MSc in Global One Health: diseases at the human-animal interface

Course programme

The MSCGOH is a 2-year blended programme (mainly web-based with optional face-to-face parts) that is offered in collaboration with the University of Pretoria (UP), South Africa. It is a part-time programme allowing students to combine work and study. The MScGOH consists of 4 parts:

1. An induction week (if possible in South Africa, otherwise online)
2. Compulsory online core modules (18 ECTS)
3. Elective modules (12 -14 ECTS)
4. A mini-dissertation (30 ECTS)

1.INDUCTION WEEK (about 12 days in February of the 1st year)

Under normal circumstances, the induction week takes place at the Onderstepoort Campus of the University of Pretoria and at the Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station (Kruger National Park, South Africa). Some parts of the core modules are given during the induction week. This is also an excellent opportunity for students and staff to get to know each other. The induction week will be given online, if Covid-19 does not allow us to travel to South Africa.

2.COMPULSORY CORE MODULES (largely online) - You can follow these modules from your home (if you cannot attend the induction week, there is a possibilty to follow these lectures online)

• Research Methodology (3 ECTS, introduction during induction week)
• Basic Epidemiology (4 ECTS, introduction during induction week)
• Introduction to Zoonoses (5 ECTS)
• Introduction to One Health (6 ECTS, introduction & workshop during induction week)

3.ELECTIVE MODULES

You can choose electives for a minimum of 12 ECTS credits and a maximum of 14 ECTS credits and you can only choose 2 modules that have an on-campus part (= blended or face-to-face modules). This means that you can choose 3 or 4 electives.

3 A) ONLINE MODULES: You can follow these modules from your home.

• One Health: Policy (3 ECTS)
• Surveillance and Survey Methodology (3 ECTS)
• Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases (3 ECTS)
• Laboratory Diagnostics (4 ECTS)
• Advanced Epidemiology (4 ECTS, Pre-requisite: Basic Epidemiology)
• General Vector-borne diseases (4 ECTS)
• Animal Health Management: High Impact and Emerging Diseases (4 ECTS)

3 B) BLENDED MODULES:

Online plus 1 week bench training at ITM (Belgium) or UP (South Africa):

• Applied Serology (3 ECTS) - bench training at UP
• Applied Bacteriology (3 ECTS) - bench training at UP
• Applied Virology (3 ECTS) - bench training at UP
• Selected Tick Identification (3 ECTS) - bench training at UP
• Applied Molecular Biology: Basic concepts (3 ECTS) - bench training at UP or ITM
• Applied Helminthology (4 ECTS) - bench training at ITM

1st part online (4 weeks to be done at your own pace), 2nd part at ITM, Belgium (3 weeks full-time):

• Molecular Data for Infectious Diseases (5 ECTS, please also check the eligibility criteria of this specific module)

3 C) FACE-TO-FACE MODULES: at ITM, Belgium

• Applied Epidemiology (4 ECTS, 3 weeks full-time, pre-requisite: Advanced Epidemiology)
• Global Health in times of crises (5 ECTS, 3 weeks full-time, this module can also be followed online)
• Outbreak Investigations and Research (5 ECTS, 3 weeks full-time)

4.MINI-DISSERTATION

Research project: experimental labwork, fieldwork, systematic review and meta-analysis or epidemiological study.

ADDITIONAL INFO ON YOUR STUDY PLAN

At application, students will have to select electives to build their study plan. The study plan can be adapted in consultation with the course coordinator/thesis supervisor.

The workload for each course corresponds to the amount of credits allocated to each course with 1 ECTS being about 25-30 hours of student investment time. The student investment time is the total amount of time that is estimated to be required to obtain the learning outcomes of each course but it can vary among students (some need more or less time). Read through the study guides before selecting a course to see if it is feasible for the time that you have available to study. Your course coordinator is happy to assist you with the calculation of the workload and time investment that needs to be foreseen to successfully complete the course. A final study plan must be submitted by the end of March (of the year that you start the MSCGOH).