Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health (MSc, Postgraduate Diploma & Postgraduate Certificate)

Overview
Structure
Study materials
Fees
Assessment
Requirements
Leaders

Is this programme for me?

This programme will provide animal health specialists, epidemiologists and public health specialists with an understanding of the conceptual basis of veterinary epidemiology and public health. Please note: a related programme in Livestock Health and Production is also available.

Programme aims

Graduates of this programme will be able to:

develop their skills in basic and advanced statistical methods in order to undertake epidemiological investigations and disease modelling
understand the use of economic concepts in animal health and production
challenge the perceptions of what constitutes safe food production and make an objective judgement of contemporary issues such as antibiotic resistance
develop their own strategies for combating chronic farm animal diseases, control zoonotic diseases through surveillance and apply herd health programmes to maximise economic returns from animal production.

Programme summary

	You study	Study period	Cost (2012)
MSc	7 courses	2-5 years	£9,730
Diploma	4 courses	1-5 years	£5,780
Certificate	2 courses	1-5 years	£3,040
CPD courses	IIndividual modules, either 240-hour, 50-hour or 35-hour, are ideal if you’re keen to update your professional knowledge, enhance your career, or sample the programme. See individual modules and short courses for more info.

Prestige

The programme has been developed by academics at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the oldest and largest veterinary school in the UK and one of the leading veterinary research centres in Europe. In 1999, the RVC became the first UK veterinary school to be granted approval by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The RVC also provides support for the veterinary profession through its three referral hospitals, diagnostic services and continuing professional development courses.

Career progression

Graduates of the programme are employed in a variety of organizations, including the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), University Veterinary faculties and international organisations including the FAO and World Health Organisation (WHO).

Comprehensive study materials and support

The support you receive includes:

academic feedback on written assignments
tutorial support concerning academic matters from RVC staff
opportunities for local networking and mutual support from other students on the programme
as all of the study materials you require are mailed to you, there is no requiement to purchase expensive textbooks or spend time trying to locate journals, which may not be available to you locally.

Commonwealth Scholarships

Fully funded Commonwealth Scholarships are available for scholars who are nationals and live in the following developing countries Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia - to study the MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health by distance learning for academic year commencing February 2013.

The funding includes full tuition fees and travel grants to cover attendance at residential teaching workshops held annually in Mozambique, Tanzania or Zambia, in collaboration with the Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS). We are looking for applicants who have a first degree in veterinary science, agriculture, animal science or biological sciences.

How to apply

Application is a two stage process as follows:

Stage 1

Interested applicants must complete and submit the following:

1.Go to Commonwealth Scholarship Commission [external website] and complete the application form.
2.Complete the following outline application form: Scholarship Application Form [Word, 2 pages, 152Kb] is also required and should be emailed to the Course Administrator along with your Curriculum Vitae at rchandler@rvc.ac.uk
3.The deadline is Monday 28 May 2012.

Stage 2

Applicants will be notified of the outcome by Saturday 30 June 2012.

Successful applicants will be required to progress to Stage 2, which is completion of the University of London International Programme’s application process.

For further information please email: rchandler@rvc.ac.uk

Summary of key dates

Application deadline			1 November
Registration deadline			1 January
Programme starts			February
Examinations take place			October

MSc: seven modules

Postgraduate Diploma: four modules
Postgraduate Certificate: two modules

Please note: students must commence their studies with the core modules.

MSc structure

Three compulsory core modules

Epidemiology and animal health economics: This module will enable students to understand the role of epidemiology and economics in the design and delivery of effective veterinary services aimed at improved animal health and productivity. Subject areas: introduction to statistics; introduction to veterinary epidemiology – basic principles, descriptive epidemiology, study design, sampling, quantitative aspects of diagnostic testing; animal health economics – principles, partial budgets, decision tree analysis, cost-benefit ratio, economics and project planning.
Statistical methods in veterinary epidemiology: The objectives of this module are to introduce statistical methods used in veterinary epidemiology to enable students to conduct statistical modelling of epidemiological data. Subject areas: introduction to measures of effect; analysis of cohort studies and casecontrol studies; likelihood, multivariable analysis and statistical modelling; simple logistic model, logistic regression, Poisson regression and Cox regression.
Veterinary public health: The module will examine the role of veterinarians and other related professionals in the protection of human health through the safe production of foods of animal origin, control of zoonotic disease and environmental contamination. Subject areas: disease surveillance and risk analysis; zoonoses and their control; disseminating information on veterinary public health; quality and safety assurance in food production (meat, milk and eggs); development of disease control programmes.

PLUS four further optional modules selected from

Advanced statistical methods in veterinary epidemiology

This course will provide an introduction to advanced methods of statistical modelling of epidemiological data. Subject areas: analysis of spatial data; advanced aspects of multivariable regression analysis; analysis of correlated data; meta-analysis and systematic reviews; modelling of production data.

Note: Students must already have passed the compulsory core module 'Statistical methods in veterinary epidemiology' and will require access to Arc View 9.0, plus the extensions, Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst. The cost of the GIS software is NOT included in your course fee and you will need to purchase it, if you do not have access to it already. For details of how to purchase the software, please contact ESRI vand select your country of residence.

Developing and monitoring of livestock production systems

The objectives of this course are to stimulate awareness of the socio-economic, political and environmental issues that will affect future livestock development and to provide the tools to analyse the issues confronting producers, their advisers, planners and policy makers. Subject areas: Basic concepts of the economics of livestock production; Extensive, medium intensity and intensive systems of livestock production; Marketing and policy; Further economics for the analysis of livestock development; Tools for livestock economists.

Economics for livestock development and policy

Management of infectious disease outbreaks in animal populations

This course is designed to teach both the theoretical and practical information required for the management of a major infectious disease outbreak of farm animals. Topics will include epidemiology of infectious viral diseases, risk and cost-benefit analysis, surveillance, diagnosis and vaccination strategies before and during an outbreak, contingency planning and case studies to illustrate how disease outbreaks could be better managed.

Please view the information leaflet:
Management of Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Animal Populations [pdf: 2pgs, 550KB]

Research design, management and grant application writing

This course will enable students to undertake a research project, with an appropriate study design to validate a hypothesis and analyse the data, including the presentation of results and writing a grant application. Subject areas: introduction to scientific research and how to formulate a hypothesis; literature search, critical analysis of papers and writing a scientific review; experimental and statistical design in project planning; project management; preparing data for analysis - qualitative data, quantitative data; statistical analysis and analysing the validity of findings; report writing, presentation of data and writing a scientific paper; introduction to grant application writing, planning the project and budget; guidelines to writing a good grant proposal.

Research project in veterinary epidemiology and public health

The objective of this course is to enable the students to conduct a research project and prepare a scientific
paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Students are given guidance and supervision from a distance
in the following:

Deriving a suitable hypothesis to base the research project
Writing a critical literature review
Designing the appropriate study with experimental and statistical details
Costing the project and conducting experiments
Managing the project to obtain relevant data
Documenting and analysis of results to achieve a conclusion selecting an appropriate scientific journal to publish the findings and preparing a paper for publication according to author guidelines of the selected journal.
Pre-requisite: It is advisable that students should study ‘Research design, management and grant application writing’(LVM014) prior to registering for this module.

Surveillance and investigation of animal health

This course will provide in-depth knowledge of qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, animal health surveillance programmes and introduce students to disease modelling. Subject areas: qualitative and quantitative risk analysis; design and evaluation of animal health surveillance and control programmes involving multiple herds; farm-level animal disease and production surveillance; introduction to database management; deterministic and stochastic modelling of animal diseases.

Postgraduate Diploma structure

Two compulsory core modules

Epidemiology and animal health economics: This module will enable students to understand the role of epidemiology and economics in the design and delivery of effective veterinary services aimed at improved animal health and productivity. Subject areas: introduction to statistics; introduction to veterinary epidemiology – basic principles, descriptive epidemiology, study design, sampling, quantitative aspects of diagnostic testing; animal health economics – principles, partial budgets, decision tree analysis, cost-benefit ratio, economics and project planning.
Veterinary public health: The module will examine the role of veterinarians and other related professionals in the protection of human health through the safe production of foods of animal origin, control of zoonotic disease and environmental contamination. Subject areas: disease surveillance and risk analysis; zoonoses and their control; disseminating information on veterinary public health; quality and safety assurance in food production (meat, milk and eggs); development of disease control programmes.

Plus two other modules chosen from the remaining core module and the optional modules of the MSc degree (excluding the Research project).

Postgraduate Certificate structure

Two compulsory core modules

Epidemiology and animal health economics: This module will enable students to understand the role of epidemiology and economics in the design and delivery of effective veterinary services aimed at improved animal health and productivity. Subject areas: introduction to statistics; introduction to veterinary epidemiology – basic principles, descriptive epidemiology, study design, sampling, quantitative aspects of diagnostic testing; animal health economics – principles, partial budgets, decision tree analysis, cost-benefit ratio, economics and project planning.
Veterinary public health: The module will examine the role of veterinarians and other related professionals in the protection of human health through the safe production of foods of animal origin, control of zoonotic disease and environmental contamination. Subject areas: disease surveillance and risk analysis; zoonoses and their control; disseminating information on veterinary public health; quality and safety assurance in food production (meat, milk and eggs); development of disease control programmes.

Notes

Statistical methods in veterinary epidemiology, Advanced statistical methods in veterinary epidemiology, Surveillance and investigation of animal health all require the use of a computer.

There is a minimum computer requirement. Note Macs are NOT suitable as some of the software is not compatible. You will need access to the internet to study Research design, management and grant application writing.

Students wishing to take 'Advanced statistical methods in veterinary epidemiology' must already have passed the compulsory core course 'Statistical methods in veterinary epidemiology' and will require access to Arc View 9.0. The cost of the GIS software is NOT included in the module fee. If you do not have access to the software, then you will need to purchase it. Please contact ESRI, the software provider, for assistance concerning purchase.

The GIS software used by this programme is subject to a US export embargo, which covers a small number of nations. The list of countries affected by the embargo can be found on the US Department of the Treasury website [external link]. You are strongly advised to visit this website before making an application.

Short courses and stand-alone individual modules

The individual courses of the degree can also be studied as stand-alone 240-hour short courses for Continuing Professional Development. On completion of the course you can transfer onto the degree programme. Please note that there is a maximum number of 240-hour short courses which may be used for progression purposes. There is also a range of shorter 50-hour and 35-hour short courses. See individual courses and modules for more information.

How you study

Although the programme is designed to be followed successfully with a minimum of direct academic support, you are able to receive support in several ways:

Up to three written assignments for each course will be provided for you to complete and submit for tutor comment and guidance. The marks for the best of these will count in the formal assessment process. Although the marks obtained for the other essays do not contribute to the overall assessment, students often find it helpful to receive academic feedback on their work to ensure that they are reaching the required standard. In addition, writing essays can be a useful aid in preparing for examinations.
You are offered tutorial support for academic matters through the University of London International ProgrammesOffice at the Royal Veterinary College. Your enquiry will be answered by an appropriate member
of the panel of experts from the RVC academic staff who support this programme. However, the RVC is unable to provide support on non-academic matters.
An online discussion board has been introduced for selected courses. This provides the opportunity to collaborate with others via discussion rooms. You will require access to the internet (either dial-up or broadband) to participate. At set times, a tutor will be online to answer questions and we are planning to run tutorials during the academic year.
Students are invited to allow us to share their contact details with other students studying on the programme in their locality, so that networking and mutual support can be arranged locally if desired.

Study materials

When you first register as an External student you will receive:

a Student handbook, giving you information on planning your studies, preparing for examinations and study techniques
a Course pack for each course you study. This will contain a folder of directed learning notes, along with a series of readings. The readings will consist of copies of book chapters and articles which have been specially selected from leading academic journals and books. These will present the most concise and readable information and recent developments in the field
Textbooks for certain courses
Videos for certain courses
Samples of past examination papers, and, where a course has previously been examined, an
examiner’s report
CD-ROMs (for certain courses).

In subsequent years of your registration you will receive:

an updated Student handbook; the relevant course pack for any additional courses you begin studying; any sample/past examination papers and reports not previously received.

The programme is designed so that you are provided with all the materials you need to study. The materials are comprehensive so you will be able to complete the courses without access to any additional books or readings. There is, therefore, no need to purchase expensive textbooks, or to spend valuable time in trying to locate journals which may not be available locally.

Period of study and time commitment

Students registering for the MSc degree programmes have a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years in which to complete, whilst Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate students have a minimum of one year and a maximum of five. The ‘study year’ is effectively between February and September, with examinations in early/mid-October.

Because individuals differ in the number of hours per week they need to devote to study, and in the number of years in which they would like to complete the programme, it is difficult to be precise about the number of hours’ study required. A rough guide, however, is that to complete in the minimum period you should be prepared for not less than 10 hours of study per week and 15 hours would be recommended. It is very important that the hours given to study, however many they may be, should be given consistently.

Fees

When you register, you can either pay the total amount upfront or pay as you go (a one-off registration fee plus a fee for each course). When you register, you can either pay the total amount upfront or pay as you go (a one-off registration fee plus a fee for each course). The fees below are for the 2012 session. The fees for the 2013 session will be posted here in due course

	2012
MSc registration fee	£ 1280
Postgraduate Diploma registration fee	£ 960
Postgraduate Certificate registration fee	£ 640
Postgraduate Certificate registration fee	£ 640
Fee per course	£ 1280
TOTAL MSc*	£ 9730
TOTAL Postgraduate Diploma*	£ 5780
TOTAL Postgraduate Certificate*	£ 3040
*This incorporates a discount for payment in advance

Continuing Professional Development courses	2012
240-hour short course	£ 1335
50-hour short course	£ 490
35-hour short course	£ 365
ConvertGBP x 1

Note:

Fees are subject to an annual review and the University reserves the right to amend previously announced fees, if necessary. The University reserves the right to make additional charges for issuing revised or replacement study materials. In addition to the University’s fees given above you should also budget for the fee that your local examination centre will charge to cover its costs.

How to pay

Western Union - Quick Pay.
Credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Electron, JCB).
Sterling banker's draft/cheque.
International money/postal order.

Further details are given in ways to pay.

Academic Requirements

For the MSc degree either:
(a) a second class honours degree or the equivalent in a scientific subject, veterinary science, animal science, agriculture, biological sciences or medicine; or
(b) a second class honours degree in a scientific discipline which has, in the opinion of the University, included suitable training.

For the Postgraduate Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate and 240-hour and 50-hour Short courses a degree or a technical or professional qualification and work experience considered appropriate and relevant by the University.

Language Requirements

For awards at FHEQ level 7, students must provide satisfactory evidence showing that they have passed within the previous three years a test of proficiency in English at the following minimum level:

IELTS with an overall grade of at least 6.5 with a minimum of 6 in each sub test; or
TOEFL with a score of 600 of 250 on the computerised test plus a Test of Written English (TWE of at least 4.5); or
a test of proficiency in English language from the prescribed list published by the University.

Where an applicant does not meet the prescribed English language proficiency requirements but believes that they can demonstrate the requisite proficiency for admission the University may, at its discretion, consider the application.

Note: Some programmes will require greater proficiency in English language; these requirements will be reflected in the relevant programme regulations.

Computer Requirements

Online access and general computer requirements
As one of our students you need to have regular access to a computer and the internet; this may be for accessing the Student Portal, downloading course materials from the Virtual Learning Environment, and accessing resources from the Online Library. You will also need to have access to appropriate software, for example, a PDF reader and suitable hardware capacity on your computer, e.g. for document storage. Additional requirements include that you have JavaScript and cookies enabled to access particular online systems, for example, the Student Portal.

Supported Browsers include:
Internet Explorer 7+
Firefox 5+
Chrome 13+

Screen resolution (recommended)
1024 x 768 or greater

Certain programmes may have their own specific requirements, please refer to the relevant Regulations.

Academic leadership - Royal Veterinary College

The Royal Veterinary College (external link) is the UK’s longest established veterinary school and one of the most highly regarded institutions of its kind in Europe. The College has over 1,500 students enrolled on undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development programmes and four state-of-the-art teaching and referral hospitals, providing services to the public and the veterinary profession.

The College’s reputation for excellence and pioneering work in teaching and research makes us stand out from the crowd, and our independent status enables us to innovate and keep at the forefront of theory and practice. Postgraduate students learn alongside experts in their field and are provided with the specialist knowledge and skills required to make it to the very top of their chosen profession. The Royal Veterinary College is one college spread over two campuses, one based in central London and the other in rural Hertfordshire. We are ideally located for all international transport links and within easy reach of London’s many other excellent universities and research hospitals.

Academic leaders

Christine Thuranira-McKeever

Christine graduated from the University of Kent in Canterbury and went on to read for a Masters degree in Development Economics at the University of Manchester, in 1995. She moved to the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi and Addis Ababa, and worked there for a number of years before leaving to undertake a PhD at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine. Her research focused on the costs of livestock disease to small holder farmers in developing countries and the socio-economic factors influencing smallholders' ability to productively keep livestock. After completing her PhD, Christine worked as a research associate for a DFID-funded Animal Health Programme, based at the University of Edinburgh. This was a competitive grants programme that funded research into animal health issues in the developing world. During her time in Edinburgh University, Christine was also involved in teaching undergraduate students. Her research interests remain in the field of international development, mainly from a livestock and agriculture perspective. Christine was appointed to her current post in July 2008.

Brian Aldridge

Brian graduated with a BVSc from the University of Liverpool in July 1984. After graduating he completed an MS at Colorado State University and then enrolled in a PhD programme in the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Two successive Post-doctoral appointments followed in 1993 in the Department of Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA and in 1999, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of California-Davis. Brian was appointed as an Associate Professor, Large Animal Medicine. Duties at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University, California in 2003 and Adjunct Professor, College of Agriculture, California State Polytechnic University. Brian now holds the post of Professor, Production Animal Medicine at The Royal Veterinary College.

Brian has been a participant in a broad tapestry of experiences during his veterinary career, ranging from general practice to training and participation in large animal tertiary care clinical medicine, from performing field and clinic-based research to the development of a molecular programme for examining the host-pathogen interface and population immunogenetics, to designing and promoting a new veterinary school pedagogy for clinical skill instruction.

Apply online

Alumni Inspiration: MSc Veterinary Epidemiology & Public Health

Miguel Calapez Patricio runs his own business, Senlac Associates, based at Heathrow airport. He is a senior vet, advising on importation of products of animal origin from third countries into the European Community.

Academic Inspiration : MSc Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health

Dr Jonathan Rushton discusses his work on Foot and Mouth Disease protection and control in Bolivia. Management of infectious disease outbreaks in animal populations is a course covered in the MSc Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health.

Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health (MSc, Postgraduate Diploma & Postgraduate Certificate)