International Master's Programme in Infectious Disease Control
Huddinge, Sweden
Master degree
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
30 Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
SEK 144,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* tuition fees do not include living expenses, such as accommodation, food, course literature, etc.
Key Summary
This unique one-year Master’s in Infectious Disease Control focuses on the prevention and control of old, new, and emerging diseases, spanning the medical, environmental, health science, and socioeconomic aspects of infectious disease control. You will examine the biological mechanisms behind infectious diseases from a global perspective, focusing on prevention, diagnostics, and therapy, as well as analysing local and global societal and environmental factors and the role of climate change in the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases.
One consequence of globalisation is that events in one part of the world can have a rapid impact on multiple global locations. The emergence of epidemics is a growing and potentially worldwide problem, especially for developing countries that have limited resources. This degree, therefore, also examines how human rights, justice, and gender equality are central issues in the control and spread of disease, affecting areas such as the production and equal distribution of vaccines and antiviral HIV therapy.
Studying this programme will bring increasing awareness of all aspects of sustainable development, as well as skills that are valuable for decision-making in all areas of your life and as a world citizen.
A modern toolbox for epidemiological surveillance, evaluation, and control
This unique Master’s degree comprises two semesters of full-time study, providing both an overview and in-depth knowledge in the field of infectious disease control. You will study infectious diseases using national and local health perspectives and examine how (inter)national strategies have an effect at an individual level. The courses combine to provide a modern toolbox for surveillance, evaluation, and control of disease spread and epidemics, including epidemiology, GIS, statistics, meta-analysis, and mathematical modelling. In the second semester, you will perform an individual epidemiological study of a disease in a national or international context, producing a 15-credit dissertation.
A Master’s programme is different from studying an undergraduate degree, as it requires more independent work and self-motivation. You will be trained in identifying and critically analysing scientific literature, as well as presenting theoretical and practical projects, both orally and in writing. Research questions and results are discussed throughout the programme.
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Course design
The programme includes many guest lectures and study visits, such as to the European Centre for Infectious Disease Control. It is a full-time programme and students are expected to study for 40 hours a week. Examination is through written and oral examinations, as well as individual and group assignments. The dissertation may be written as part of a collaboration with the health sector, and empirical data may be collected from abroad during a Minor Field Study.
Because the focus at the Master’s level is on analytical and critical thinking, it provides a good foundation for your professional life, whether inside or outside science. This degree is also excellent preparation for further studies at the doctoral level. It provides you with a high level of both quantitative and qualitative methodological competence, as well as skills in GIS, statistical analysis, and meta-analysis that are in demand in the field.
Potential workplaces are found in the health sector, nationally and internationally, in organisations such as public health authorities, local government, or aid organisations. Graduates from this degree are employed at the UN and WHO, as well as at the European Centre for Disease Control, the Swedish strategic programme against antibiotic resistance (STRAMA), and other public health authorities in Sweden.
Södertörn University Tuition Fee Waiver
The tuition fee waiver scholarship is aimed at students from countries outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland. The Swedish government distributes funding to higher education institutions, which in turn award scholarships to individual students. The tuition fee waiver is intended for Master level program studies at Södertörn University.