Master Craftsmanship (Brevet de maîtrise)

General information

Adults who wish to set up and run their own business or who would like a managerial role in a craft, manufacturing or commercial business can obtain the Master Craftsmanship (Brevet de Maîtrise) by attending preparatory classes with the Chamber of Trades (Chambre des Métiers), in order to be accepted for the final examination.

The Master Craftsmanship provides the skills to become an independent worker in the crafts industry, to perform a managerial role within a company and to train apprentices.

Applicants, who must be at least 18, must hold one of the following diplomas:

• Vocational Aptitude Diploma (Diplôme d'aptitude professionnelle - DAP) or former CATP
• Technician's Diploma (Diplôme de Technicien - DT)
• Classical Secondary School Leaving Diploma (Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires classiques - DFESC)
• General Secondary School Leaving Diploma (Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires générales - DFESG)
• Any other post-secondary degree (Higher Technician's Certificate (Brevet de technicien supérieur - BTS), Bachelor, Master,...)
• A foreign diploma or certificate recognised by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth

and provide evidence of at least 1 year of work experience in the trade chosen in order to sit the final examination.

Preparatory classes

Preparatory classes for the Master Craftsmanship are broken down into 2 modules:

• Business organisation and management and applied educational theory
• Professional theory and practice

The training usually lasts for 3 years, but the maximum time allowed to pass all of the modules is set at 6 years. Classes are usually held on weekday evenings and on the weekend.

Applicants are free to put together their own study programme suited to their own pace. When registering they choose the modules that they would like to attend. Classes start in general between mid- and late September and last until the end of March of the following year.

Registration fees for the preparatory classes amount to 600 euros per year of registration. Registration fees for the exams are set at 300 euros per exam session.

Here is the list of the available trades and their curricula

Final exam for the Master Craftsmanship

The Chamber of Trades holds two examination sessions per year.

Theoretical examinations

• Spring session: in general from the end of March until mid-April
• Autumn session: from early until mid-October

Practical examinations

• Spring session: between mid-May and 31 July

Requirements for admission to examinations

In order to be admitted to the theoretical examinations, applicants must have attended 80% of the classes for which they are registered and have paid their registration fees in due time.

Applicants are admitted to the practical examinations provided they have passed all their professional theory exams and are able to provide proof of having worked for at least one year (experience earned after the DAP/CATP in the trade for which they are registered) and have paid their registration fees in due time.

At each session, applicants may sit exams for the business organisation and management, applied educational theory and professional theory courses. The professional practice examinations are only held in the spring.

Registrations are accepted from 15 June until 15 August at the latest. Registrations for classes and exams must be renewed for each session.

Validation of non-formal and informal learning (Validation des acquis de l'expérience - VAE)

The Master Craftsmanship can also be gained either wholly or partially through validation of non-formal and informal learning (VAE).

More information about VAE