Program Overview

Veterinary Public Health, MPH

The Master of Public Health (MPH) in Veterinary Public Health degree provides interdisciplinary training that integrates veterinary sciences with core public health principles.

Program Details

• Level: Master's Degree
• Credits required: 42 credits
• Cost per credit: $518
• Next start date: January 5, 2026

Improve Public Health Through Veterinary Science

This program develops essential skills to monitor and control public health threats by understanding disease transmission among humans, animals, and the environment. It offers specialized training in the emerging public health discipline of One Health. Through a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, students emerge as leaders ready to make meaningful contributions to the field of veterinary public health.

Program Structure

The program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and can be pursued part-time or full-time. It is offered 100% online, allowing students to complete the program from anywhere around the world. The land-grant mission of Utah State University provides unique resources for studying the relationship between human and animal health.

College and Department

• College: College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
• Department: Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences

Learn from Experts in Veterinary Public Health

The College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences fosters an interdisciplinary approach to public health education and research. Faculty members are recognized experts with extensive experience in veterinary public health, integrating practical insights and field experiences into the classroom.

Faculty Testimonials

• Mirella Meyer-Ficca, Associate Professor: The Veterinary and Nutrition MPH program opens many career avenues to professionals with a passion for the wellbeing of humans, animals, and the environment.
• Dr. Chloe Stenkamp-Strahm, Adjunct Instructor: With climate change and evolving animal agriculture practices, the need for public health practitioners that have veterinary knowledge is high.

Student Feedback

Students appreciate the online structure of the MPH program, the flexibility it offers, and the opportunity to learn from experienced professors. The program helps students develop skills such as improving writing skills, with some even publishing essays written for assignments.

Student Testimonials

• Ashley Sheesley: The online structure of the MPH program was central to my success in graduating with my MPH.
• Lexie Zwerdling: Being a student in the veterinary MPH program has been a great experience, offering flexibility and applicable coursework.

Career Outlook

Graduates combine their knowledge of public health, veterinary medicine, and ecology to monitor and control public health, food safety, and environmental threats. This degree allows students to work and collaborate across a wide array of disciplines, including veterinarians, ecologists, and medical professionals.

Skills You'll Learn

• Leadership
• Research and analysis
• Public health communication
• Program planning and evaluation
• Advocacy
• Epidemiological methods
• Critical thinking

Veterinary Public Health Curriculum Preview

Course Highlights

• ADVS 5000 - One Health: People, Animals, and the Environment
• ADVS 6000 - Ecology and Health: Case Studies of Relationships Between the Environment, Organisms, and Health
• ADVS 6010 - Applied Veterinary Epidemiology
• ADVS 6100 - MPH Practicum

ADVS 5000 - One Health: People, Animals, and the Environment

This course introduces the core concepts and historical background underlying the emerging discipline of One Health, exploring the inter-disciplinary nature and key actors within this framework.

ADVS 6000 - Ecology and Health: Case Studies of Relationships Between the Environment, Organisms, and Health

This course encourages students to explore the complexity of relationships between changes in the environment, pathogenicity and distribution of organisms, and changing distributions of human beings and animals.

ADVS 6010 - Applied Veterinary Epidemiology

This course covers practical applications of epidemiology for veterinary medicine and public health, including outbreak investigation, questionnaire design, and diagnostic test evaluation.

ADVS 6100 - MPH Practicum

The practicum gives MPH students the opportunity to integrate and apply classroom learning with professional, real-world work experience at local, national, or international health organizations.