Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées

For the diploma "Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées" in Quebec, Canada, see Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées (Quebec).

Not to be confused with Diplôme d'études approfondies.

Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées (French pronunciation: [diplom detyd sypeʁjœʁ spesjalize], DESS) was an old diploma in France, which is no longer awarded. It completed a fifth year of higher education aimed at professional practice. It could be chosen after one had got a maîtrise universitaire [fr]. This diploma has been abolished when the bachelor/master/doctorate system had been introduced in Europe (in France between 2003 and 2006) and was replaced by the master.^[1]