The origin of this degree lies in the "doctorate courses" that existed in legal studies in France until they were replaced in 1925 by the Diplôme d'études supérieures en France [fr] ("DES"). The Decree of the 2 May 1925 created in each faculty of Law 4 DES: DES in Legal History Roman Law, DES in Private Law, DES in public Law and DES in Politics and Economics. It required students to obtain two of them undergraduate studies to be able to begin a doctorate (PhD). In 1964, the undergraduate studies took 4 years (4-year licence, and eventually 3-year licence and a one-year maîtrise) and only one DES was necessary to begin a doctorate. 2 additional DES are created in each faculty: DES in Criminal Law and Politics and Economics are separated in two DES.
The Decree of the 16 April 1974 replaced the DES with the Diplôme d'études approfondies [fr] ("DEA") for research and afterwards the Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées ("DESS") for professional orientation. Additional LL.M. (DESS or DEA) are created. In 2005, with the Bologna Process, these two degrees are replaced with a second year of Master ("Master 2") degree with a selection of students among the general pool of students in France after the first year of Master ("Master 1", following the 3-year licence). "Master 2" programs are sometimes divided between the Master 2 Research (inheritors of the DEA programs) and the Master 2 Professional (inheritors of the DESS). In 2021, Paris II followed new government rules to select students after the 3-year licence to do a two-year masters' degree with specific "parcours" ("paths") in second year (corresponding to the LL.M.). The masters' degree is mandatory to pursue a PhD degree.
