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Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology MSc

London, Bloomsbury

This programme builds on UCL's research strengths in epidemiological skills applied to the field of infectious diseases - a field that has become centre stage due to the coronavirus pandemic. You will also focus on new technologies (omics) for analysing pathogens and their applications in tackling global public health challenges. You will be equipped for a career at the intersection of epidemiology and biological science, with a strong emphasis on public health medicine.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2022/23)
£12,900
£6,450
Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2022/23)
£26,600
£13,300
Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 academic year
2 academic years
5 academic years
Programme starts
September 2022
Applications accepted
All applicants: 18 Oct 2021 – 30 Jun 2022

Applications closed

Notification

Application closes at 17:00 GMT.

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Honours in a relevant degree of a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, a professional qualification in a health related area such as medicine or nursing of an equivalent standard. Relevant research, work or volunteer experience will be viewed favourably. Students without the minimum academic standards may be considered if they have extensive relevant work or research experience.

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

You will learn principles of basic statistics and epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and infection pathogenesis. You will also study infectious diseases in high, middle, and low-income settings, using examples in the classroom drawn from a range of conditions, including STIs, HIV, TB, influenza and other airborne viruses, and emerging, vaccine-preventable, vertically transmitted, and vector-borne diseases.

Who this course is for

Applications are encouraged from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds including researchers and non-governmental organisation workers, medical and veterinary doctors, nurses, and development practitioners. This diversity increases opportunities to learn from other students' skills and experiences.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Infection prevention and control is a major global health priority. Researchers, public health personnel, security analysts, international health professionals, policymakers, and those working in health-related finance all need to understand infectious disease epidemiology at some level, and the barriers that prevent infection control. 

Tomorrow’s infectious disease epidemiologists will need a firm grounding in core principles such as transmission dynamics and study design and analysis. However, radical developments and scientific advances, including sequencing and other molecular technologies, big data opportunities, and the microbiota, have changed the way we can measure host-pathogen relationships. 

This MSc takes an interdisciplinary approach to infectious disease epidemiology, layering basic and clinical science, bioinformatics and molecular epidemiology on top of essential statistical, epidemiological and critical appraisal skills.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The programme is designed to teach you to approach infectious disease problems with an interdisciplinary perspective. You will develop a diverse set of skills needed for work as an infectious disease epidemiologist including study design, planning, conducting and interpreting statistical analyses, critical appraisal, oral presentations, team work, project management and planning, and writing for scientific and lay audiences. These skills are relevant for a wide range of careers within epidemiology and public health including research and evaluation, policy formulation and programme planning and implementation.

Employability

We expect students graduating from this MSc to be competitive for a range of jobs in epidemiology and public health, including analyst, research assistant or policy positions. The first cohort of alumni from the AIDE programme graduated in 2020 and have moved in to a variety of infectious disease epidemiology roles in research and public health institutions within the UK and internationally. A number are also pursuing further study and have been successful in securing places in funded PhD programmes.

Teaching and learning

The AIDE programme encompasses a range of formative and summative assessments that involve group and individual work on tasks designed to consolidate knowledge and build skills in addressing real-life infectious disease problems. All core modules and most optional modules are assessed by coursework rather than exams. Examples of coursework tasks include investigating an outbreak, developing a proposal to tackle an infectious disease problem, critically appraising papers, and conducting and presenting statistical analyses. You will build skills in presenting your work orally and in a variety of written formats including short reports, responses to questions, data visualisations and a dissertation.

Classes take place during business hours. Modules are delivered as blocks of study. The duration of modules ranges from one to ten weeks.

Modules

You will be introduced to the key concepts in infection and population health in the first term. You will synthesise understanding about microbiology, immunology and epidemiology of pathogens to inform infection control and public health interventions. You will also acquire basic statistical skills and a good understanding of infectious disease epidemiology.

In term 2-3 you will extend your understanding of molecular epidemiology and choose optional modules from a selection offered by UCL Institute of Global Health, the UCL Department of Infection and Immunity and elsewhere. These modules have been loosely organised into two pathways that relate to potential careers after completion of the programme:

You will be supported to choose two optional modules fitting with your own interests and career aspirations from a selection including those aimed at developing more advanced or specialised knowledge in implementation and research methods, basic science of infectious diseases, or quantitative skills in epidemiological data analysis.

Modules will be assessed through a variety of methods including coursework, an unseen exam, long essays, project or programme proposals and presentations.

You will also write a research project that you will present as a dissertation in the format of a journal article, a lay summary and a presentation. The research proposal can include primary research, secondary data analysis or a literature review in a field related to infectious disease epidemiology. 

Part-time students need to take 90 credits in Year 1 (not including the dissertation) and take 90 credits including the dissertation in year 2. GLBH0041 is prerequisite for taking GLBH0034.

Modular/flexible students should discuss their programme with the course director before making any module selection. GLBH0041 is prerequisite for taking GLBH0034.

Compulsory modules








Optional modules
















Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

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All open days and events

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Graduate Open Events: MSc Health Economics and Decision Science

Listen to our virtual graduate open event to learn more about our MSc Health Economics and Decision Science programme, meet our programme leads and hear the answers to the questions you may have about studying at the UCL Institute for Global Health.

Watch on demand event

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: MSc Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Listen to our virtual graduate open event to learn more about our MSc Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology programme, meet our programme leads and hear the answers to the questions you may have about studying at the UCL Institute for Global Health.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2022/23) £12,900 £6,450
Tuition fees (2022/23) £26,600 £13,300

Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

Funding opportunities relevant to this programme include:

  • Institute for Global Health Postgraduate Bursary
  • Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) Dissertation Studentship 
  • Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme.

Find out more on the Institute for Global Health website

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)

Applications for this scholarship are now closed for 2021/22
Value: Full fees, flights, stipend, and other allowances (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology at graduate level
  • why you want to study Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

In addition to the above, please ensure your personal statement addresses why you have chosen the programme with particular regard to its focus on quantitative epidemiology and statistics.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute for Global Health Department
Institute for Global Health Department

igh.aide@ucl.ac.uk

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