The three-year doctoral course leads to the Arts et Métiers ParisTech Doctorate degree.
It provides paid professional experience through a research grant or industrial contracts.

Thesis

The primary scientific component, the thesis, is prepared under the guidance of a teacher-researcher or a researcher with the "habilitation à diriger des recherches" postdoctoral qualification.
The thesis is prepared within a Research or Research and Development team or an Innovation Department. It is usually covered by a contractual framework within a research laboratory at the Arts et Métiers ParisTech or the partner research body.
The thesis work aims to overcome existing scientific or technological obstacles. During its preparation, the student will take part in seminars and conferences and write papers for scientific journals together with the supervisory team.
The thesis activity ends with the drafting of a final dissertation. This is then presented to a jury of specialists who award the Arts et Métiers ParisTech doctorate degree.

Organization of studies

The doctorate follows a research master's degree and corresponds to an educational level of Bac+8. It is the French PhD equivalent.
Doctoral studies are completed by supplementary science and business training designed to make it easier for doctoral graduates to find high-level employment (at least 120 hours over the three years).
Language modules are also available to doctoral students, equipping them for the essential task of communicating with the international scientific community and giving them skills that will be valuable in the workplace.
The doctoral schools are responsible for organizing and following up doctoral studies. In particular, these schools ensure the quality of the doctoral students' work and thesis supervision.

Admission criteria

• Once the student has contacted the thesis supervisor and the research laboratory offering the subject, they will select the candidates through interviews with an admission committee.
• Candidates must hold a nationally recognized research master's degree or a DEA (diploma of advanced studies).

Other diplomas of equivalent status (French or foreign) may be accepted once the application has been assessed. In certain cases, a probationary year may be imposed.

Terms of matriculation

The terms of matriculation are available at the Arts et Métiers ParisTech doctorate site

Thesis charter

When matriculating for a doctoral degree, the doctoral student, thesis supervisor, laboratory director and doctoral school director all sign the thesis charter. This specifies the rights and duties of the doctoral student, the thesis supervisor and the director of the host laboratory.
By signing the charter, each person makes a commitment to respect the rules of the establishment and of the doctoral school.

Funding

Each thesis subject proposed by an Arts et Métiers ParisTech research unit must come with funding for the doctoral student.
In certain exceptional situations, this funding may come from the doctoral student's appropriate paid activity (employment in a research organization, a position as a clinician etc.).
In all other cases, it will consist of either a research grant or a salary paid as part of the contractual activity of the thesis (such as an industrial contract or a CIFRE research agreement).