Postgraduate study programmes in
Livestock Health and
Production and
Veterinary Epidemiology
and Public Health
by distance and flexible learning
2015
Academic direction by:
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
10 key facts about your study with us
1.
5.
2.
6.
ou can gain a University
Y
of London degree through
the University of London
International Programmes,
from anywhere in the world.
T he programmes in this
leaflet were developed
by the Royal Veterinary
College, one of the
world’s leading centres
for veterinary science, so
you can rely on the quality
of the degree content.
ou receive comprehensive
Y
study guides specially written
by subject experts, as well as
access to online resources.
Virtual Learning
A
Environment enables
you to access online
discussions and take
part in online tutorials.
7.
ou are invited to allow us
Y
to share your contact details
with other students studying
on the programme in your
locality, so that networking
and mutual support can be
arranged locally if desired.
3.
T he programmes have
been designed to be
of worldwide relevance,
and offer options that
are suitable for people
of diverse professional
backgrounds.
4.
ur degrees will help you
O
to increase your potential
career development in
veterinary-related fields.
8.
VC academic staff
R
provide comments and
guidance on assignments.
9.
ou can study individual
Y
modules for professional
updating or special interest.
10.
ou can spread payments
Y
over your study period.
2
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
Contents
Postgraduate distance
learning in Veterinary Science
The University of London
International Programmes
4
The Royal Veterinary College (RVC)
5
Outstanding distance
learning opportunities
6
Hear from our staff
7
Livestock Health and Production
8
Veterinary Epidemiology
and Public Health
9
Individual modules for
professional development
10
The award you receive
13
How you study
14
Computer specification
16
Module outlines
17
Entrance requirements
20
How to apply and register
21
Fees23
Key dates:
Application deadline:
1 November
Registration deadline:
1 January
Exams take place:October
Please note: These dates apply to the MSc
degree, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate
Certificate only. There is no application or
registration deadline for individual modules.
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
3
The University of London
International Programmes
Dr Mary Stiasny,
Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) and Chief Executive
of the University of London International Programmes
For more than 150 years, the
University of London International
Programmes has been offering
degree programmes to students
worldwide. Today, we have 54,000
students studying in over 180
countries, bringing the University
of London to you through
distance and flexible learning.
As a family of world-class
institutions, the University has a
reputation for academic distinction
in teaching and research, both in
the UK and internationally. Ranging
from education to management,
and from law to philosophy, all of
our programmes are developed
by academics within the University
of London’s constituent Colleges.
This ensures that our awards
are recognised worldwide for
their quality and value, and that
students benefit from the academic
rigour and cutting-edge research
undertaken within the Colleges.
Studying with the University
of London is one of the greatest
investments you can make in yourself.
We look forward to welcoming
you into our global community of
students and wish you every success.
‘In the increasingly competitive environment
of worldwide access to higher education,
the University of London International
Programmes continue to offer a guarantee
of quality, value and intellectual rigour.’
Professor Sir Adrian Smith FRS,
Vice-Chancellor, University of London
4
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
The Royal Veterinary
College (RVC)
A welcome from Professor Stuart Reid | Principal, RVC
In the pages that follow, you
will find information concerning
postgraduate distance learning
study opportunities. These
include two MSc degree
programmes, diplomas,
certificates and individual
modules in Livestock Health
and Production and Veterinary
Epidemiology and Public Health.
No matter how you choose
to learn, postgraduate study
is increasingly becoming a
part of lifelong learning which
contributes to job satisfaction,
professional development
and career progression.
At the Royal Veterinary College,
students from all over the world
benefit from this programme.
They also have the privilege of
learning from some of the field’s
finest individuals, whose research
interests and expertise lie at the
cutting edge of science today. I
very much hope that you will
find a course here to interest you
and that we will soon be able to
welcome you to the College as
a distance learning student.
Developed by experts
The RVC is the UK’s longest
established veterinary school and
one of the most highly regarded
institutions of its kind in Europe.
The College has over
2,000 students enrolled on
undergraduate, postgraduate
and continuing professional
development programmes and
four state-of-the-art teaching
and referral hospitals, providing
services to the public and
the veterinary profession.
The College’s reputation for
excellence and pioneering work
in teaching and research makes us
stand out from the crowd, and our
independent status enables us to
innovate and keep at the forefront
of theory and practice. Postgraduate
students are taught by experts in
their field and are provided with
the specialist knowledge and skills
required to make it to the very
top of their chosen profession.
The new Teaching and Research
Centre provides a home for the
RVC’s lifestyle research, which
includes conditions such as
obesity/diabetes, chronic kidney
disease and arthritis, as well as
those with genetic roots.
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
5
Outstanding distance
learning opportunities
Dr Christine Thuranira-McKeever | Distance Learning Programme Director, RVC
As Programme Director, Christine
has overall responsibility
for providing academic and
administrative guidance for the
programmes. Reflecting on her
role, Christine says ‘providing
distance learning courses as
part of the University of London
International Programmes is a
challenging but very rewarding
role. We have students from all
over the world and our team works
very hard to ensure that we offer
them programmes that are of an
academically high standard and
relevant to the contemporary needs
of livestock farming and veterinary
medicine. It’s a wonderfully
rewarding experience to see our
students successfully completing
their courses and graduating.’
For further information about
the Royal Veterinary College,
please visit www.rvc.ac.uk
Internationally relevant
The programmes in this
leaflet will be of interest to
veterinarians, livestock farmers
and scientists who wish to
continue their professional and
academic development. We
expect that graduates of these
programmes will be able to:
< improve the health and
production of livestock
< understand the interaction
of livestock with people
and the environment
6
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
< gain an overview of the factors
that influence livestock production
(including components on
nutrition, reproduction, disease,
welfare and the environment)
< implement control strategies by
integrating this knowledge with
the principles of epidemiology,
economics and disease
control within the context of
management and infrastructure
< address the interaction between
livestock and the public, in terms
of zoonotic diseases and clean
food production
< communicate effectively on the
health of animal and human
populations to a range of
audiences, including the general
public, farmers, politicians and
other key policy makers.
All of our courses have been
designed to be of worldwide
relevance, and offer options that
are suitable for people of diverse
professional backgrounds.
Hear from our staff
Students completing our
Masters course will be equipped
with the skills required for
assessing and managing
risks related to animals
and animal-derived food.
During your studies you’re
going to learn about how
you can actually carry out
economic assessments, so
that you can improve the
allocation of resources.
Katharina Stärk
Jonathan Rushton
Watch Professor Stärk discuss the spread of
diseases between animals and humans on
our YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/141EJJp
Watch Professor Rushton discuss his work
on Foot and Mouth Disease protection
and control in Bolivia on our YouTube
channel: http://bit.ly/16o2lKD
Professor of Veterinary Public Health
Professor in Animal Health Economics
Understanding the principles
behind the relationship
between society, welfare
data and law will facilitate
you to apply them within
your own environment.
If students want to learn how
to contribute to effectively
controlling disease outbreaks
in different production systems
around the world, the MSc is a
very good way of doing that.
Martin Whiting
Dirk Pfeiffer
Production and Population Health Department
Watch Martin discuss the importance of
animal welfare and its relationship with
ethics and law on our YouTube channel:
http://bit.ly/16Ju315
Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology
Watch Professor Pfeiffer discuss the
outbreak of bird and swine flu on our
YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/bcD8ER
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
7
Livestock Health
and Production
concepts)’, at least one of the other
compulsory core modules, plus
two other modules, chosen from
the remaining core module and the
optional modules of the MSc degree
(excluding the ‘Research project’).
MSc degree: seven modules
(three core, four optional).
Postgraduate Diploma: four
modules: ‘Animal disease (Current
Postgraduate Certificate: two
modules, of which one must be
‘Animal disease (Current concepts)’
and the other must be chosen
from ‘Developing and monitoring
of livestock production systems’ or
‘Principles of livestock production’.
Structure
Three compulsory core modules:
< Animal disease (Current concepts)
< Developing and monitoring of
livestock production systems
< Principles of livestock production
PLUS four further optional
modules selected from:
< Animal welfare
< Economics for livestock
development and policy
< Epidemiology and animal
< Management of infectious disease
outbreaks in animal populationss
< Reproduction and fertility
– a species approach
‘There are no
MSc degrees in
Guatemala. In
addition, I had to
continue working
to support
my family, so
the RVC was
the perfect opportunity to study this
degree. As I had a lot of experience in
nutrition and production, my studies
completely complemented this and
gave me a broader view of animal
production. Management of infectious
diseases was very interesting in terms
of understanding the way diseases are
transmitted and how to handle them.’
< Research design, management
and grant application writing
< Research project in livestock
health and production
< Sustainable livestock farming
in the environment
< Veterinary public health
health economics
8
Profile: Carlos E. Soto
| MSc Livestock Health
and Production
graduate, Guatemala
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
Carlos works for Adisseo,
one of the global leaders in
nutritional feed additives.
Veterinary Epidemiology
and Public Health
MSc degree: seven modules
(three core, four optional).
Postgraduate Diploma: four
modules: ’Epidemiology and
animal health economics’ and
‘Veterinary public health’, plus two
other modules, chosen from the
remaining core module and the
optional modules of the MSc degree
(excluding the ‘Research Project’).
Postgraduate Certificate:
two compulsory core modules
in ‘Epidemiology and animal
health economics’ and
‘Veterinary public health’.
Notes on structures
s There are minimum computing
and software requirements
(please see page 16).
For both programmes, you must
study and pass the assessment in the
compulsory core modules prior to
commencing the optional modules.
Structure
Three compulsory core modules:
< Epidemiology and animal
health economics
< Statistical methods in
veterinary epidemiologys
< Veterinary public health
PLUS four further optional
modules selected from:
< Advanced statistical methods
in veterinary epidemiologys
< Economics for livestock
development and policy
< Management of infectious disease
outbreaks in animal populationss
< Research design, management
and grant application writing
< Research project in veterinary
epidemiology and public health
< Surveillance and investigation
Profile: Laura MacFarlane
| MSc Veterinary
Epidemiology and Public
Health graduate, Australia
‘What I enjoyed most about this course
was how practical it was, both in
applying it to my job in Australia, and
my volunteering in Bangladesh. For
instance, I completed an assignment
last year on designing a course on
geographical information systems and
I’m just about to give that to several
veterinary epidemiologists in Bangladesh,
to enable them to map disease outbreaks.
I have a fundamental belief that it
is important for people in developed
countries to transfer knowledge and
technologies to low income countries
as this can quickly improve living
standards and self-sufficiency.’
Laura is a Veterinary Officer with the
State Government of Victoria,
Australia. She finished her
degree while volunteering in
Bangladesh with the Australian
Volunteers for International
Development program. Watch
an interview with Laura on our
YouTube channel: http://
bit.ly/youtube-laura
of animal healths
< Developing and monitoring of
livestock production systems
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
9
Individual modules for
professional development
We offer 240-hour,
50-hour and 35-hour
individual modules.
Designed as standalone modules for
Continuing Professional
Development, they also
allow you to sample a
discrete learning unit.
There is no application
deadline and you can
apply at any time.
The study pack includes
all the required study
materials, such as
directed learning notes,
readings, textbooks and
a student handbook.
The registration period
for all individual
modules is two years.
10
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
240-hour individual modules
< These are the individual modules
you may request to transfer
to the degree programme.
of the two degree programmes.
For further details, please see the < Only two 240-hour individual
module outlines on pages 17-19.
modules may be used for
< Assessment includes one three
progression to the MSc/
hour written examination and
Postgraduate Diploma (one
submission of up to three Tutor
240-hour individual module for
Marked Assignments. Within
the Postgraduate Certificate).
< There is no application deadline.
the course material, there is a
choice of questions to respond
However, students often prefer
to. If successful, we will send you
to work alongside the degree
a Certificate of Achievement.
programme students and
< Examinations take place in
commence studying in February.
< Fee: £1,620 (in 2015).
October and may be sat in
the country of your choice.
< These are credit bearing modules.
Upon successful completion,
Please note: RVC also offer three Spatial Epidemiology modules
by distance learning. For further information, please contact the
Course Administrator, Ruth Chandler ([email protected]).
50-hour individual modules
50-hour and 35-hour
individual modules
< These modules are taken from
the degree programmes; they
enable you to study a standalone unit without committing
yourself to a full module.
< They are suitable for nongraduates or graduates.
< There are no entrance or English
language requirements.
< You may choose to be
assessed and, on successful
completion, we will send you
a Certificate of Achievement.
< From these modules, it is
not possible to transfer onto
the degree programme.
< Fees (2015): £595 for 50-hour
individual modules; £450 for
35-hour individual modules.
LVM501 Advanced risk analysis
using @ RISK software
LVM503Animal disease surveillance
LVM509Control of food safety:
red meat, poultry, eggs,
milk and milk products
LVM513Design and analysis
of epidemiological
investigations –
observational and
intervention studies
LVM510Development of a disease
control programme:
salmonella in pigs
and bovine TB
LVM506Introduction to veterinary
public health, risk analysis
and risk assessment
LVM512Principles, methodology
and sampling in
epidemiological
investigations
LVM508Principles of food
safety control and ‘farm
to fork’ concept
LVM515Tools for economic
analysis in epidemiology
LVM507Zoonoses of parasitic,
bacterial and viral origin
LVM502Herd health management
LVM511Introduction to statistics,
hypothesis testing, study
design and analysis of data
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
11
Individual modules for
professional development
35-hour individual modules
LVM333Animal health
analysis and database
management on farms
LVM334Animal Disease Modelling
LVM324An introduction to risk
analysis and risk assessment
LVM326An overview of zoonotic
diseases caused by bacteria,
virus and rickettsia
LVM325An overview of zoonotic
diseases caused by parasites
LVM305Animal transport and
slaughter – critical
welfare considerations
LVM329Control of food
safety – eggs, milk
and milk products
LVM328Control of food safety –
red meat and poultry
LVM318Design and analysis
of epidemiological
investigations –
intervention studies
12
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
LVM317Design and analysis
of epidemiological
investigations –
observational studies
LVM331Development of a disease
control programme
– bovine TB
LVM316Principles of veterinary
epidemiological
investigations and
some descriptive
epidemiological methods
LVM332Risk analysis using
@ RISK software
LVM330Development of a disease
LVM322Sampling in
LVM323Diagnostic decision making
LVM315Statistical aspects of
control programme –
salmonella in pigs
and epidemiological
disease information
management
LVM314Introduction to statistics
and hypothesis testing
LVM319Principles of farm animal
economic analysis
LVM327Principles of food
safety control and
antibiotic resistance
epidemiological
investigations
study design and
analysis of data
LVM320Tools for economic analysis
LVM321Use of economic tools
in epidemiology
LVM304Welfare issues in extensive
farming systems
LVM303Welfare issues in systems
involving confinement
The award you receive
As an International
Programmes student, you
register with the University of
London for one of its awards.
The academic direction of
your programme – including
the syllabus, assessment,
learning resources and,
where given, academic
support – is the responsibility
of a particular College, or
consortium of Colleges, of
the University of London,
known as the ‘Lead College’.
The Royal Veterinary College
(RVC) is the ‘Lead College’
for the programmes
in this prospectus.
When you graduate
with a degree, diploma or
certificate from the University
of London you will be sent
two documents – a final
diploma (i.e. the parchment
you receive on graduation)
and a Diploma Supplement.
The final diploma will
indicate that you were
registered with the University
of London and awarded a
University of London degree,
and give the name of the Lead
College which conducted
the examinations. The
University of London logo
and signature of the Vice-
Chancellor of the University
of London are incorporated.
The Diploma Supplement
will describe the nature, level
and content of the programme
you successfully completed and
include a transcript of modules
taken and marks achieved, as
well as the overall classification. It
also provides further information
about the role of the Lead
College and method of study.
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
13
How you study
If your job requires frequent
travel or you work irregular
hours, distance learning offers a
means of furthering your studies
without having to attend the
University in person. You also avoid
additional travel, accommodation
and living expenses of being a
full-time student in London.
How we support you
Although you are provided
with all the materials you need
to successfully complete your
study with a minimum of direct
academic support, you do
receive support in several ways:
<For each module, you can
submit up to three written
assignments for tutor
comment and assessment.
<RVC’s Distance Learning
Programme Office offers
tutorial support for academic
matters. Non-academic
matters should be directed
to the University of London
International Programmes.
14
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE)
A Virtual Learning Environment,
RVC Learn, enables you to
communicate with your fellow
distance learning students,
discuss issues concerning your
studies, and participate in
online tutorials with tutors at set
times. RVC Learn allows you to
access the RVC Intranet, the RVC
Community, and the Library area,
where you may access electronic
journals. It also provides access
to study materials, past exam
papers and a student forum.
Study materials
The study materials you
receive include:
<Student handbook with
information on planning
your studies, preparing
for examinations and
study techniques.
<Study pack for each module you
take, containing directed learning
notes and a series of readings
(book chapters and articles) on
recent developments in the field.
<Textbooks for certain modules.
<Samples of past examination
papers, and, where a module
has previously been examined,
an examiner’s report
<CD-ROMs (for certain modules).
Each year, an updated student
handbook is available online
via the VLE. You also receive
the relevant study pack for any
additional modules you take, and
any revised course materials.
As the materials are
comprehensive, you can complete
modules without access to
any additional textbooks or
readings. There is no need to
purchase additional textbooks
or try and locate journals which
may not be available locally.
Period of study
MSc and Postgraduate Diploma
students have between two to five
years to complete the programme.
Postgraduate Certificate students
have between one year and a
maximum of five. The ‘study
year’ is effectively between
February and September, with
examinations in early/mid-October.
Time commitment
Individuals differ in the number
of hours per week they need to
devote to study and in the number
of years in which they would like
to complete the programme
As a rough guide, we
recommend that you should
study between 10-15 hours per
week if you wish to complete
in the minimum period. It is
very important that study
hours, however many, should
be given consistently.
Assessment
mark counts as part of the formal
assessment. The two elements
are weighted: unseen written
examination (80%), compulsory
written assignment (20%).
Examinations
Examinations take place once
a year in October. If you fail an
examination at the first sitting,
you will have one further attempt.
Examinations are normally held in
a student’s country of residence.
We have examination centres in
over 180 countries worldwide.
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www.londoninternational.ac.uk/blog
Each module is examined by
a three-hour unseen written
examination, which may contain
essays and shorter questions.
You must also submit up to three
compulsory written assignments per
module. The one with the highest
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
15
Computer specification
Computer requirement
For the four modules ‘Advanced
statistical methods in veterinary
epidemiology’, ‘Management
of infectious disease outbreaks
in animal populations’,
‘Statistical methods in veterinary
epidemiology’ and ‘Surveillance
and investigation of animal health’,
you will require the following:
< Industry-standard personal
computer (please note that Macs
are not suitable as some of the
software is not compatible).
16
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
< Pentium-class processor or
better (Pentium IV MHz or
higher recommended).
< RAM 512MB minimum (1GB
or higher recommended).
< CD-ROM drive, double speed
(or faster recommended).
< Pointing device: Mouse.
< Display: Resolution 640 x
480 (minimum), 1024 x 768
(recommended); 256 colours
(minimum), 65536 colours or
higher (recommended).
< Windows 2000, XP
Windows NT4 or higher.
< 10GB of hard disk space.
Software requirement
For ‘Advanced statistical methods in
veterinary epidemiology’, access to
ArcGIS software (version 9 or higher),
including the extensions Spatial
Analyst and 3D analyst, is required.
For further information regarding
specific software requirements
for the above three modules,
please visit the course web page:
http://bit.ly/veph-structure
Module outlines
You can study the 240-hour
individual modules of the
MSc degrees, Postgraduate
Diplomas and Postgraduate
Certificates as stand-alone
modules for Continuing
Professional Development.
This allows you to sample a
discrete learning unit. The cost
of registering for a 240-hour
individual module is £1,540 in
2014. On successful completion
of the module, you may apply
to transfer onto the related MSc
degree, Postgraduate Diploma
or Postgraduate Certificate.
Please note that there are a
maximum number of 240-hour
individual modules which
may be used for progression.
VPM013 Advanced
statistical methods in
veterinary epidemiology
This module will provide an
introduction to advanced
methods of statistical modelling
of epidemiological data.
Subject areas: analysis of spatial
data; advanced aspects of
multivariable regression analysis;
analysis of correlated data; meta-
analysis and systematic reviews;
modelling of production data.
Prerequisite: Students should
study ‘Statistical methods
in veterinary epidemiology’
(VPM012) prior to registering
for this module. There is
also a software requirement
(please see page 16 for
further information).
LHM001 Animal disease
(Current concepts)
This module will enable
the student to appreciate
the external and internal
components of health, agents
of disease and how animals
respond to them, at an
individual and population level.
Subject areas: immunology;
parasitology; microbiology;
introduction to veterinary
epidemiology; principles
of veterinary pathology.
LHM016 Animal welfare
This module will provide a
comprehensive appreciation
of welfare and ethical issues
connected with farm animal
practice, animal breeding,
transport and slaughter,
companion animals,
laboratory animals, animals
used in competition and
wildlife. Subject areas: An
introduction to veterinary
ethics; the physiology of pain,
distress, fear and anxiety; The
effects of genetics on animal
welfare; Specific welfare
issues in companion, farmed,
laboratory, wild and competitive
animals; Welfare issues in
animal husbandry systems
transport and slaughter.
VPM018 Developing and
monitoring of livestock
production systems
This module will adopt a
farming systems approach to
permit the student to place
livestock production within
the context of the utilisation
of resources. This will allow
a critical consideration of
appropriate husbandry for
different animals in diverse
environmental and socioeconomic conditions.
Subject areas: An introduction
to farming systems; Details of
major livestock production
systems; Developing and
monitoring of functioning
livestock systems with farmers,
including organic farming;
Environmental, welfare and
breeding issues in sustainable
livestock husbandry.
LVM019 Economics for
livestock development
and policy
The objectives of this module
are to stimulate awareness of
the socio-economic, political
and environmental issues
that will affect future livestock
development and to provide
the tools to analyse the issues
confronting producers, their
advisers, planners and policy
makers. Subject areas: Basic
concepts of the economics of
livestock production; Extensive,
medium intensity and intensive
systems of livestock production;
Marketing and policy; Further
economics for the analysis of
livestock development; Tools
for livestock economists.
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
17
Module outlines
LVM004 Epidemiology
and animal health
economics
This module will enable
students to understand the
role of epidemiology and
economics in the design and
delivery of effective veterinary
services aimed at improved
animal health and productivity.
Subject areas: introduction
to statistics; introduction to
veterinary epidemiology –
basic principles, descriptive
epidemiology, study design,
sampling, quantitative
aspects of diagnostic testing;
animal health economics –
principles, partial budgets,
decision tree analysis, costbenefit ratio, economics
and project planning.
epidemiology of infectious
diseases; risk and cost-benefit
analysis; surveillance; diagnosis
and vaccination strategies
before and during an outbreak,
contingency planning and
case studies are used to
illustrate how disease outbreaks
could be better managed.
LHM002 Principles of
livestock production
This module will enable
the student to understand
how feeding, breeding,
management and interaction
with the environment influence
animal production and disease.
Subject areas: general principles
of nutrition; specialised areas of
nutrition (students will select
three of the following options
feeding dairy cows; feeding
LVM017 Management of
dual-purpose, beef and draught
infectious disease outbreaks cattle; feeding sheep and goats;
pig nutrition; poultry nutrition;
in animal populations
This module is designed to
nutrition of horses, camelids
teach both the theoretical and
and rabbits). In all the above
practical information required
cases, consideration will be
for the management of a major given to the different resources
infectious disease outbreak of
available in temperate
farm animals. Topics will include and tropical/subtropical
18
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
regions; environmental
studies, including climatic
effects and housing;
genetics; the physiology of
growth and lactation; the
relevance of reproduction
to livestock production.
LVM014 Research design,
management and grant
application writing
This module will enable
students to undertake a
research project, with an
appropriate study design to
validate a hypothesis and
LHM009 Reproduction
analyse the data, including
the presentation of results and
and fertility – a
writing a grant application.
species approach
This module will enable
Subject areas: introduction to
students to gain a
scientific research and how
comprehensive insight into the to formulate a hypothesis;
physiology of reproduction
literature search, critical
and the management and
analysis of papers and writing a
manipulation of fertility to
scientific review; experimental
optimise animal productivity.
and statistical design in
Subject areas: general principles project planning; project
of reproduction; introduction
management; preparing data
to reproductive anatomy and
for analysis – qualitative data,
physiology; control of breeding; quantitative data; statistical
fertilisation, conception and
analysis and analysing the
pregnancy; reproductive
validity of findings; report
disorders and disease;
writing, presentation of
embryo transfer and assisted
data and writing a scientific
reproduction; reproduction
paper; introduction to
management. Students will
grant application writing,
be required to specialise in
planning the project and
three of the following: cattle;
budget; guidelines to writing
small ruminants; pigs; camelids, a good grant proposal.
rabbits and poultry; equids.
LVM200 Research project
[Not available as a 240-hour
individual module.] Students
registered on the MSc may
choose to take an optional
research project. . The objective
of this module is to enable the
students to conduct a research
project and prepare a scientific
paper for publication in a peerreviewed journal. Students are
given guidance and supervision
from a distance in the following:
deriving a suitable hypothesis
to base the research project;
writing a critical literature review;
designing the appropriate study
with experimental and statistical
details; costing the project
and conducting experiments;
managing the project to obtain
relevant data; documenting
and analysis of results to achieve
a conclusion; selecting an
appropriate scientific journal
to publish the findings; and
preparing a paper for publication
according to author guidelines
of the selected journal.
Prerequisite: it is advisable
that students should study
‘Research design, management
and grant application
writing’ (LVM014) prior to
registering for this module.
VPM012 Statistical
methods in veterinary
epidemiology
The objectives of this
module are to introduce
statistical methods used in
veterinary epidemiology to
enable students to conduct
multivariable analysis
and statistical modelling
of epidemiological data.
Subject areas: introduction to
measures of effect; analysis
of cohort studies and casecontrol studies; likelihood,
multivariable analysis and
statistical modelling; simple
logistic model, logistic
regression, Poisson regression
and Cox regression.
VPM015 Surveillance
and investigation of
animal health
This module will provide in
depth knowledge of qualitative
and quantitative risk analysis,
animal health surveillance
programmes and introduce
students to disease modelling.
Subject areas: Qualitative and
quantitative risk analysis; Design
and evaluation of animal
health surveillance and control
programmes involving multiple
herds; Disease control methods
involving multiple herds;
Farm-level animal disease and
production surveillance; Disease
modelling using Deterministic
and Stochastic modelling.
LHM020 Sustainable
livestock farming in
the environment
This module aims to provide an
understanding of the threats
presented by changes in the
environment on livestock
production and wildlife
population, and explains
the ways in which global
and regional environmental
change can impact on
sustainability of farming
systems, conservation of
ecosystems and animal health.
It will outline approaches
that can be used to minimize
unwanted environmental
impacts of modern farming
and land use systems, as well as
consider the values academics,
researchers, veterinarians
and livestock specialists
attach to the environment
and to conservation issues.
The module will also guide
students in the approach
they take in future when
considering animal–
environment interactions.
LVM006 Veterinary
public health
This module will examine the
role of veterinarians and other
related professionals in the
protection of human health
through the safe production
of foods of animal origin,
control of zoonotic disease and
environmental contamination.
Subject areas: disease
surveillance and risk analysis;
zoonoses and their control;
disseminating information
on veterinary public health;
quality and safety assurance in
food production (meat, milk
and eggs); development of
disease control programmes.
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
19
Entrance
requirements
MSc degree
EITHER a second class honours
degree (or equivalent) in a scientific
subject, veterinary science,
animal science, agriculture,
biological sciences or medicine;
OR a second class honours
degree (or equivalent) in a
scientific discipline which has,
in the opinion of the University,
included suitable training.
Postgraduate Diploma,
Postgraduate Certificate
and 240-hour
individual modules
a degree or a technical or
professional qualification and work
experience considered appropriate
and relevant by the University.
50-hour and 35-hour
individual modules
There are no entrance or English
language requirements.
20
English language
requirement
With the exception of students
taking 35-hour or 50-hour individual
modules, all applicants must
provide evidence of their English
language ability. Applicants whose
first language is not English must
provide documentary evidence
acceptable to the University
that the applicant has, no more
than three years prior to the
application, either been educated
in English (minimum 18 months).
OR worked in English
(minimum 18 months);
OR passed a test of English
Proficiency acceptable to the
University of London within the
past three years – for example
IELTS with an overall score of 6.5
with a minimum of 6.0 in each
sub-test, or TOEFL iBT (internetbased Test) with an overall score
of 92 or above, with at least 22 in
both Reading and Writing Skills
sub-tests and at least 20 in both
Speaking and Listening sub-tests.
The University reserves the right to require an applicant
to pass, at an appropriate level, a test of proficiency in
English that is acceptable to the University before an
offer of registration can be made.
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
How to apply
and register
Getting started
< For 35-hour, 50-hour and 240-hour individual modules, please
apply online at www.londoninternational.ac.uk/distanceflexible-learning/individual-courses-modules/rvc
< For the MSc, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate
Certificate, please follow the process detailed below.
Stage 1
Apply online at www.
londoninternational.
ac.uk/how_to_apply as
soon as possible, but no
later than 1 November.
Post accompanying
documentation listed
on the form, to:
The Postgraduate
Admissions Office
University of London
International Programmes
Ground floor,
Stewart House
32 Russell Square
London WC1B 5DN
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7862 8360
Stage 2
We will acknowledge
receipt of your
application form and
send you a student
number to use as a
reference whenever you
contact the University.
Everyone who applies
is allocated a number.
Stage 3
We will notify you
whether or not you
have been accepted.
Note: applications will only
be considered when we have
received all the necessary
documentation, including the
references, where applicable.
Stage 4
If your application
is successful, we
will send you:
< an offer of registration
< instructions for
completion of the
online payment and
registration process
< a link to the Regulations.
Stage 5
Registration needs to be
completed by 1 January.
Study for the MSc degree,
Postgraduate Diploma and
Postgraduate Certificate
starts in February.
Photo: RVC graduates celebrating at the March 2013 Graduation Ceremony in London.
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
21
Profile: Dr Aungshuman
Das Gupta | Current MSc
Veterinary Epidemiology and
Public Health student, Dubai
‘The subject, as well as the opportunity
of interacting with the faculty of this
renowned university, presented a
dream course and a curriculum that
was to shape the foundation of my
career. I grabbed the opportunity and
enrolled in the Masters programme
without any hesitation whatsoever.
I am working in the largest commercial
camel dairy farm in the world. On a farm
like this, herd health management is
the most important thing. My study on
herd health management during the
course is helping to guide my approach
on different problems like feeding issues,
mastitis management and management
of calves, before and after they are born,
as well as overall disease situations.
I would strongly recommend this
degree to people who are working in
the field of epidemiology and public
health. Studying this degree has
changed the way I approach problems
related to my work, substantially
developing my knowledge regarding
how those issues can be mitigated.’
Dr Das Gupta is a veterinary
doctor at the Camelicious
Camel Dairy Farm, Dubai.
22
Postgraduate distance learning in Veterinary Science
Fees
The fees given below refer to the 2015 academic year only and
are effective from 1 March 2014 until 28 February 2015. Fees are
subject to annual review and may be paid in one of two ways:
Option 2
Option 1
On registration, a single payment
covering the registration
fee and all module fees:
Total MSc degree
£11,325
Total Postgraduate
Diploma£6,730
Total Postgraduate
Certificate£3,540
The total fee incorporates a discount
for payment in advance.
Individual modules
If you have any questions
about studying by
distance learning or
programme content,
please contact our Alumni
Ambassador, Stuart Jaques,
at [email protected]
The cost of registering for
an individual module is:
240-hour £1,620
50-hour £595
35-hour£450
Pay the registration fee, plus
the fee for each module you
take in your first year. Then, in
subsequent years, you pay the fee
for each new module you take.
MSc registration fee
£1,490
Postgraduate Diploma
registration fee
£1,120
Postgraduate Certificate
registration fee
£745
Fee per module
£1,490
Note: the University reserves the right to
make additional charges for issuing revised
or replacement study materials. In addition
to the University’s fees given on this page,
if you are sitting examinations overseas,
you will have to pay a fee to your local
examination authority (this fee will vary).
The information contained in this leaflet was correct at the date of publication but may be subject to change. The University does
not intend by publication or distribution of this leaflet to create any contractual or other legal relation with applicants, registered
students, their advisers or any other persons. For the most up-to-date information please visit our website.
Copyright © University of London. March 2014.
www.londoninternational.ac.uk/rvc
23
We offer a wide range of programmes for study by distance
and flexible learning, from full degree programmes to
certificates and individual courses/modules. For further
information, please visit our website or contact us at:
The Student Advice Centre, University of London
Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DN UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7862 8360
Web: enquiries.londoninternational.ac.uk
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