Prépa intégrée

[Guill]

Hello,

This is a kind of prépa that, in fact, includes 2 years of prépa and 3 years of school. Instead of studying 2 years in a prépa and then 3 years un a school, you work 5 years in the same school (and, like in prépa, you work much more during the first two years). I guess there's no expression in English to mean this, as far as it's specific to France, but I'd like to know how you would translate it ? "prépa intégrée" is how we're told to translate it but I doubt everybody would understand...

 

[Glasguensis]

For an English speaking person to understand this they'd need to understand first what a grand école was and then what a prépa was. There's no point translating it because the only people who would understand what it was would recognise the French anyway. I suppose something like a "direct entry masters course" would convey something similar if not exactly identical.

 

[Guill]

That's interesting as well But wouldn't it confused with the Uni ? As far as "prépa intégrée" isn't that famous...

 

[Glasguensis]

But in English there is only Uni.

 

[Guill]

Well, I do know it... That's why if I talk about "direct entry masters course", people will only think of the Uni, won't they ?

 

[Glasguensis]

You could say a five-year direct-entry course at one of the French "Grandes Ecoles". By putting it in quotes then anyone who doesn't know what it means can at least understand that it's a special term and can look it up. Remember that 99.9% of English speakers will be mentally translating it as "Uni" anyway.

 

[Guill]

Fine, I get the point of it, cheers ! Definitely some quotes then