MSc Veterinary Epidemiology

In a world where global transport links allow rapid movement of people and animals, disease can spread more quickly than ever before – making it harder to control. It’s estimated 70% of new or emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin. So it’s a critical need to unravel the complex interplay between animal and human health, rather than studying either in isolation.

Running for over twenty years, this is a joint programme by LSHTM and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). It combines LSHTM's strengths in epidemiological principles and communicable disease epidemiology, with the RVC’s expertise in veterinary epidemiology, disease control and surveillance, economics of one health, and spatial analysis.

The course is also supported by policymakers actively engaged in shaping UK animal health policy. Several of these experts are guest lecturers, bringing frontline epidemiology into the classroom.

Our focus on animal and human epidemiology will help you effectively address the intricate connections between animal and human health. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to tackle animal and public health challenges on a local, regional, and global scale.

What you will learn

• Understand the role of epidemiology in animal and human populations and the contribution of epidemiology to other disciplines, in a one health approach
• Design and evaluate health surveillance, quantitative and qualitative risk assessments, and disease control programmes within animal populations
• Learn how to design research studies capable of addressing a diverse range of research questions
• Manage and analyse epidemiological data
• Assess results of studies including critical appraisal of question, design, methods and conduct, quantitative analysis and interpretation

You will receive training in methodological skills for carrying out epidemiological studies and analysing data, while learning skills in surveillance and disease control in animal and human populations. Our optional modules then give you the chance to study spatial analysis or economics of one health.

Students always tell us one of the highlights of this course is the inter-disciplinary nature of teaching at both institutions, with most modules attended by students from several different programmes. This encourages you to approach problems from different angles, which leads to better decision-making and solutions.

RVC is home to the Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group (VEEPH). Researchers within this group are involved in projects across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, working with organisations such as Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

As part of the programme, you’ll also complete a three-month research project, applying what you have learnt. Many of these student projects originate from the cutting-edge epidemiological research conducted by the VEEPH group. Previous projects include spatial modelling of Lassa Fever spillover risk in West Africa, a survey of respiratory health and management of Australian horses and economic consequences of Johne’s disease infections in UK dairy cattle.