Master's in Global Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health 2024–2025

The University Master in One Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health is characterized by a clear multidisciplinary component. Therefore, the Master is aimed at Bachelor graduate students or degrees linked to very varied areas of knowledge, but with relevance in the field of Health from a global perspective. Specifically, the degrees that allow direct access to the Master are those corresponding to the following official degrees:

Degree in Veterinary

Degree in Medicine and Surgery

Degree in Food Science and Technology

Degree in Biotechnology

Degree in Biology

Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics

Degree in Nursing

Agrifood and Rural Engineering

Degree in Environmental Science

Other degrees:  branches of Health Sciences or equivalent Life Sciences.

The teaching of the master will be face-to-face and it will be taught  in Spanish (English friendly mode) and therefore the knowledge of Spanish (level B2 or similar) is recommended for potential foreign students. Some of the classes and presentations, especially those given by external foreign experts, and the specific documentation for the different subjects will be in English, so a B1 level of English is recommended for all students.

Access

Access to official University Master's courses at the University of Zaragoza is achieved by meeting certain of the following requirements:

a) Having an official Spanish university degree or another Spanish Master's Degree.

b) Having an official Spanish university degree obtained under curricula previous to the current organization of university education: Bachelor, Architect, Engineer, Diploma, Technical Architect or Technical Engineer.

c) Having a foreign tertiary education qualification analogous to an official Spanish university degree or declared equivalent to a Bachelor's or Master's Degree by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

d) Having a Bachelor's or Master's degree from universities or higher education institutions from a country in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), which allows access to Master's studies in that country.

e) Having a foreign higher education qualification obtained from an education system outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that is equivalent to the Bachelor's degree, without the need for approval or declaration of equivalence, and having obtained the corresponding resolution of "authorised access" to official University of Zaragoza Master's courses - following a check to ensure the level of training implied by this qualification - provided that the qualification allows access to postgraduate university studies in the country where it is issued.

Admission

In addition to meeting the general access requirements, applicants must meet the specific requirements detailed in the verification report for each Master's Degree.

This information can be found on the website for each Master's Degree: https://estudios.unizar.es/estudio/lista-ramas?tipo_id=6

Calidad => Documentos => Memoria de verificación 

Language requirements

If applying for admission to a Master's Degree taught in Spanish at the University of Zaragoza and your mother tongue is not Spanish, you must present documents attesting to sufficient knowledge of the Spanish language to follow the classes. An interview may be held to verify your Spanish language ability. When a check of specific Spanish language ability is required for the Master's degree requested, this level is assessed in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Application for admission to University Master's studies will be made through the Internet, filling out the online form and following the instructions in:

At each admission stage, people who meet the general access and specific admission requirements may be admitted to a Master's Degree in accordance with the assessment criteria established in the verification report for that Master's degree.

The Master's advisory committee or, where applicable, the organisation mentioned in the verification report will review the applications received based on the relevant assessment criteria, considering the documents provided by the applicants, and shall submit an admission proposal to the head of the corresponding centre.

Preference of applications

Application for registration to University Master's studies will be made through the Internet, filling out the online form and following the instructions in:

http://www.unizar.es → Secretaría virtual

More information about access and admission: https://academico.unizar.es/grado-y-master-master/acceso-y-admision/acceso-master-universitario

More information about registration:  https://academico.unizar.es/grado-y-master/matricula/matricula-home

The Master's Degree in One Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health provides a common basic training in "One Health" for all students and the possibility of studying two specialities, one in Public Health and the other in Translational Research. The diverse entry profile, the specialities of the Master's and the multidisciplinary training will allow the Master´s alumni  to carry out their professional activity both in institutions related to public health, animal and environmental health, and in biotechnology companies dedicated to human and animal health and in the completion of doctoral theses in different aspects of "One Health" and Translational Research. 

The completion of the Master will imply a training in the approach of the Health, including emerging diseases, from a multidisciplinary perspective and within the concept of "One Health" or Global Health. The training acquired will provide its graduate students with added value to be incorporated into public administration in Health and Sustainable Rural Development units or to specialise in management and research in Public Health from a global perspective. The teaching of this master's degree includes professors and administration professionals specialised in ecology, economy, welfare, microbiology, infectious and parasitic diseases, epidemiology, preventive medicine and public health.

In addition to this training, the master includes specialization in other aspects related to animal and human health within the specialty of "Translational Research". Thus, the Master graduates could join both into biotechnology companies aimed at animal and/or human health and into research centres and institutes. Among the latter, we highlight those located in the Autonomous Community of Aragon, such as the Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), the Institute for Health Research of Aragon (IISA), the Centre for Research and Technology in the Food Industry of Aragon (CITA) and the University of Zaragoza. These last two form part of the Agrofood Institute of Aragón (IA2) in whose lines of research the proposed University Master's Degree fits. The teaching staff of the master's degree includes researchers and teachers from these institutes and as well as others of international relevance and guest lecturers from biotechnology companies.

Finally, the University of Zaragoza has several PhD programs related to the topic of the Master:

· PhD in Medicine and Animal Health

· PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies

· PhD in Animal Production

· PhD in Quality, Safety and Food Technology

· PhD in Medicine and Surgery

· PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

· PhD in Agricultural and Natural Sciences

The core subjects will provide a basic training for the study of health from a global perspective, the basis of animal health and welfare, its relationship to the human being and how animal-human interaction with the environment or environment of interaction occurs. Through practical activities, used as working tools for the acquisition of transversal competences, the programme seeks to improve the students capacity in decision-making to work, solve and inform the population of different health risk situations, as well as to use and apply laboratory and statistical tools, strategies such as risk analysis, spatial analysis and geographic information, for research in human, animal and environmental health.

In the speciality of "Public Health", the knowledge of Emerging Diseases, Food Safety, Ecotoxicology will be deepened and the basic concepts and strategies for health promotion will be analysed at both theoretical and practical levels. The Master includes the training and application of the legislation that regulates both Public Health and Food Safety, which is essential in order to develop a professional career in Public Health.

By studying the specialty in Translational Research, students will acquire theoretical and practical skills for the use and application of biotechnological tools in the study of health, in vitro and in vivo models for the study of disease and comparative medicine. Finally, they will be able to complete their training by taking the Animal Experimentation course which will provide them with the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to obtain training in the a, b, d and d functions involved in the handling of animals, according to Order ECC/566/2015 (the course is in the process of being approved by the Government of Aragon).

The specific skills that the student acquires after completing the master's degree are:

CE01 - Understand the One Health concept, its history and its importance in addressing current public health issues.

CE02 - Work on health and disease from a multidisciplinary perspective.

CE03 - Understand the infection and disease models that alter the collective health in a work concept context in the One Health environment.

CE04 - Identify, classify and evaluate the essential environmental and anthropological determinants of Global Health.

CE05 - Know and apply European and national regulations in matters of Public Health and health research and general response strategies.

CE06 - Understand the relevance of the sustainable development in the care of the Global Health.

CE07 - Identify, understand and value the effect of the climatic change in the health.

CE08 - Understanding the importance of animal welfare and the human-animal link in Global Health.

CE9 - Understand and be able to apply basic research tools in global health (human/public, animal and environmental).

CE10 - Apply the epidemiological tools and mathematical models needed for monitoring, surveillance and research in health.

CE11 - Develop appropriate study designs for epidemiological, translational and other health investigations.

CE12 - Apply and analyse bibliographic and web resources to obtain the necessary information for the approach of the research work and the results discussion.

CE13 - Apply acquired knowledge and skills to a real research problem in the health field.

CE14 - Work in an autonomous way and face the resolution of problems of experimental type that arise in the development of the Master's Final Project.

CE15 - Working in a research group by sharing the research experience of the other team members.

CE16 - Interpret the results obtained in an experimental work and use the critical sense to discuss them with those of other studies related to the topic.

The Curriculum is structured in two compulsory modules and 10 optional subjects distributed in two specialisation modules. The compulsory theoretical and methodological modules will consist of 2 subjects each, all of them 6 ECTS. They will be taken in the first four-month period and provide the knowledge and basic tools necessary to take the rest of the optional subjects. The optional modules seek the specialisation of the student in a more professional profile in Public Health or in one more directed to Translational Research. In order to achieve these specialisations, students must take a minimum of 15 ECTS from the specialisation module, to be chosen among the 21 and 24 ECTS of the optional subjects offered by the Public Health and Translational Research modules, respectively. Likewise, students may combine subjects from both modules at their choice to take the 21 ECTS electives without having to reach the 15 ECTS in any of the specialisation modules, in this case the master's degree will not include a specialisation. Finally, the student will do a compulsory Final Project of 15 ECTS.

The training goals of each of the modules are described below:

COMPULSORY THEORETICAL MODULE

Specific goals:

1. Train the student in the concept of ONE HEALTH, its history and its importance in addressing current PUBLIC HEALTH issues.

2. Provide the necessary training to understand the models of emerging diseases according to their environment.

3. Understanding emerging diseases from a POPULATION perspective

4. Recognise the ENVIRONMENT and the AN It provides the basic study tools necessary for the development of future research work. It aims to: THROPOLOGICAL component as essential determinants of health.

COMPULSORY METHODOLOGY MODULE

It provides the basic study tools necessary for the development of future research work. It aims to:

1. Provide the necessary training for students to be able to design study and research protocols, analyse and collect information, carry out statistical and epidemiological analyses and present the obtained results.

PUBLIC HEALTH SPECIALIZATION MODULE

The subjects included in this module have the following objectives:

1. Provide the student with a broad vision of diseases with zoonotic potential, the emergence of diseases with indirect impact on public health or the role of the environment and food safety in order to develop and apply effective intervention and surveillance strategies in Public Health.

2. Learning to implement strategies for health promotion and prevention and for the control and eradication of diseases.

3. train the different strategies of information and education to the society for the success of the fight against these diseases.

 TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH MODULE

The objectives of this specialisation module are as follows

1. Train the student in the most advanced methodological tools and models for the study of diseases, including animal experimentation.

2. To provide a broad vision of comparative medicine and translational research in order to be able to imagine new areas of research to protect human, animal and the environment health.

The MASTER´S FINAL PROJECT will be compulsory and consist of 15 ECTS. It integrates the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the master, thus developing a large number of competences by means of an introductory research project.

SUBJECT TYPE    ECTS

Compulsory                           24 ECTS

Elective                                  21 ECTS (Out of 45 ECTS offered)

External Practice sessions            --------

Final Project                         15 ECTS

TOTAL ECTS                        60 ECTS

The proposal of this master was approved by the Faculty Council of Veterinary Science on November 16, 2018 and the Postgraduate Studies Commission of the University and the Governing Council on December 5, 2018. The latter appointed the members that would make up the Commission in charge of preparing the verification report for this University Master's Degree.

The commission has representatives from different areas of knowledge and main departments of the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Zaragoza. This fact gives it a multidisciplinary vision necessary when preparing a master's degree that is part of the "One Health" philosophy.

Members of the commission:

·         Chair person: Dra. Inmaculada Martín Burriel, Professor of the Genetic area.

·         Secretary: Dra. Virginia Resconi Briggiler, Assistant Professor of the Animal Production area.

·         Dra. Rosa Mª Bolea Bailo, Full Professor of the Animal Health area.

·         Dra. Mª Jesús Gracia Salinas, Professor of the Animal Health area.

·         Dr. Carmelo Ortega, Professor of the Animal Health area.

·         Dra. Lourdes Sánchez Paniagua, Full Professor of the Food Technology area.

·         External Expert: D. Francisco Falo Forniés, General Head for Public Health Area of the Government of Aragon.

After its constitution, the commission held regular meetings in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years to draw up the different sections of the report and to contact the professors involved in the master, who have been providing the information related to the subjects that make up the proposed degree.

In order to evaluate the interest of the students of the University of Zaragoza in this master, a survey was carried out among the 4th and 5th years students of the Veterinary and 3rd year of Biotechnology Degree. The results of these surveys showed the interest of a diverse profile of students. Therefore, and taking into account that the umbrella of "One Health" contemplates an interdisciplinary approach to the study of health, including Public Health, transmission of zoonoses, molecular and microbiological tools and translational medicine, we have designed a curriculum in order to incorporate some common modules to all students and elective subjects that allow them to specialise in Public Health or Translational Research.

On 30 November 2018, the University Master's programme was presented at a public event at the Faculty of Veterinary and its academic staff was invited to take part in the teaching and to present possible modifications to the programme by contacting the different representatives of the commission. This invitation was extended to academic staff of the University of Zaragoza by sending an e-mail to the Departments which, due to the areas of knowledge included in the programme, could contribute to the quality and multidisciplinary nature of the teaching of the programme or by contacting directly with Professors from different centres of the University who are specialists in different aspects of Global Health.

La Comisión ha contado también con el apoyo e investigadores del Centro de Investigación en Tecnologías Agroalimentarias del Gobierno de Aragón, del Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Aragón y del Instituto de Investigación en Salud de Aragón. La mayoría de los profesores e investigadores pertenecen a grupos de investigación reconocidos por el Gobierno de Aragón con amplia experiencia tanto investigadora como docente en diversas facetas de la salud humana, animal y ambiental.

The report of the University Master in One Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health has received the following favourable reports:

o   Favourable report on the 23th of June 2019 from the General Head for Universities on the adaptation of the application to the current university programme for the implementation of the University Master's Degree in One Health Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health (initially called the University Master's Degree in Interdisciplinary Approach to the Disease Interface) in the academic year 2020-2021.

o   Favourable report on the 19th February 2020 by the ACPUA (Quality and University Prospecting Agency of Aragon) on the report of the University Master's Degree in One Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health, in accordance with the provisions of Article 25 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, amended by Royal Decree 861/2010, of 2 July.

o   Resolution on the 10th of March 2020, from the Council of Universities, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, in relation to the verification of the curriculum leading to the official title of University Master in One Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health by the University of Zaragoza (4317299).

o   ORDER CUS / 591/2020, on the 26th June, from the Government of Aragon, authorizing the implementation and start-up of the University Master in Global Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health by the University of Zaragoza for the academic year 2020/2021.

Halls of Residence. The University of Zaragoza has two main Halls of Residence located in the San Francisco Campus: The Pedro Cerbuna University Hall of Residence (CMU) (250 rooms) and the Santa Isabel CMU (192 rooms), plus another one located in the Río Ebro Campus (102 places) and two other halls in the cities of Huesca (Ramón Acin CMU – 125 rooms) and Teruel (Pablo Serrano CMU – 96 single rooms). There are also other university halls of residence in the city of Zaragoza run by private companies. Furthermore, there is a University web service that helps students to find a room or rent a flat. 

Accommodation can also be found using the Zaragoza Council programmes for young people and students.

Counselling. The University of Zaragoza has four free and anonymous counselling services for youngsters, which are run by a team of professionals who provide advice on academic, legal, sexual and psychological areas.

The University of Zaragoza international relations Office will provide international students with all the necessary support in the registration process. It also provides students with practical information about the city, transport, flats on offer, rooms, halls of residence, medical assistance, courses for international students, etc.

Student diversity. The main role of the University of Zaragoza Student Diversity Office (OUAD) (pertaining to the Vice-Chancellor for Students & Employment) is to ensure equal opportunities through inclusion of all university students in university academic life. In addition, it encourages awareness of student diversity within the university community. This office is particularly committed to providing attention to any university student with special educational needs or disabilities.

University information centre. The University Information & Appeals Centre offers general information about the University of Zaragoza: access, offer of undergraduate/master’s study programmes, doctoral programmes, as well as information on non-official degrees, registration process, grants, summer courses, administrative information, and so on. Equally, they manage appeals of any situations that are not subject to the established regulated procedures.

Information and Communications Service. All computers on campus are connected to the Internet. WiFi is available in all the buildings. Any student may use the University of Zaragoza IT services.

Vehicle management service. A permit is required so that a member of the university community can park their vehicles in the car parks available in the different campuses.

Cultural activities. The 'Cultural Agenda' provides a monthly programme of the events in the areas of Cinema & Animation, Music, Theatre, Exhibitions, Cycles, Conferences, Literary Activities and Courses. It also offers cultural association activities and those of the Cultural Committees in Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel.

Sports activities. The University of Zaragoza sports complex is located in the San Francisco Campus and features a leisure centre, gym, outdoor basketball, handball and 5-a-side football facilities, a certified athletics track and a football pitch. Every academic year, over a hundred activities are organised.