DNA and DNSEP

The Art option

The Art option offers a general curriculum in which students are guided to develop their ability to produce meaningful forms enriched by critical thinking, within the field of contemporary creation. It allows them to explore diverse artistic languages ​​and modes, to experiment with technical, methodological, and theoretical skills in service of complex artistic thought and varied practices. The pedagogical formats implemented—theoretical courses, studios, workshops, Research and Creation Workshops, and foundational courses—aim to provide students with the technical, methodological, and conceptual tools necessary for developing an independent and unique artistic path.
In this sense, the Art option is a place for experimentation, exchange, and resources, where knowledge and practices are transmitted and where curricula are built together.

The Design option

The Design option supports students in developing their creations and design research, notably through project-based learning. It is through practical situations that they progressively develop their research methodologies and their visual language. Since a design project stems from a complex equation whose elements are constantly being re-evaluated, it is essential to consider both the practices and the aims of design. The development of new production and distribution tools, the challenges related to the very existence of objects, and the ecological shift are all issues that spark numerous debates around design and constitute material for discussions, investigations, and experiments.
they construct a corpus capable of nourishing reflections, the speculative field of research.

The Ceramics mention

The Ceramics specialization spans both options and draws upon the fields of art and design to offer a unique perspective on contemporary ceramic creation. It demonstrates the student's engagement in exploring the material, its semantics, and its techniques.
The distinction is awarded at the time of the DNA (National Diploma of Fine Arts) or DNSEP (National Higher Diploma of Fine Arts) following a period of study within the ceramics workshop, demonstrating the student's commitment to the completion of personal projects whose primary medium is ceramics. Ceramics is also practiced within the Ceramics as Experience Laboratory (CCE), which uses 3D ceramic printing and other digital techniques related to the material.
Each year, the Lab visits the International Glass Art Centre in Meisenthal (Moselle) to compare ceramics and glass.

Contemporary jewelry

Contemporary jewelry is an artistic discipline stemming from a know-how and a "workshop culture" taught at the ENSAD (National School of Decorative Arts), with the possibility of supporting one's DNA (National Diploma of Fine Arts) or DNSEP (National Higher Diploma of Fine Arts) with a specialization in Contemporary Jewelry. POPatelier Bijou is not simply a place for the execution and learning of a know-how.
purely technical, but a place "for the making of thought", articulated around the intrinsic qualities of jewelry and the complex evolution of body ornamentation.
This multifaceted artistic practice explores new territories of contemporary thought and creation: aesthetic freedom, the use of current technologies, the use of diverse materials, both humble and novel, and conceptual and critical approaches. From these new perspectives emerge new forms and unexpected approaches that allow students to express their personal visions of jewelry.

alternating

The ENSAD Limoges offers students the opportunity to complete their second-cycle program through apprenticeships over one or two years. In 2025, the academic calendar was adapted to allow for a two-week alternation between work and school, but adjustments are still possible depending on the needs of the host organization or the student's schedule. The academic apprenticeship training center (CFA) partners with ENSAD for the signing of the apprenticeship contract between the company, the school, and the student.

Hyphenation

The so-called "gap year" period extends over a maximum duration of one academic year, during which a student enrolled in a higher education program temporarily suspends their studies in order to gain personal experience, either independently or within a host organization in France or abroad. It is undertaken at the initiative of the student who undertakes it and is subject to the approval of the program director and coordinators.