M1 Advanced Materials, Structure and Energy for sustainable construction

Apply for the degree
  • Places available
    24
  • Language(s) of instruction
    French
  • Enrolment type
    Formation initiale
  • Type of teaching
    En présentiel
  • Start of programme (indicative date)
Présentation
Objectives

The first year of the Master's degree in ‘Materials, Structures and Energy for Sustainable Construction’ focuses on teaching through and by research. The study context is civil engineering, with a particular focus on the various scientific, technical and environmental issues related to the construction sector. This first year aims to provide students with in-depth scientific knowledge in a number of fields, as well as a strong cultural understanding of the specificities of civil engineering: construction processes, comfort, durability of materials used in the sector, energy performance, etc.

The in-depth scientific and technical culture allows students to pursue, according to their personal plans, careers in research, R&D engineering or higher education after obtaining a Master's 2 degree. In addition, the proximity of the Paris-Saclay Mechanics Laboratory (LMPS) encourages early immersion in the world of research from the first year of the Master's programme.

The two semesters are deliberately designed to be generalist, based on core, major and advanced modules. This provides a broad disciplinary foundation from which to approach the specialisation that will be undertaken in the second year of the Master's programme in an informed manner.

The core modules aim to provide students with the digital, experimental and theoretical tools necessary to solve complex problems. The specialised modules aim to consolidate these theoretical foundations and add colour to the students' courses in several areas: disciplinary, digital, theoretical and experimental. Finally, advanced modules allow students to begin planning for the next stage of their education, which will be pursued in a Master's 2 programme.

More specifically, the concepts mastered at the end of the programme will be:

  • Tools for modelling physical phenomena: mechanics of solid and fluid continuous media, wave propagation, vibrations, etc.
  • Basic tools for describing the behaviour of materials and their applications: elasticity, damage, plasticity, fatigue, creep, relaxation, etc.
  • Concepts and tools for describing the energy and environmental behaviour of buildings: building thermal and acoustic properties, energy systems, sustainable development, etc.
  • Numerical tools: finite element method, algorithms for solving non-linear problems, use of simulation software, coupled physics problems, etc.
  • Concepts and tools for describing construction techniques: site organisation and planning, construction economics, etc.
Overall organisation

The Master's 1 programme is organised into teaching units that enable students to acquire in-depth skills in designing, organising and managing work resulting from high-level scientific and technical activities. The two semesters combine a core curriculum, focused on theoretical disciplines and essential fundamental knowledge, with optional modules that allow each student to tailor their training to their particular interests. The programme concludes with a three-month research internship, providing an opportunity to put the knowledge and skills acquired during the year into practice.

The master's program outline highlights the distribution between compulsory and optional modules.

Course Prerequisites

Students admitted to the M1 Civil Engineering programme must have the following profile:

  • Have completed and validated a SAPHIRE-type bachelor's degree offered by ENS Paris-Saclay: https://genie-civil.ens-paris-saclay.fr/formations/ldd3-sciences-pour-lingenieur
  • Have completed and validated a bachelor's degree with a major in engineering science or solid-state physics, developing in-depth skills in:
    • Mathematics for engineers,
    • Numerical methods,
    • Structural mechanics,
    • Materials,
    • Fluid mechanics,
    • Mass and heat transfer.
Rythme de la formation
La formation est structurée en deux semestre. Le premier semestre débute début septembre et s’achève aux congés d’hiver (vers le 20 décembre). Le second semestre commence début janvier et se décompose en : (i) une période d’enseignements jusqu’à la fin du mois d’avril, et (ii) un stage d’une durée minimale de 12 semaines, débutant au mois de mai. Enfin, l’année se conclue par les soutenances de stage organisées durant la dernière semaine d‘août. Durant les périodes d’enseignements, les cours sont généralement programmés par créneaux de deux heures, de 8h à 18h, du lundi au vendredi, avec une demi-journée libérée au cours de la semaine (jeudi après-midi).
Internships and supervised projects

A compulsory internship lasting at least 12 weeks concludes the first year of the Master's programme. It can be carried out in a university laboratory, within a research and development (R&D) structure or in a company. This internship provides students with an opportunity to put into practice the skills they have acquired during the year on a specific subject, which they are then able to explore in greater depth. Students are responsible for finding their own internship, the subject of which must be approved in advance by the teaching team to ensure that it corresponds to scientific or technological work in the field of civil engineering at Master's 1 level.

Transfer paths

non

Méthodes mobilisées
Les unités d’enseignements de la formation s’articulent autour de différentes modalités pédagogiques comprenant des cours magistraux, des travaux dirigés et pratiques, des bureaux d’étude et des projets. Sur le plan expérimental, la diversité des manipulations réalisées au cours de l’année permet aux étudiants de se familiariser aussi bien avec des systèmes didactisés qu’avec des dispositifs à caractère plus professionnel. Sur le plan numérique, l’apprentissage s’appuie sur l’usage de logiciels spécialisés (Robot Structural Analysis, …) et académiques (Cast3M, COMSOL, …) en complément des développements personnels réalisés dans différents langages de programmation (Matlab, Python, FreeFEM, C++).
Accompagnement personnalisé
La taille restreinte de la promotion offre aux enseignants la possibilité d’adapter au mieux leur pédagogie aux besoins individuels, tout en maintenant l’avancement du programme. L’équipe pédagogique demeure par ailleurs disponible pour répondre aux questions des étudiants et pour les accompagner dans leur parcours, notamment en matière de recherche de stage, d’orientation vers un master 2 et, plus largement, dans la construction de leur projet professionnel.
Location
GIF SUR YVETTE
Tuition fees

Le détail des droits d'inscription et le montant sont détaillés sur notre site web. Attention, le montant de la formation dépend de la formation choisie et de votre situation.

Voir les droits d'inscription

Programme

The schedule will be posted shortly.

Modalités de candidatures
Application period
From 16/02/2026 to 30/04/2026
Admission criteria
Dossier
Interview
Compulsory supporting documents

  • Rank of previous year and size of the promotion.

  • Motivation letter.

  • All transcripts of the years / semesters validated since the high school diploma at the date of application.

  • Certificate of French (compulsory for non-French speakers).

  • Curriculum Vitae.

  • Selection sheet completed.

    (À partir de la maquette, indiquez la coloration et les modules que vous souhaitez suivre.)
Additional supporting documents

  • VAP file (obligatory for all persons requesting a valuation of the assets to enter the diploma).

Contact(s)
Course manager(s)
Clotilde CHAMBREUIL - clotilde.chambreuil@ens-paris-saclay.fr
Administrative office
Léa COCO - secretariat.dgc@ens-paris-saclay.fr