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Concept
Khâgne
Summary
Khâgne (kaɲ), officially known as classes préparatoires littéraires, is a two-year academic program in the French “post-bac” (≈undergraduate) system, with a specialization in literature and the humanities. It is one of the three main types of Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles (CPGE, informally classe prépa), contrasting with other CPGE majors such as Maths Sup in mathematics and engineering, or Prépa HEC in the business domain.
Strictly speaking, the word khâgne refers to the final year of that program. In fact, the course articulates into two years with separate names:
year 1: officially Lettres Supérieures, casually hypokhâgne
year 2 (+3 +4): officially Première Supérieure, casually khâgne
The two-year program as a whole is commonly called hypokhâgne-khâgne ipokaɲˈkaɲ, or simply khâgne.
In 2020, about 130 lycées scattered across France proposed hypokhâgne classes (1st year), and at least 30 had a khâgne (2nd year). Historically famous institutions for preparing the khâgne program – some since the 19th century – include prestigious lycées in Paris (lycées Henri IV, Louis-le-Grand, Condorcet, Fénelon, Janson-de-Sailly...), around Paris (Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux, Lycée La Bruyère in Versailles, ...) and in major cities of the country (e.g. Lycée du Parc in Lyon, Lycée Montaigne in Bordeaux...).
Once they have graduated from secondary school (baccalauréat), French students with a strong interest in the Humanities may choose to follow a Licence curriculum in a university (l'université, slang la fac); or they may opt for the more selective khâgne course, which is situated outside the university system, taking place in a lycée just like secondary school.
One of the formal differences between the two competing systems (university vs. khâgne) is that, while university students discover a new form of academic organization (with typically large gatherings of students in lecture halls), khâgne students continue the organization they were familiar with in high schools (lycée), characterized by a stable class group with a maximum of 35 to 40 members.
Official source
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