Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Public Health (EAD) (PC-VPHEAD)

The Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Public Health has been re-named Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Public Health from 2015. New students will not be admitted to the Postgraduate Certificate. Students interested in studying this program should refer to the Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Public Health.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Public Health (Emergency Animal Diseases) comprises the first four subjects of the Master of Veterinary Public Health (Emergency Animal Diseases). The Graduate Certificate and the Graduate Diploma also represent early exit options from that Masters course.

The Master of Veterinary Public Health (Emergency Animal Diseases) is an online Masters degree for veterinarians, animal scientists and animal health workers to enable them to work effectively in organised responses to emergency animal disease occurrences, in Australia and internationally.

For the past 25 years the animal health and quarantine services in the Commonwealth and State governments have encouraged continuing education and have provided a number of short courses in “exotic” diseases for graduate veterinarians to promptly detect, control and eradicate newly introduced and other emergency diseases. This course will enhance and formalise this training and educational experience by providing co-ordinated and targeted modules to cover the skills that have been identified from experience in recent emergency diseases situations, such as Hendra virus infections and the 2007 outbreak of equine influenza in Australia.

This course has been developed in direct partnership with CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory and the Victoria State Government’s Department of Primary Industries. It has been tailored to suit experienced full time animal health professionals, expecting to remain in employment whilst studying part-time. The online method of delivery and broad range of elective topics will provide students with flexibility and allow them to manage their study commitments and educational needs.

The first subject (VETS50003 Selection and Interpretation of Laboratory Tests) will be taught as a short residential course to cover hands-on experience and to personally introduce students to each other as well as to their future tutors and mentors to ensure that they are familiar with the resources and requirements of online learning.

Other subjects in the Veterinary Public Health (Emergency Animal Diseases) program may be studied individually under the Community Access Program, without applying for the full program. Any such successfully completed subjects may later be credited towards the Master, Diploma or Certificate level degrees in Veterinary Public Health (Emergency Animal Diseases).