diploma	MBA (Diploma de Superieur des Affaires)
Duration	16 months / full time
Language	English and French
Students	118 students (graduated in 1997)
Gender	Male 73%, Female 27%
Average age	29 (1997)
Nationality	France 68%, Other EWE 16%, Asia 8% South-North America 4%(1997) France 30%, Others 70% (2002)
Educational background	Engineering 34%, Economics/Management 26%, Humanities 14%, Science 12%
Job experience	Yes 93%; 69% of them has four or more year professional experience
Average GMAT score	620 (1997)
Employment	Consulting 15.4%, Information Technology 13.2%, Financial institutions 11%
Professors	106 (as Group HEC), plus 30 Visiting Professors
Tuition	125,000 FF (US$ 25,000) / 16 months(1996) 30,000 Euros (2002)
Japan Rep. Office	Bldg. 6F, 3-9-25 Ebis, Shibuya-ku-, Tokyo 150-0013 Japan TEL: +81(3)5475-5005 / FAX: +81(3)5475-5006 E-mail: hecjapon@tkk.att.ne.jp

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Courses and languages

If you enter HEC-MBA (ISA) in a year of September, you must take same courses as assigned. Student office says this is Core International Management Programme: CIMP. After CIMP, you are almost free to choose elective courses (Programme Personnalise) from among 86 (1997). Filiere is one of the electives that let you study in a special area, for example, Finance Intenationale, or Entreprendre (all Filiere were given in French in 1997). From September of the second year, you have a chance to go to study abroad as an exchange student.

In terms of language, from September to December of the first year, you will be assigned in an English only class or a French only class, according to your language ability and choice of application. If you go to English class, class discussion, presentation, or written examination is conducted in English. However, from January, both English and French are mixed. In 2000, however, French course would be abolished and English course and English/French course would be established instead. In 1997, January start class was established and from the beginning both English and French are mixed.

HEC-MBA (ISA) consider that group work is one of the most important part of studying process because international communication ability would be improved very much. Group members are assigned by the Student office twice and they discuss, write, or present same subjects for several months. This experience is tough but wonderful, because group member's nationality, gender, educational background, or professional experience are complexly different.

From September to December,1996 (CIMP)

Course	Language	Hours	Credits	My grades
Accounting and Financial Management	English	37.5	2	4
Marketing	English	36	2	3
Micro-Economics	English	12	0.5	3
International Macroeconomics	English	28.5	1	4
Statistics	English	9.5	1	3
Introduction to Law / Corporate Law	English	16.5	1	3
Basic Principles of US Tax Law	English	12	0.5	3
Comparative Taxation	English	12	0.5	3
Francaise (as a language class)	French	18	1	4

From January to July, 1997 (CIMP)

Course	Language	Hours	Credits	My grades
Management Accountong and Control	English	34.5	2	3
Management & Organizational Theory (Organizational Behavior)	English	22.5	1	4
Management Industriel	French	22.5	1	4
Corporate Finance	English	30	2	3
Human Resource Management	English	16.5	1	3
Strategic Management	English	67.5	2	4
Dimension Financiere des Decisions Strategiques	French	10	1	4
Activite Pluridisciplinaire (Moulinex Seminar)	French	24	1	4
Francaise	French	18	1	4

From May 1997 to the graduation (All are electives I chose)

Course	Language	Hours	Credits	My grades
Organisation Dynamique d'une Force de Vente	French	13	1	4
Intellectual Foundations of Management	English	18	1	4
The Emergence of Asian Countries	English	18	1	5
Reengineering and Corporate Transformation	English	18	1	3
Economics of Post-communism	English	18	1	4
La Chine	French	20	1	4
Francaise	French	18	1	4
International Perspectives in Executive Power and Negotiation	English	18	1	3
Negotiation and Created Agreement	English	16	1	5
Management of Change	English	21	1	4
Game Theory in Practice	English	18	1	5
Value Co-production	English	17	1	3
Mode de Pense Asiatique	French	18	1	3
Etude de Recherche	English	Thesis	1	5
Seminaire Pluridisciplinaire	French	19.5	1	4

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My pressures

I felt pressure most in the 16 months in the first four months, September to December, 1996. In this term, we used English only (I don't speak French at all), but we had classes from 8 am to 6 pm every weekday. Almost every evening, usually after diner to midnight (the worst was to 2 a.m.), we had to something by the assigned group. After group work, I must prepare tomorrow's class at home. When can I sleep? In December, we had term-end eight examinations. Sometimes I said it's all over!


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Exams, scores, and diploma
Achievement would be scored by one to five absolute scale. Five is best. Scores are noticed to himself/herself only. No severe score competition against students occurred. If the number of score one or two is less than two, everybody earns MBA diploma without any conditions. I have only two comments on my scores.

1. The bottom was the first four months. Scores were getting better.

In my analysis, this facts came from both I became accustomed to French (HEC-MBA (ISA)) system and my English and French ability were improved gradually. This complex leads to more efficient output and brings me more positive action in class and group work. Therefore, average score has been improved.

September to December 1996 (CIMP: average score)	3.32
January to July 1997 (CIMP: average score)	3.67
Electives (average score)	4.00

2. Better scores on classes in French than in English.

This seems strange because my French language ability (a beginner, just say hello) is obviously inferior to English (TOEFL 600 / TOEIC 905). However, I always prepared more when I have a class in French than in a class in English. Even though I could not speak anything in a class in French, I understood 60-70% of contents. Also, we are allowed to answer questions both in English and in French. The key is understanding. Language is my least concern.

Classes in English (average score)	3.31
Classes in French (average score)	4.00

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Who is competent to get MBA in France?

Let me explain who is qualified to obtain MBA in France here.

If you think seriously to do so, the first concern could be French language ability. However, according to my analysis of scores during 16 months in HEC-MBA (ISA), if you speak fluently English or French, it's OK. Fluent English means, in my opinion, native English speaker, or non-native who achieves TOEIC 875 or TOEFL 600 or more. In French, maybe something like that. If both English and French ability are below, you would suffer from time management because you must share your precious time in HEC-MBA (ISA) for language proficiency improvement. Of course, I suffered because my TOEIC was 905 (top 3%) and TOEFL was 600, but I was just beginner in French at the age of 30!

In terms of mental aspect, a person who has already resistance to strongly stressful life and has a competitive spirit because French culture is very unique, much different from American one. Therefore, many foreign students are usually not prepared the culture shock they encounter in France. Also, if you do not speak well French, the shock will be doubled. For example, Japanese expatriates in Paris need more mental care than other European cities, like London or Dusseldorf*.

Especially, you may not stand French style egoism that comes from their concern about their benefit or interest. It often occurs that French don't see beam in trier own eye and they attack on us, even we don't speak French well. It is not fair. As for me, we should express our anger by throwing documents against floor, speaking Japanese, Korean, Chinese and so on, if the case is completely unreasonable for us. I did twice during my stay in France. French were very surprised because I have been silent Japanese. Other effect is that you may obtain unexpected compromise from them and above all it is good for your mental care. If you can do it without hesitation, you are qualified to earn MBA in France. Of course, you are not recommended to do so many times because you may loose your confidence in a community. Situation and timing should be analyzed carefully.

Also, French people sometimes shows strange behavior for Japanese or other country persons. For example, 15 minute late means "on time", most French washes his/her car once a year, they prefer to hook a bill on a wall, and they wash their hair once a week. Also, much different from Americans, they don't say hello to foreigners at least 6 months from encounter, and sometimes they run high and down even in a day. However, we should understand French culture, if you plan to stay long in France. To accept them tolerantly or not is up to you. Anyway, serious, honest, or punctilious persons may easily get depressed.

*"The syndrome of Paris" Dr. OOTA Hiroaki, Travel Journal press, 1991 (written in Japanese)

P. S. Allow me to apologize for my pessimistic report on HEC and French life. I had thought of writing my honest feeling but did not intend to disappoint future excellent HEC students. I understand my experience in France was very limited and unique so that it is difficult to say France is good or bad. However, one of main purposes was to report the real life in France, both positive and negative, to the Japanese who tends to overlook negative side of France because most of them like France very much. Don't worry. Just do it!


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Revised on September 24, 2007.

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