Emory University

What you'll study

The curriculum combines core public health coursework with specialised training in veterinary and zoonotic disease topics. Typical components include:

• Core public health methods: biostatistics, research methods, epidemiologic principles and study design.
• Infectious disease and zoonoses: transmission dynamics, pathogen ecology, foodborne disease and vector-borne infections.
• Veterinary epidemiology: animal population health, surveillance systems for livestock and wildlife, diagnostic interpretation and herd-level risk assessment.
• One Health and environmental health: interfaces between human, animal and ecosystem health, environmental drivers of disease emergence and risk mitigation strategies.
• Surveillance and outbreak response: syndromic surveillance, laboratory linkages, field investigation methods and emergency preparedness.
• Health policy and ethics: policy development for animal and public health, regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations in disease control.
• Applied experience: practicum or field placement with public health agencies, non-governmental organisations or research groups, and a capstone project or thesis demonstrating applied epidemiologic skills.

Entry requirements

Successful applicants typically hold a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine, animal science, biology, public health or a related discipline. Admissions documentation usually includes official transcripts, a current CV, a personal statement describing professional goals and interest in veterinary/public health, and two or three letters of recommendation. Relevant professional or volunteer experience in clinical veterinary practice, laboratory work, public health, disease surveillance or research strengthens an application. Applicants whose first language is not English are normally required to demonstrate English proficiency.

Career prospects

Graduates are equipped for roles in governmental public health agencies, international organisations, research institutions, academia and the private sector. Typical positions include field epidemiologist, veterinary public health officer, surveillance specialist, outbreak response coordinator, risk assessor for food safety, One Health programme manager and research analyst. Employers commonly include national public health institutes, ministries of agriculture, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NGOs and pharmaceutical or diagnostics companies focused on zoonotic diseases.

Why study at Emory University

Emory offers exposure to a strong public health research environment and direct engagement with public health practice through partnerships in Atlanta and globally. Students benefit from faculty with expertise across epidemiology, infectious disease and One Health, opportunities for practicum placements with leading public health agencies, and access to interdisciplinary research centres. The programme’s applied focus prepares graduates to translate epidemiologic evidence into operational disease-control strategies and policy recommendations.

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