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

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)

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.

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 (your personal study plan)

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.

The workload for each module corresponds to the amount of credits allocated to the module, with 1 ECTS being about 25-30 hours of student investment time. Please note that your selection is provisional and can still be adapted once you are admitted to the course. The course coordinator will be happy to assist you with your final study plan.

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
• Applied Helminthology (4 ECTS) - bench training at ITM

Part 1 and 2: online (to be done at your own pace), part 3 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, limited places available!)
• Outbreak Investigations and Research (5 ECTS, 3 weeks full-time, limited places available!)

4.MINI-DISSERTATION

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

5.TIMELINE

The MSCGOH follows the South-African academic calendar: 1st semester: February – June followed by 3 weeks holiday and 2nd semester: July – November.

Year 1:

• Induction week: about 12 days in February of Year 1

• Basic Epidemiology (Core): Year 1, Sem 1
• Introduction to One Health (Core): Year 1, Sem 1
• Research Methodology (Core): Year 1, Sem 1 or Sem 2
• Introduction to Zoonoses (Core): Year 1, Sem 2

• Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases (Online): Year 1, Sem 2
• Advanced Epidemiology (Online): Year 1, Sem 2
• Animal Health Management: High Impact and Emerging Diseases (Online): Year 1, Sem 2

• Applied Serology (Blended): Year 1, Sem 2 (includes 1 week bench training in October of Year 1)
• Applied Bacteriology (Blended): Year 1, Sem 2 (includes 1 week bench training in October of Year 1)
• Applied Virology (Blended): Year 1, Sem 2 (includes 1 week bench training in October of Year 1)
• Selected Tick Identification (Blended): Year 1, Sem 2 (includes 1 week bench training in October of Year 1)
• Applied Molecular Biology: Basic concepts (Blended): Year 1, Sem 2 (includes 1 week bench training in October of Year 1)
• Applied Helminthology (Blended): Year 1, Sem 2 (includes 1 week bench training in October of Year 1)
• Molecular Data for Infectious Diseases (Blended): Year 1, Sem 2: Online part 1 (to be done at your own pace)

Year 2:

• Molecular Data for Infectious Diseases (Blended): Year 2, Sem 1: Online part 2 + Face-to-Face part (3 weeks full-time)

• One Health: Policy (Online): Year 2, Sem 1
• Surveillance and Survey Methodology (Online): Year 2, Sem 1
• Laboratory Diagnostics (Online): Year 2, Sem 1
• General Vector-borne diseases (Online): Year 2, Sem 1

• Applied Epidemiology (Face-to-Face): Year 2, Sem 1: 3 weeks full-time
• Global Health in times of crises (Face-to-Face): Year 2, Sem 1: 3 weeks full-time
• Outbreak Investigations and Research (Face-to-Face): Year 2, Sem 1: 3 weeks full-time

• Thesis Submission Date 1: Year 2, 31/03 (for defense in June of Year 2)
• Thesis Submission Date 2: Year 2, 30/09 (for defense in November of Year 2)