Colorado State University

What you'll study

This programme combines core public health training with specialised coursework and practical experience in veterinary epidemiology and zoonotic disease control. Students complete MPH core subjects in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health policy and social determinants of health, and then focus on veterinary-specific topics.

• Core MPH topics: applied epidemiology, biostatistical methods for public health, research design, health policy and ethics, and practicum/capstone experience.
• Veterinary epidemiology specialisms: infectious disease epidemiology, outbreak investigation and response, disease surveillance systems, diagnostic test evaluation, risk assessment, and population medicine.
• Quantitative and spatial methods: advanced regression techniques, survival analysis, spatial epidemiology and geographic information systems (GIS) applied to animal and zoonotic disease surveillance.
• One Health and policy: interdisciplinary approaches to human–animal–environment health, public health law as it pertains to animal health, and risk communication.
• Practical training: a field practicum or internship with public-health agencies, diagnostic laboratories or international organisations, and a research thesis or an applied capstone project emphasising real-world surveillance or outbreak analysis.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a bachelor's degree in veterinary medicine (DVM), animal science, biology, public health or a closely related discipline. Applicants with professional veterinary qualifications, relevant laboratory or field experience, or strong quantitative skills are also well suited.

• Academic transcripts demonstrating relevant undergraduate study; competitive applicants typically show strength in biological and quantitative coursework.
• A personal statement outlining research interests, career goals and experience relevant to veterinary epidemiology or public health.
• Letters of recommendation (usually two or three) from academic or professional referees who can speak to the applicant’s suitability for graduate-level public health training.
• A current CV or résumé documenting veterinary, laboratory, research or fieldwork experience.
• International applicants must meet the university’s English language proficiency requirements.
• GRE scores may be optional or considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the applicant’s background; relevant work or research experience can strengthen an application.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for roles that bridge animal health and public health across government, industry, academia and non-governmental organisations. Typical career paths include:

• Veterinary epidemiologist or public health officer in national or state agencies (for example in animal health services, ministries of agriculture or public health departments).
• Positions with international organisations and NGOs engaged in zoonotic disease control, One Health initiatives and emergency response.
• Work in diagnostic laboratories, surveillance programmes and biosecurity units focusing on disease monitoring, test validation and outbreak detection.
• Roles in food safety and public health agencies concerned with foodborne zoonoses, risk assessment and policy implementation.
• Research and teaching positions in universities and research institutes, or technical roles in pharmaceutical and biotech companies developing vaccines and diagnostics.

Why study at Colorado State University

Colorado State University offers access to a well-established veterinary college, applied research centres and diagnostic laboratory facilities that support hands-on training in veterinary epidemiology. Students benefit from faculty expertise in infectious disease ecology, population medicine and One Health, and from established partnerships with state and federal animal-health agencies that facilitate practicum placements and collaborative research.

The programme emphasises practical, field-oriented learning—outbreak investigations, surveillance system design and applied data analysis—and is designed for students aiming to work at the interface of animal and human health. The university’s location and networks provide opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement and career placement in public- and animal-health sectors.