Master of Science in Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics

Objectives

1. To produce qualified and competent professionals with the required theoretical and practical knowledge and skills of Veterinary Epidemiology and economics and to serve as a center for animal health research and training in Ethiopia in particular in sub-Saharan Africa and Africa at large.

Entry Requirements: Applicants must have completed the academic requirements for the Bachelor's degree in veterinary sciences (BVSc), DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) or MD (Doctor of Medicine) or other related sciences from accredited higher learning institutions. The candidate must pass qualifying (entrance) examination of the University. He/she must be supported by at least 2 letters of recommendation, preferably from the candidate’s under-graduate instructors, employers and professional associations. Besides, the candidate must pass the national Graduate Admission Test (GAT).

Duration of Study: This MSc program is a two-year program. The first year is for coursework and the second year is for research.

Graduate Profile: Graduates with MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics are expected to have the following skills, competencies, Knowledge and attitudes.

Skills

Apply the basic terminology and definitions of epidemiology used to identify patterns of disease and injury in Veterinary field and apply epidemiological methods to identify and control of health problems.

Develop their skills in basic and advanced statistical methods in order to undertake epidemiological investigations and disease modeling

Apply epidemiological principles to surveillance and infection and disease control within animal and human populations

Apply the principles of animal health economics

Apply the principles and concepts of safe food production and make an objective judgment of contemporary issues such as antibiotic resistance

Identify key sources of data and apply descriptive techniques commonly used to summarize public health data used to inform scientific, ethical, economic, and political discussion of health issues

Calculate basic epidemiological measures, apply common statistical methods, and interpret results of statistical analyses used in animal health studies.

Able to advise the public health related officials and guide them in policy making.

Knowledge

Demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts underpinning the discipline of veterinary epidemiology;

Select an appropriate study design when confronted with an epidemiological research question and develop a detailed study protocol capable of answering the research question;

Analyze and interpret epidemiological data derived from cross-sectional, case-control and follow-up studies

Review critically published epidemiological literatures

Evaluate strengths and limitations of epidemiologic reports.

Have knowledge on the prevention and control of major national and transboundary animal diseases

Describe a public health problem in terms of magnitude, person, place, and time.

Comprehend basic ethical and legal principles pertaining to the collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of epidemiologic data.

Attitudes

A person of higher creativity, social consciousness, and professional ethics with a sense of responsibility to work towards national goals and development.

Conduct productive professional activities by ethical and legal codes for the well-being of animals and the benefit the society

Recognize limitations in one’s expertise and seek further knowledge in the area of own specialization and supportive fields

Make oneself self-ready to learn from the environment and the local community, respect values and traditions of the society and add scholarly contributions to them.

Graduation Requirements: The Master of Science degree program in Veterinary epidemiology & economics has a coursework requirement of 30 credit hours or 61 CP and 6 credits hour or 60 CP of research work on which a thesis must be written and defended successfully. Students will be governed by the Senate Legislation under the provisions of Academic Rules and Regulations in the Graduate Programs, Bahir Dar University.

Degree nomenclature: The degree conferred on successful candidates will be called in English: the degree of master of science in “VETERINARY EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ECONOMICS” in Amharic “የሳይንስ ማስትሬትድግሪ በቬተርናሪ ኢፒዲሞሎጅእና ኢኮኖሚክስ”