Veterinary Epidemiology (Taught)

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.

This course is also available as a Postgraduate Diploma.

Please note: applications for the 2026/27 academic year are expected to open in November 2025. This information relates to 2025/26 academic year and will be updated in due course.