Training Structure
College of Sciences
Language(s) of Instruction
French, English
Overview
Epidemics and disease outbreaks caused by pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, eukaryotic parasites) have been on the rise in recent decades. Recent outbreaks of SARS, Ebola, Zika, and highly pathogenic avian influenza have, even more recently, been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the African swine fever outbreak. These events should not overshadow the resurgence of measles, the antibiotic resistance of the tuberculosis bacillus, the increasingly persistent threat of healthcare-associated infections, or the continuing concern posed by malaria, dengue, and anthrax…
This increase in “cases” is the result of complex and multifaceted phenomena: population density, degradation of natural ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, overexploitation, intensive livestock farming, urbanization, land development, climate change, pollution, globalization of human and commercial exchanges, inappropriate use of antibiotics, inadequate healthcare, declining vaccination coverage, poverty … These changes and imbalances therefore stem from diverse and varied sources. The study or management of these epidemic phenomena therefore requires the integration of diverse expertise and different levels of analysis—hence an integrative and multidisciplinary approach (Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Statistics, Computer Science, Geomatics, Geography, as well as Sociology, Economics, Anthropology…). An eco-evolutionary perspective facilitates this synthesis by situating analyses of the underlying biological phenomena within population, spatial, and temporal dimensions.
Objectives
The Eco-EPI master’s program aims to train experts capable of addressing the challenges posed by the emergence and epidemiological management of human and/or animal pathogens in the context of current and future changes. Upon graduation, they will therefore be
- future epidemiologists who are aware of socio-economic contexts and issues
- future managers who are knowledgeable about scientific data.
The “multidisciplinary and integrative scientific approach” that characterizes the program is essential for addressing the challenges facing our contemporary societies. Graduates of this track—whether they become researchers, experts, or managers—will be “engaged” scientists, playing a full and active role in various stages of addressing these challenges.
Expertise and Skills
Please refer to the descriptions of the skills and competencies for each track within the major.
Year 1 is primarily a common year for both tracks of the program: it features a curriculum that is largely common to both tracks in the first semester of the M1 (26 ECTS out of 30), allowing students to acquire the basic skills common to both tracks of the master’s program as well as in four major areas of specialization:
- Zoonoses and Animal Diseases
- Vector-borne diseases
- Global Changes
- Urbanization, Modern Technologies, and Therapeutics
International Dimension
The Eco-Epidemiology of Animal and Human Pathogens Comprehensive and Utilitary Resources – EpiCURe project (Take Off Call for Proposals #3: Curriculum - SUPPORTING THE TRANSFORMATION AND/OR CREATION OF CURRICULA), which is concretely based on the complete curriculum framework for the M1 and M2 programs, aims to provide international visibility for the Eco-epidemiology program . It will enable the development of partnerships with foreign universities and institutions.
Organization
Knowledge Assessment
Determined at the level of each course: Final exam, or continuous assessment, or oral exam, individual or in groups.
The evaluation of internships constitutes a specific form of ongoing assessment: - evaluation of a report or thesis - oral defense before a panel
Special Features
An M1 program specifically forfourth-year pharmacy students in the research track, designed to focus their training on skills not covered in their previous coursework
Program
The core curriculum is largely the same for all students in M1, first semester, with an elective option that allows students to explore different fields and delve deeper into specific issues.
Students begin planning their academic track in the second semester of the M1 program by selecting a specialization that provides in-depth training in either research or management. This planning is further supported by the selection of a topic for an internship or an Advanced Supervised Project.
The four possible areas of specialization—regardless of the intended academic track (see “Knowledge and Skills”)—are not mutually exclusive but overlap. Students begin exploring these areas as early as the first semester of the Master’s program through thematic projects, internships, or the Advanced Tutored Project.
Study of Variability
4 creditsPathogenic Organisms: From Viruses to Helminths
4 creditsDescription and Inference
2 creditsIssues and Challenges in the Epidemiology of Diseases
4 creditsInformation Systems and Databases
4 creditsEcology Keys
2 creditsCHOICE S1
4 creditsChoose 1 of 4
Phylogeny and Evolution
Food Safety Risk
4 creditsFood Safety Risk 1
4 creditsFood Safety Risk 2
1 credit
Water and Public Health
Skill Enhancements
4 credits
Ecology and Evolution of Microorganisms and Parasitism
6 credits
Epidemiology Tools
2 creditsLongitudinal, cross-sectional, and epidemiological analyses
4 creditsEmergence: Eco-epidemiological Contexts and Mechanisms
8 creditsCHOICE S2
14 creditsCHOICE 3
4 creditsChoose 1 out of 7
Public Health and Prevention
4 creditsHealth Policy and Public Health
Evolutionary Genomics
4 creditsEvolutionary Ecology
4 creditsEXDIM: Multidimensional Data Exploration
4 creditsAlignment and Phylogeny
4 creditsOption 5
4 creditsBioinformatics Learning Lab
2 creditsBiological Information
2 credits
CHOICE 4
10 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
In-Depth Supervised Project
10 creditsInternship
10 credits
Preparation for the internship or in-depth supervised project
2 credits
Admission
Registration Procedures
Applications can be submitted through the following platforms:
- French and European students: Follow the “Mon Master” procedure on the website:https://www.monmaster.gouv.fr/
- International students from outside the EU: Follow the “Études en France” procedure:https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/etudesenfrance/dyn/public/authentification/login.html