International Students
1 octobre 2025 2025-10-01 9:28International Students
International Students
Welcome to ESSLIL – School of Societal Sciences
Located near the city center of Lille, a vibrant, multicultural city at the heart of Western Europe, ESSLIL is a dynamic school within Lille Catholic University, one of France’s largest private higher education institutions. We specialize in the education and training of future professionals dedicated to social innovation, human relations, and societal transformation.
At ESSLIL, we believe that today’s complex social challenges—ranging from inequality and migration to health, education, and ecological transition—require multidisciplinary thinking, ethical responsibility, and a deep sense of care. Our teaching combines academic excellence with strong field engagement, preparing students to work in a variety of public, non-profit, and international sectors.
Our programs draw from sociology, social work, public policy, education, and health sciences, and are grounded in values of inclusion, solidarity, and justice. Whether in the classroom, on campus, or during professional placements, students experience an intellectually stimulating and socially committed learning environment.
Thanks to our close ties with research units like ETHICS EA 7446, international networks, and field partners, we also offer students and visiting faculty a rich space for collaborative learning, intercultural dialogue, and practice-based research.
Study at ESSLIL:
Our academic programs:
ESSLIL offers diverse and multidisciplinary academic programs in the fields of social work, education, public health, sociology, and societal transformation. Our Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are designed to prepare students for careers in social innovation, human services, and care-related professions, with strong emphasis on ethical reflection, fieldwork, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
We welcome international students interested in exploring critical social issues, including migration, inequality, health promotion, youth and education, disability, and ecological transitions. Our pedagogical approach combines research-based learning, action-oriented projects, and strong links with professional environments.
Please note that all of our courses are taught in French, with the exception of the Diversity Semester (30 ECTS), an English-language Master’s level program open each spring semester. This program offers a unique opportunity for international students to engage with our teaching and research environment without requiring fluency in French.
🟦 Bachelor’s Degrees (BA)
- Social Work (F)
- Sciences of Human Societies (F)
- Sociology (F)
- Health and Social Care / Professional Health and Social Care Management (F)
🟩 Master’s Degrees (MA)
- Public Policy (F)
- International Solidarity & Social Work (F/ Eng))
- Societal Transformations (F)
- Health and Social Care Management (F)
🟨 Doctorate (PhD)
- PhD in Social Sciences (in collaboration with ETHICS EA 7446 research unit and Polytechnic Doctoral School of Hauts-de-France)
English offer: Diversity Semester (MA)
In an increasingly divided and unpredictable world, social and health professionals are called to build bridges between diverse identities and realities. The Diversity Semester at ESSLIL is a unique program that empowers students to understand and address societal complexity through a multidisciplinary and intercultural lens.
Our Diversity Semester is a 4 ½ -month academic program (30 ECTS), part of the Master’s program “International Solidarity and Social Work”. It is taught entirely in English. Over the course of 30 ECTS, students will explore:
- Diversity and Interculturality: Courses on anthropology, ethnology, migration, gender, childhood, and education in a transcultural context.
- Comparative Research & Methodology: A focus on indigenous knowledge, experiential reflection on social intervention, and cross-country research.
- Intercultural Management & Practice: Training in diversity management, intercultural communication, and intercultural community work.
- Ethical and Ecological Transitions: Engagement with pressing questions of justice, climate, and sustainability through a global and ethical perspective ; and ethical frameworks for understanding otherness.
📅 Program dates: late January to June
🎯 Target audience: Bachelor/Master students in social work, health promotion, sociology, pedagogy, applied social sciences…
🌐 Language: B2 level in English.
💸 Tuition: Free for students from partner institutions; upon request for other students.
Incoming students benefit from a full range of services:
– Accommodation and housing support;
– Medical and psychological support;
– Sports and cultural life;
– Student life and career advisors.
RESEARCH: The GERTS Research Group (ETHICS EA 7446)
What is GERTS?
The GERTS (Study and Research Group on Societal Transformations / Groupe d’Etudes et Recherches sur les Transformations Sociétales) is a multidisciplinary team within the ETHICS EA 7446 research unit of Lille Catholic University. Founded in 1997, it brings together sociologists, philosophers, and educational scientists to conduct scientific research, action-research, training and seminars at the intersection of social sciences and social intervention.
The GERTS carries out applied, collaborative, and transformative research close to local institutions and social actors — often in partnership with NGOs and public bodies
Its work is driven by three research axes:
- Vulnerability, emerging solidarities and social justice
- Transitional policies and practices in social, medico-social and health sectors
- Migration, norms and intercultural dynamics
Contact & information:
Our International Team:
international@esslil.fr
Head of International Relations: Laure Liénard – laure.lienard@univ-catholille.fr
Mobility coordinator: Anne Gavory – anne.gavory@univ-catholille.fr
Catholic University portal: https://www.univ-catholille.fr/en/
