Wartburg College

What you'll study

The programme blends foundational public‑health disciplines with specialised training in veterinary epidemiology, zoonotic disease control and One Health practice. You will take courses that develop quantitative, laboratory and field skills and complete experiential learning through practicum or research.

• Core public‑health topics: Introduction to Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Health Policy and Ethics.
• Biological and laboratory sciences: General Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, Pathobiology and laboratory methods relevant to infectious agents.
• Veterinary epidemiology and One Health: Zoonotic Diseases, Animal Population Health, Surveillance Systems, Outbreak Investigation, Risk Assessment and One Health frameworks linking human, animal and environmental health.
• Applied skills and technical tools: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for health, data management, molecular diagnostics basics and statistical software for public‑health analysis.
• Capstone and experiential components: A practicum placement with a public‑health agency, state animal‑health office, veterinary clinic or research project, plus a senior capstone or research thesis integrating epidemiologic methods and applied problem solving.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a secondary‑school diploma with strong preparation in the sciences and mathematics. Typical preparation includes high‑school biology and chemistry, and coursework in algebra or statistics. Wartburg College evaluates applications holistically; competitive applicants demonstrate academic readiness, relevant extracurricular experience (for example in animal care, laboratory work, volunteer public‑health activities) and a clear interest in the intersection of human and animal health. Standardised test requirements follow the college’s general admissions policy.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for roles that bridge animal and human health, or for further professional and graduate study. Typical career paths include:

• Disease surveillance technician or epidemiologic investigator with local or state public‑health and animal‑health agencies.
• Assistant veterinary epidemiologist, animal health officer or biosecurity technician in government, industry or non‑profit organisations.
• Laboratory technician or research assistant in diagnostic, pharmaceutical or academic settings.
• Infection prevention and control roles, risk‑assessment analyst, or policy support positions related to zoonoses and food safety.
• Progression to graduate study such as Master of Public Health (MPH), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), MSc or PhD in epidemiology, infectious disease or related fields.

Why study at Wartburg College

Wartburg College offers a liberal‑arts environment with small class sizes and close faculty mentorship, which benefits students pursuing interdisciplinary fields like veterinary epidemiology. The college emphasises hands‑on learning through laboratory classes, field placements and undergraduate research, and its Midwestern location gives access to agricultural, veterinary and public‑health practicum sites. Students gain a broad scientific foundation alongside practical skills in surveillance, diagnostics and data analysis, preparing them for applied work or advanced study in One Health and public‑health professions.