Each branch is housed in an administrative structure, the department.
Thus, INSA Lyon has 10 departments:

•  “Biochemistry and Biotechnology” and “Modelling and Bioinformatics” are part of the Biosciences department.
   
•  “Mechanical Engineering Design” and “Plastic Processing Mechanical Engineering” are part of the “Mechanical Engineering Design” department.

The engineers trained at INSA are able to evolve in complex environments and situations. They are open-minded, responsible, independent and communicative.
INSA Lyon produces future engineers with a great capacity for innovation and favours the development of their entrepreneurial spirit (business creation, business development). In 1998, the school also set up the Engineer Entrepreneur section.

1st year

The first year is mainly made up of the department’s fundamental scientific and technical training, learning to work in a team, training in project management and courses in Economics, Social and Human sciences. It can be followed, or not, by a language course in a French-speaking country or a short industrial internship as a technician.

2nd year

In the second year, complementary courses to the basic training are taught in parallel with courses focused on applications and a more in-depth study of the “world of companies”. This can be done abroad in a partner university of INSA Lyon. This year usually ends with a long industrial internship (4-6 months) in France or abroad.

3rd year

It includes:

• a common core
   
• options accounting for up to one third of the face-to-face teaching to achieve, in specific areas, the scientific and technical level required by companies.
   
• an End of Studies Project (ESP) carried out in most cases in a laboratory at INSA Lyon on a topic proposed by a an industrial company. The ESP is conducted by teams of 2 to 4 students and draws on scientific knowledge and methodology taught during the courses; it assesses the skills acquired by students. The ESP is a real project conducted under the supervision of a professor-researcher using the methods and tools of research laboratories.
   

The engineering students also have the opportunity to prepare a Master’s degree in research as part of a dual curriculum which allows some students to continue on to PhD just after graduation. This year, or just the ESP, can also be done in one of INSA Lyon’s foreign partner universities.

Engineering students enrolled in arts-sections during the First Cycle continue their activity when joining the specialisation departments.