The :fr:École nationale supérieure des mines de Rabat|École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Rabat,ENSMR called also Mines Rabat in French or Rabat School of Mines in English is a leading engineering school in Morocco. The previous school name was École Nationale de l'Industrie Minérale. Based in Rabat, :fr:École nationale supérieure des mines de Rabat|Mines Rabat is one of the oldest engineering schools in Morocco. Mines Rabat is a member of the Conférence des grandes écoles. The course for the engineering program lasts three years and the admission is done mainly by the common national competition after making two or three years in preparatory classes. Despite its small size, it is a crucial part of the infrastructure of Moroccan industry. The :fr:École nationale supérieure des mines de Rabat|Mines Rabat is often compared at the :fr:Mines ParisTech|Mines ParisTech in France. In the limit of available places candidates can be admitted to this title and by level:
The admission to Mines Rabat in the normal cycle is made through a very selective entrance examination, and requires at least two years of preparation after high school in preparatory classes. Admission includes a week of written examinations during the spring followed sometimes by oral examinations over the summer.
Rankings
Mines Rabat is ranked among the top 3 Moroccan Grandes Ecoles, though it doesn't appear in international rankings due to its very limited number of students.
History
The school was established in 1972 and now about 300 Moroccan students are admitted each year. Foreign students, having followed a classe préparatoire curriculum can also enter through the same competitive exam. Finally, some foreign students come for a single year from other top institutions in Africa.
The Diplôme d'Ingénieur
Grandes Écoles of Engineering usually offer several master's degree programs, the most important of which is the Diplôme d'Ingénieur, the Moroccan/French master's degree in Engineering. Because of the strong selection of the students and of the very high quality of the curriculum, the Diplôme d'Ingénieur gives right to bear the title of an Ingénieur, is one of the most prestigious degrees in Morocco; it is protected by law and submitted to strict government supervision. It is more valued by companies than a university degree in terms of career opportunities and wages.
Preparatory classes: The classic admission path into Grandes Écoles
To enter the Diplôme d'Ingénieur curriculum of Grandes Écoles, students traditionally have to complete the first two years of their curriculum in the very intensive preparatory classes, most often in an institution outside the Grande École. At the end of these preparatory classes, the students take nationwide, extremely selective competitive exams for entrance into Grandes Écoles, where they complete their curriculum for three years. Thus the 1st year of the Diplôme d'Ingénieur curriculum in Grandes Écoles corresponds to a senior undergraduate year, and the two final years correspond to the graduate part of the curriculum: 1st year at Mines Rabat - equivalent to - senior year of BSc. 2nd year at Mines Rabat - equivalent to - 1st year of MSc. 3rd year at Mines Rabat - equivalent to - 2nd year of MSc.
Options and majors
The Mines Rabat has a total of 15 engineering options:
