Michigan State University

What you'll study

This master’s programme combines core public health methods with specialised training in veterinary epidemiology, zoonoses and food safety. Core modules typically cover epidemiologic study design, applied biostatistics, public health surveillance, outbreak investigation and research methods. Specialist modules explore disease ecology and transmission, diagnostic test evaluation, risk analysis and management, vaccine and control strategies, antimicrobial resistance, and foodborne disease epidemiology.

Teaching is delivered through a mix of lectures, case-based workshops, laboratory sessions and field/practicum experiences. Students normally complete a capstone experience such as a practicum placement with a public or animal health agency, a project partnering with industry or government, or a research thesis supervised by faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine and allied units.

• Core public health methods: epidemiology, biostatistics, surveillance and research ethics
• Veterinary epidemiology: study design for animal populations, population health metrics
• Zoonotic diseases and One Health approaches
• Food safety and foodborne disease epidemiology
• Risk assessment, diagnostic test interpretation and laboratory–field integration
• Applied outbreak investigation and emergency preparedness
• Practicum or research project/capstone integrating quantitative and applied skills

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a recognised undergraduate degree in veterinary medicine, animal science, biological sciences, public health or a closely related discipline. Professional veterinary degree holders are welcome, as are applicants with relevant laboratory or field experience. Admissions decisions consider academic record, letters of recommendation, a personal statement outlining interests in veterinary public health, and a CV.

Applicants may be asked to demonstrate competence in basic quantitative methods; prior coursework in biology, epidemiology or statistics is advantageous. International applicants must meet the university’s English language proficiency requirements. Some applicants pursue this MPH after, or alongside, clinical training; course advisers can confirm prerequisites and suitable preparatory modules.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for careers that bridge animal health and public health. Typical roles include epidemiologist or surveillance officer in national or state public health and animal health agencies, food safety specialist in regulatory bodies, disease control specialist with veterinary services, and positions with international organisations and NGOs focused on zoonoses and One Health.

Other career paths include employment in pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies (vaccine development, regulatory affairs), farm and production-animal health management, research and academic roles, and consultancy in risk assessment and emergency response. The programme’s practicum and project components are designed to support transition into applied roles and to build networks with industry and government partners.

Why study at Michigan State University

Michigan State University offers this programme within a campus environment that brings together a strong College of Veterinary Medicine, interdisciplinary public health expertise and applied research capacity in animal and food systems. Students benefit from access to veterinary clinical and laboratory facilities, collaborations across animal health, human medicine and environmental science, and connections with state and federal public health and agriculture agencies.

The programme emphasises hands-on learning through practicum placements, applied research projects and case-based outbreak exercises. Faculty include researchers and practitioners with expertise in veterinary epidemiology, zoonotic disease, food safety and One Health, enabling students to gain practical skills in study design, data analysis, surveillance implementation and policy-relevant risk assessment.

Graduates leave prepared to work across the interfaces of animal, human and environmental health, equipped to contribute to disease prevention, surveillance and response in local, national and international settings.