Higher Education Programmes

The Senate of the University of Ibadan approved revised curricula that mainstreamed One Health competences in the surveillance of human-animal diseases for the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Senate paper 7073) on 30 September, 2024.

Revised Curriculum for the Degree of Master of Science in Epizootiology
Revised Curriculum for the Degree of Master of Veterinary Public Health

Master of Science in Epizootiology

This track is central to the change proposed for zoonoses containment capacity building in West Africa. Its curriculum development is underway and shall be flexible in subject combination, trans-disciplinary in nature, and uniquely designed to attract varied background for the attainment of the “One- Health” initiative. This program is particularly suitable for an immediate assistance to Sierra Leone and Liberia that have critically low veterinary manpower at the moment. The track provides courses that focus on concepts and practice of epizootiology, epizootiological basis of endemic, emerging and neglected zoonoses, diagnostic techniques and molecular characterization of the causal pathogens of zoonoses, design and Implementation of disease outbreaks Investigation, geo-referencing and mapping of disease risk factors (clusters, foci and hotspots), biological risk management planning, monitoring and evaluation of zoonoses control projects. It includes disease reporting competence.

Admission requirement for Master of Science in Epizootiology (Zoonoses Surveillance Track)

Applicants shall be required to have a minimum of Second Class Honour Lower Division in any degree in Community Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture, Animal Health, Animal Production, Biology, Zoology, Sociology, Statistics, Education and related biomedical subjects.The programme leading to the Award of MSc. degree in Epizootiology shall normally last for three semesters of fulltime, two of which would be spent on course work while the third would be spent on West African Fieldwork and research projects (A semester with CCPZ in the west coast of Africa). A student shall register for minimum of 30 units including all compulsory and required courses. To be awarded the MSc. degree in Epizootiology, a student must pass a minimum of 30 units which shall include all compulsory courses. All candidates must satisfy the minimum graduation requirements of the University of Ibadan.

M.Phil.-PhD and PhD

The M.Phil.-PhD and PhD will focus on research and mentoring. This will comprise hands-on practicum training on detection, prevention and containment of zoonoses, using selected hotspots of endemic and neglected zoonotic as practicum in the southern part of Nigeria and in selected countries of West Africa. The M.Phil.-PhD and PhD will focus on training of manpower that will effectively understand the state-of-the-arts in zoonoses detection, prevention, and containment system and to utilize the system efficiently in Nigeria and in West Africa.

The programme leading to award of PhD degree in zoonotic studies shall normally last for minimum of six semesters of full time study.

Admission Requirement for M.Phil and M.Phil/PhD Degree

· Candidate with relevant application MSc. degree can proceed to M.Phil/Ph.D.

· Candidate may be required to take and pass and approved combination of 800 level courses

· Candidates will be required to carry out an original research and submit a dissertation on a topic chosen in consultation with the supervisor and approved by the University senate.

Admission Requirement for PhD

Entry into the PhD programme shall on competitive basis. The following are criteria for admission for of student to the programme.

· Admission is open to candidates who have attained a minimum average of 60% in any of the relevant and applicable Master’s programmes.

· Candidates for the M.Phil degree programme of the University of Ibadan who have satisfied the course requirements for the degree and have permitted by senate to upgrade their registration on the satisfactory progress in research.

Regulations governing the Award of the Degree

Examinations shall be conducted in accordance with existing regulations of the postgraduate school, University of Ibadan. To qualify for the award of PhD, the following conditions must be fulfilled. The candidate must sit for and pass all the compulsory courses as well as any combination of one set of elective courses. The candidate must also satisfy all other requirements of the postgraduate school governing the award of the PhD degree.

Preference will be given in the selection process to middle career officers from related Ministries, Research and Academic Institutions in West Africa.

A semester with CCPZ in the West Coast of Africa

A Semester with CCPZ in the West Coast of Africa offers a unique summer opportunity to master the arts and science of disease surveillance. See activities at https://ccpzui.maps.arcgis.com - The 2013-2014 cohort was in Liberia and Ghana. The rubber plantation environment and Lassa fever epidemics in Liberia, 2008-2012: A spatial regression. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sste.2014.04.005

Certificate of Participation in Human-Animal Disease Surveillance (Short Cource Programme)

This short course is essential for building a critical mass of skilled manpower in human-animal disease surveillance in West Africa. In particular, by working together within sub-regional zoonoses hotspots, the CCPZ certificate programmme is flexible in module, trans-disciplinary in nature, and uniquely designed to attract participants from diverse educational backgrounds. The short course builds “One-Health, One-West-Africa” network. This programme is essential in post-Ebola outbreaks in West Africa. The short course modules focus on detection and diagnosis of human-animal disease pathogens, identifying exposure risk factors, their pattern of spread, time series analysis of cases and indigenous knowledge and practices that may contribute to spatial patterns seen in local communities. This training fosters sub-regional (international) biosecurity engagement training programme for human-animal disease surveillance in West Africa.

Social Responsibility for Epizootiology in West Africa

 Interns at CCPZ contribute to a network of multi-disciplinary experts in human-animal disease surveillance in West Africa. The network recognizes the need for harmonized and peer-reviewed social responsibility agenda for professionals in the sub-region. To this end, an archive of sub-regional Systematic Epizootiology is compiled into the

Journal of Epizootiology and Animal Health in West Africa

Course work

The primary aim of the first year of the collaborative Masters and PhD Programme is to guide students further into contemporary intellectual frontiers of knowledge through a series of intensive courses taught by industry and lending international academic experts.