The École centrale de Lyon is traditionally known for its research and education in applied science and engineering. It excels in the research fields of acoustics, biosciences and nanotechnology, and is continuously ranked in the top five "Grandes Écoles" for the quality of its engineering graduate programs. The school is well-reputed for educating and training highly skilled engineers through many specialized graduate programs with a strong emphasis on laboratory instruction. Students graduate with a degree known as the "diplôme d'ingénieur", which is an academic title protected by the French government and equivalent to a Master of Science, or with a Ph.D. upon completion of their doctoral studies.