This is a multidisciplinary programme that bridges the fields of epidemiology, laboratory sciences and public health. It includes a strong practical component and the opportunity to undertake a research project overseas. The course will train students in all aspects of the control of infectious diseases and prepare them for a career in a range of organisations.

This course will equip students with specialised skills that will facilitate a career in the control of infectious diseases as staff of health ministries, health departments, national or international disease control agencies, aid organisations or universities.

The majority of the research projects are performed overseas, with collaborating public health or research organisations and NGOs. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this overseas opportunity, which is crucial to the nature of the course.

Duration: one year full-time or split-study over two years. Modes of study explained.

• Full programme specification (pdf)
• Intercalating this course

Objectives

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• investigate the transmission of endemic and epidemic infections
• select appropriate methods of control
• design, implement and evaluate co-ordinated control methods
• assess constraints of local public health delivery systems
• manage available resources in the context of the control of infectious diseases
• focus their efforts on particular geographical regions or specific diseases

Structure

Term 1

After orientation, students take two compulsory modules: Basic Statistics and Introduction to Disease Agents & Their Control, which focus on the life cycle and characteristics of infectious disease agents according to their principal transmission routes; the principal intervention strategies used to combat infectious diseases; and examples of successes, partial successes and failures in intervention programmes against infectious diseases.

In addition, students take one of the following module combinations:

• Basic Epidemiology; Health Economics; and Health Policy, Process and Power
• Extended Epidemiology and Health Economics or Health Policy, Process and Power

An interdisciplinary approach is emphasised which takes account of the social, political and economic context in which health systems operate.

Terms 2 and 3

Students take a total of five study modules, one from each timetable slot (Slot 1, Slot 2 etc.). The list below shows recommended modules. There are other modules which may be taken only after consultation with the Course Directors.

*Recommended modules

Slot 1

• Designing Disease Control Programmes in Developing Countries*
• Epidemiology & Control of Malaria*
• Health Care Evaluation*
• Childhood Eye Disease and Ocular Infections
• Clinical Infectious Diseases 1: Bacterial & Viral Diseases & Community Health in Developing Countries
• Clinical Virology
• Economic Evaluation
• Health Promotion Approaches and Methods
• Maternal & Child Nutrition
• Research Design & Analysis
• Study Design: Writing a Study Proposal.

Slot 2

• Clinical Bacteriology 1*
• Conflict and Health*
• Design & Analysis of Epidemiological Studies*
• Population, Poverty and Environment*
• Statistical Methods in Epidemiology*
• Advanced Diagnostic Parasitology
• Clinical Infectious Diseases 2: Parasitic Diseases & Clinical Medicine
• Health Systems
• Qualitative Methodologies

Slot 3

• Applied Communicable Disease Control*
• Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections*
• Current Issues in Safe Motherhood & Perinatal Health*
• Economic Analysis for Health Policy*
• Medical Anthropology & Public Health*
• Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health*
• Tropical Environmental Health*
• Vector Sampling, Identification & Incrimination*
• Basic Parasitology
• Clinical Infectious Diseases 3: Bacterial & Viral Diseases & Community Health in Developing Countries
• Modelling & the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
• Nutrition in Emergencies
• Organisational Management
• Social Epidemiology

Slot 4

• Clinical Bacteriology 2*
• Epidemiology & Control of Communicable Diseases*
• Analytical Models for Decision Making
• Clinical Infectious Diseases 4: Parasitic Diseases & Clinical Medicine
• Ethics, Public Health & Human Rights
• Globalisation & Health; Sexual Health
• Vector Biology & Parasite Infections

Slot 5

• AIDS*
• Applying Public Health Principles in Developing Countries*
• Integrated Vector Management*
• Advanced Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
• Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
• Integrating Module: Health Promotion
• Integrating Module: Health Services Management
• Mycology
• Nutrition Programme Planning
• Principles and Practice of Public Health

Further details for the course modules

Project Report

During the summer months (July - August), students complete a research project studying aspects of an intervention programme, for submission by early September. If appropriate, this may take the form of an optional period in a relevant overseas location. Most students on this course undertake projects overseas. Students undertaking projects overseas will require additional funding of up to £1,500 to cover costs involved.

Titles of some recent summer projects completed by students on this MSc