Veterinary Epidemiology MSc

About the Course

This innovative MSc addresses the global grand challenges of animal health and food security. Drawing on the remarkable range of expertise at the University of Edinburgh and SRUC, this MSc covers the latest research and techniques in veterinary epidemiology taught by those doing the research.

Programme Description

Our MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology explores the fundamental processes driving disease transmission, persistence and prevalence in livestock and wildlife systems, and the role of disease in the performance of livestock production.

Animal health and disease control are crucial components in key global grand challenges such as food security and climate change. This online MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology allows students across the world to develop the skills needed to meet these global challenges.

You will learn about the fundamental drivers of disease dynamics in livestock and wildlife systems. We focus on how disease dynamics are influenced by biological processes (e.g. host behaviour, physiology, ecology) and environmental and management practices (e.g. husbandry, nutrition, livestock trade).

This ‘bottom up’ disease systems approach offers in-depth understanding of complex infection patterns seen in livestock and wildlife host communities, which improves prediction of disease risk and control. This approach will allow you to identify drivers of disease outbreaks, and help control outbreaks at the broader scale rather than on a case-by-case basis. This will enable you to have a greater impact on animal health, welfare and productivity in your own region.

This MSc covers the latest research and techniques in veterinary epidemiology, taught by those doing the research. Agriculture and veterinary research at the University of Edinburgh and SRUC has been ranked as the most powerful in the UK. You will have access to this remarkable range of expertise, with lectures and tutorials delivered by those involved in cutting-edge research. You will interact with active researchers throughout the MSc, and apply the latest knowledge to your own areas of interest.

The Certificate (60 credits) is studied over 1-2 years, the Diploma (120 credits) is studied over 2-4 years and the full Masters (180 credits) can take from between 3-6 years to complete.

Assessment

The range of assignments focus on developing applied skills in veterinary epidemiology. With an emphasis on real world applications and informative feedback, you will do more than just write essays.

Each assessment is designed to help you hone a range of applied skills, and you will receive tailored support and feedback for each assignment. This will enable you to apply your knowledge and skills in a supportive environment, before using them in the real world.

Assignments include: developing research proposals, analysing real datasets, creating infographics, preparing papers for publication, critically evaluating the latest research.