Course summary

In a world where global transport links allow rapid movement of people and animals, disease can spread more quickly than before and is harder to control than ever. In such a world there is a growing need for trained epidemiologists at the front line of disease surveillance. The UK leads the way in providing this training and, in order to meet the demand for skilled professionals, the RVC has developed a unique postgraduate veterinary epidemiology course, delivered jointly with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). This demanding masters in veterinary epidemiology programme is led by veterinary epidemiologists and supported by policy makers from the forefront of UK government and you will gain a fascinating insight into the work of the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA, formerly AHVLA). Your areas of study will combine LSHTM’s strengths in epidemiological principles and communicable disease epidemiology, with the RVC’s expertise in veterinary epidemiology, animal health and production. Why study at the RVC? Founded in 1791, the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, is a long-established institution with a global reputation for veterinary and biological sciences. Our mission is to provide visionary leadership and excellence in veterinary science through innovative scholarship and pioneering clinical activity. We are the only veterinary school in the world to be accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council. The LSHTM The LSHTM is a world-leading centre for research and postgraduate education in public health and global health, and was recently named the world’s leading research-focused graduate school (Thomson Reuters / Times Higher Education, 2013). It has been cited as one of the world’s top universities for collaborative research. The LSHTM's mission is to improve public health and health equity in the UK and worldwide, working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice. What will I learn? Upon successful completion of the course you will be able to:

• Demonstrate and understand the key concepts underpinning the discipline of veterinary and medical epidemiology

• Select an appropriate study design when confronted with an epidemiological research question and develop a detailed study protocol capable of answering the research question

• Analyse and interpret epidemiological data derived from cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies

• Review critically the published epidemiological literature

• Apply epidemiological principles to surveillance, and infection and disease control, within animal and human populations

• Communicate effectively with researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds

• Communicate effectively with other people with an interest in human and animal health, including the general public and key policy makers.