STAPS: A guaranteed path to a career!
With 700 first-year students enrolled for the 2017–2018 academic year, STAPS remains one of the most popular post-baccalaureate programs among students in Montpellier. In addition to the excellence of the education provided, the very high employment rate among its master’s students is clearly a contributing factor.
Photo © Miss Buffet Froid
The UFR STAPS (Sciences and Techniques of Physical and Sports Activities) in Montpellier was founded in 1976. At the time, the programs (which were single-sex) at what was known as the “UER d’EPS” were designed exclusively to train physical education teachers. In 1980, the department established its own facilities on the Veyrassi campus in the northern part of the city. Despite the continuous growth in its enrollment, the professional success of its students has never wavered.
Employment integration
It was in the 1980s that the STAPS departments began to diversify their academic offerings. A variety of programs, all related to sports, such as “Adapted Physical Activity and Health,” “Sports Training,” “Sports Management,” “Education and Motor Skills,” and “Ergonomics,” gradually emerged.
Today, no fewer than 11 master’s programs are offered at the UFR STAPS in Montpellier. This diverse range of career-oriented programs —one of the most diverse in France—is precisely what accounts for the exceptional employment rate among its master’s students: 93%. “We train students for virtually every career related to sports, which, in addition to being an essential component of well-being and quality of life, is and will remain an attractive asset in which people will want to invest. It’s such a vast sector that there will always be jobs to be found!” predicts Didier Delignières.
A welcome reform?
“Nationwide, the number of students enrolled in STAPS has doubled since 2007,” continues the dean ofthe STAPS department at Montpellier. The president of the Conference of STAPS Directors and Deans attributes this situation specifically to the often distorted image that recent high school graduates have of the program: “Many enroll in STAPS thinking it’s the ‘easy’ program. But STAPS isn’t just about playing sports. While a third of the time is indeed devoted to physical activity, the majority of the time is spent acquiring theoretical knowledge sitting at a desk!”
Because they lack the appropriate profile for higher education, more than 60% of students now fail their first year atthe UFR STAPS Montpellier. This is an unacceptable situation for Didier Delignières, who believes it is largely due to the random selection process, which leaves it up to chance to determine which students truly belong in his lecture halls. “With the new university admission procedures, default or unjustified placements will quickly disappear!” says the dean of the UFR STAPS Montpellier.
Presented to the Council of Ministers on November 22, 2017, the “Student Guidance and Success” bill, currently pending adoption in Parliament, aims in particular to eliminate the lottery system in order to reduce the failure rate in the first year of university studies. While its critics denounce it as a disguised form of “selection based on application materials” set to take effect as early as next fall, Didier Delignières is fully prepared for it and predicts—perhaps as early as 2019—a success rate of around 70% at the UFR STAPS Montpellier.
The Faculty as Seen by a Student
Tevaiana Chauvel, a sophomore in the bachelor’s program, has been elected to the management council of the UFR STAPS Montpellier
“I’ve always been passionate about handball, so naturally I chose this sport as my major when I enrolled atthe UFR STAPS in Montpellier.
I want to become a sports event organizer and start working in this field as soon as possible. I therefore plan to pursue a professional bachelor’s degree (in management and development of organizations, sports, and recreational services) next year so that I can graduate and be professionally ready by the end of 2019.”
Key Figures
- 2,200 students
- 70 Professors Teachers
- 113 external speakers
- 93% employment rate after completing a master’s degree
The Professional Bachelor's Degree: An Extra Advantage for Quick Entry into the Job Market
Professional bachelor’s degrees allow students to complete a career-oriented program in just three years and enter the workforce immediately. This is largely due to the significant number of class hours taught by industry professionals and the time spent on internships: up to 600 hours, compared to a maximum of 160 hours for the third year of a traditional bachelor’s program.