Rollins College

What you'll study

The programme blends foundational public-health training with specialised coursework in veterinary epidemiology and zoonotic disease. Core topics include principles of epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, infectious disease ecology, and health policy. Veterinary-focused modules cover zoonoses, animal disease surveillance, wildlife health, diagnostics and laboratory methods, and the One Health approach to interconnected human and animal health.

Students typically progress from introductory courses in public-health concepts and quantitative methods to intermediate and advanced seminars. Key learning elements include disease outbreak investigation, spatial analysis/GIS for disease mapping, risk assessment, and ethical and legal aspects of animal and public health interventions. The curriculum culminates in a practicum or internship with a public-health, veterinary or conservation partner and a capstone research or applied project addressing a real-world veterinary public-health problem.

Typical modules and subjects

• Introduction to Public Health
• Principles of Epidemiology
• Biostatistics for Health Sciences
• Zoonotic Diseases and One Health
• Animal Disease Surveillance and Control
• Environmental and Wildlife Health
• Laboratory Methods and Diagnostics
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Health
• Health Policy, Ethics and Risk Communication
• Practicum / Internship in Public or Veterinary Health
• Capstone Research Project

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a high-school diploma (or equivalent) with a strong science background. Successful candidates typically have completed coursework in biology and chemistry and demonstrate quantitative ability through mathematics or statistics courses. Admissions review considers academic record, personal statement, and letters of recommendation; relevant extracurricular experience such as volunteering with animal welfare organisations, wildlife conservation, or community health activities is an advantage.

For transfer applicants, college-level coursework in introductory biology, chemistry or statistics will be reviewed. Students planning to progress to professional programmes (for example veterinary school or graduate public-health training) should plan their electives and prerequisites in consultation with faculty advisors.

Career prospects

Graduates from this specialisation move into roles that address the interface of animal and human health. Typical career paths include positions as veterinary epidemiology assistants, disease surveillance technicians, outbreak investigation staff, public-health analysts for local or state agencies, wildlife health technicians, and programme officers in NGOs concerned with zoonotic disease control or food safety.

Many alumni also use the degree as preparation for further training: veterinary medicine (DVM), Master of Public Health (MPH) or research degrees in epidemiology, infectious disease ecology or environmental health. Employers include government health and agricultural departments, international health organisations, animal health laboratories, conservation NGOs and private-sector companies working in animal health, biosecurity and food-supply chain safety.

Why study at Rollins College

Rollins offers a liberal-arts environment with small class sizes and close faculty mentoring, which is well suited to interdisciplinary fields like veterinary epidemiology and public health. The college emphasises experiential and community-engaged learning, enabling students to complete internships and practicum placements with local public-health agencies, animal shelters, wildlife organisations and state veterinary services in Florida and the region.

Students benefit from personalised academic advising to customise coursework for career or professional-school goals and opportunities to undertake independent research projects with faculty. The campus environment and connections to regional health and conservation partners make Rollins a practical place to gain the applied skills needed for careers at the human–animal–environment interface.