Master with specialization in Computer Science for teaching ‒ IC ‐ EPFL

This Master is a joint program between EPFL and HEP-VD to train high school teachers in computer science in Switzerland.

It consists of 120 + 9 ECTS credits, with the first year corresponding to a Master’s cycle in Computer Science (IN) or Data Science (DS), and the second year corresponding to the specialization courses at the HEP and a teaching internship at a high school. The Master’s project (PDM) can be done part-time during the second year, or postponed to the third year (full-time during one semester). In addition, an internship in industry must be completed (8 weeks during the summer or 6 months over one semester, or integrated with the PDM).

Please note that all courses at the HEP are taught in French, and that students must teach in French during their second-year internship at a high school.

At the end of their studies, students are awarded a Master’s degree in Computer Science or Data Science, accompanied by a Teaching Diploma in Computer Science at the high school level.

Detailed program

Year 1

Corresponds to the Master’s cycle in IN or DS:

32 ECTS courses from Group I (core courses).
12 ECTS courses from Group II (options).
6 ECTS SHS courses, replaced by a course at the HEP:
Apprentissage, développement et enseignement (MSENS31 – 6 ECTS in the autumn semester – possible time slots Monday or Tuesday afternoon) – this course is primarily intended for students doing the practical teaching internship, so it is also possible to take it in Year 2.
12 ECTS research project. ***

A minimum of 50 ECTS, including the course at HEP and the Group I (core courses), must have been acquired to begin the specialization in Year 2.

Year 2

Consisting of the specialization courses at the HEP (30 ECTS) and the PDM (30 ECTS) ***, with for each semester:

6 ECTS computer science didactics courses at HEP: MSINF21 in the autumn semester and MSINF22 in the spring semester – possible time slot Friday afternoon.
9 ECTS practice courses: teaching internship and integration seminar.
In parallel, 15 ECTS for the PDM part-time at EPFL (preceded by a summer internship in industry) or in a company.

It is possible to postpone the internship in industry and the PDM to Year 3. In this case, Year 2 is dedicated only to the practical teaching internship and the HEP courses, as well as EPFL courses still to be completed.

*** A pedagogical component is required in at least one of the projects, or may be undertaken as an additional small project in parallel with the PDM or after the PDM. It must be supervised by an IC accredited professor and a HEP supervisor. In the case of the research project, students should have some teaching experience and should have begun the HEP year and their pedagogical training.

The 9 additional ECTS correspond to the remaining educational sciences modules and are taken outside of the EPFL master’s program at the HEP. Here is the list of these HEP courses (possible time slots Monday or Tuesday afternoon):

Relation pégagogique et climat de classe (MSISO31 – 6 ECTS) in the autumn semester.

and one optional course (3 ECTS) in the spring semester from the following:

Le développement de l’adolescent (MSDEV33).
Evaluation des apprentissages (MSENS33).
Altérités et intégrations (MSISO33).
Systèmes éducatifs, organisations, acteurs, savoirs (MSSYS33).

The optional course taught during the spring semester may be taken in Year 1.

Please note that the Teaching Diploma is awarded by the HEP only upon successful completion of the Master’s degree at EPFL.

Registration and deadlines

As with the other master’s programs, the registration deadline (for students from other sections or outside EPFL) is March 31 of the academic year preceding the start of the master’s program.

Before that, please refer to the admission criteria for the Master in Computer science or Data science.

The registration deadline with the section is June 30 of the academic year preceding the start of the master’s program. Please email [email protected] and [email protected].

Students must also register for the HEP-VD program by the end of January of their first year of the master at EPFL. All useful information regarding this special program can be found here. The detailed procedure for submitting an application to HEP-VD is available here.

For more information, please contact [email protected] and [email protected].