Master's in Global Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health 2025–2026

The University Master in One Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health is characterised by a clear multidisciplinary component. For this reason, it is aimed at graduates with bachelor's degrees in a wide variety of areas of knowledge, but with relevance in the field of health. Specifically, the official bachelor's degrees that allow access to the master's degree are as follows:

• Health Sciences: Medicine, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, etc.
• Basic or life sciences: Biology, Biotechnology, Food Science and Technology, Environmental Sciences, etc.
• Agri-food and rural engineering or similar.
• Social sciences related to health: Social work, Anthropology, Psychology, Geography or similar.

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).

Access and admission to master's degrees at the University of Zaragoza are regulated by the Regulations for access and admission to master's degrees. These regulations detail both the requirements and the procedures to carry out this process, which is divided into several admission and enrolment phases that are opened throughout the year.

It is possible to apply for Access Authorisation for those who hold a foreign higher education degree obtained in an education system that does not form part of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that is equivalent to the Bachelor's degree, without the need for homologation or declaration of equivalence. This authorisation may be requested at any time during the year.

Specific language requirements

Candidates whose mother tongue is not Spanish must accredit level B2 or equivalent knowledge of Spanish according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The Quality Assurance Committee considers the possibility of requesting an interview to check the candidate's suitability for this master's degree.

Specific order of priority

If there are more applicants than places, the order of priority will be established by calculating an admission mark for each applicant in which the following criteria will be assessed with the indicated weighting: qualification and academic record (60%) and other merits (40%). The merits of the curriculum vitae will be assessed in the following way, admitting only those related to the subject of the master's degree:

• Academic training (15%): Training courses, Doctoral thesis, Other master's degrees, Other qualifications, Knowledge of languages.
• Work experience (10 %)
• Research experience (15 %): Publications and congresses, Grants and stays.

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 University Master in One Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health offers a common basic training in One Health for all students, with the possibility of specialising in one of the two areas available: Public Health or Translational Research.

Speciality in Public Health

This speciality approaches public health from a multidisciplinary perspective within the One Health concept. Graduates will receive training in public health and food safety, including current legislation in these areas, as well as in statistical tools for risk analysis, spatial analysis and geographic information systems. This will enable them to work as professionals in public administration, public health or agri-food companies, specialising in prevention, animal welfare, environment and food safety.

Speciality in Translational Research

This speciality provides advanced knowledge in molecular and omics tools, as well as in techniques for the development of vaccines, comparative medicine and in vitro and in vivo research models. This allows graduates to develop professionally in both basic and applied research, in research centres, hospitals and biotechnology companies focused on human and animal health, as well as the preservation of ecosystems. In addition, it offers the possibility of obtaining approved theoretical training for handling and experimenting with animals of various species in categories a, b, c and d.

The completion of the Master will provide training in the approach to Health, seen from a multidisciplinary perspective and within the ‘One Health’ concept. The training acquired will provide graduates with an added value to join the 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 on this master's degree includes lecturers and administration professionals specialising in ecology, economics, welfare, microbiology, infectious and parasitic diseases, epidemiology, preventive medicine and public health.

In addition to this training, the master's degree includes specialisation in other aspects related to animal and human health within the speciality of ‘Translational Research’. Thus, graduates of the master's degree will be able to join biotechnology companies working in animal and/or human health, as well as research centres and institutes. Among the latter, those located in the Autonomous Community of Aragon stand out, such as the Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), the Health Research Institute of Aragon (IISA), the Agri-Food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA) and the University of Zaragoza itself. The latter two are part of the Agri-Food Institute of Aragon (IA2), in whose lines of research the proposed Master's degree falls. The Master's teaching staff includes researchers and lecturers from these institutes, as well as from other institutes of international relevance, and guest lecturers from biotechnology companies.

In addition, students can carry out their Master's Thesis in the more than 20 research groups recognised by the Government of Aragon to which the Master's lecturers belong and continue their training by taking a doctorate in a related doctoral programme. Among them:

• PhD in Global Health

• 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

Several companies have shown their interest in offering both experience in external internships and TFM research lines in this master's degree, among them we would like to highlight the following:

• Agrotox Research Services S.L.: Evaluation of phytosanitary products and biocides.
• CerTest Biotec S.L.: Aragonese biotechnology company developing in vitro diagnostic products.
• Ceva: Animal health company
• Citogen S.L.: Molecular diagnosis and cytogenetics.
• Ecodes: Ecology and development foundation.
• Exopol: Biotechnology company developing autovaccines and veterinary diagnostics.
• Grupo Jorge: Livestock-meat and energy company.
• Operon: Development of in vitro diagnostic tests.

In addition, TFM can be developed in research groups belonging to different institutions and institutes:

• IA2: Agri-Food Institute of Aragon.
• IIS Aragón: Institute of Health Research of Aragon
• CSIC: Scientific research in multiple areas, including global health
• CIBA: Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon
• CITA: Agri-food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon
• Government of Aragon: La Alfranca
• Government of Aragon: Public Health
• Pyrenean Institute of Ecology

In the compulsory subjects, all students on the master's degree will receive basic training in the study of health from a global perspective, starting from the basics of animal health and welfare, their relationship with humans and how animal-human interaction with the environment or environment of interaction takes place. Through practical activities, used as working tools for the acquisition of transversal competences, the programme seeks to improve the students' decision-making capacity to work, resolve 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. On the other hand, effective communication is essential to design educational campaigns that inform and empower society, promoting disease prevention and healthy behaviours.

The Public Health module includes subjects in Food Safety, Disease Emergencies and Environment, Health and Wellbeing, offering a broad vision to develop effective intervention and surveillance strategies, improving the response to threats to society. The master's degree includes training in and application of the legislation governing both Public Health and Food Safety, which is essential for developing a professional career in Public Health.

The Translational Research module focuses on learning molecular and omic tools for the diagnosis and study of diseases, tools for the development of vaccines and alternative treatments, research models (in vivo and in vitro), animal research and the usefulness of comparative medicine and the One Medicine concept. In this way, it provides advanced knowledge in methodologies and models to develop new strategies for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. This ensures that graduates have the technical skills to lead cutting-edge research with a holistic perspective of comparative medicine and translational research. Finally, they will be able to complete their training by taking the subject Animal Experimentation, which will provide them with the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to obtain training in functions a, b, c and d involved in animal handling, in accordance with Order ECC/566/2015.

RESULTS OF THE TRAINING AND LEARNING PROCESS

KNOWLEDGE:

• CON_01: Acquire the concepts of One Health and One Well-being, their history and their importance in addressing current health challenges.
• CON_02: Recognise the determinants of human and animal health in a multidisciplinary and holistic context.
• CON_03: Distinguish human interactions with animals and ecosystems and their impact on health, well-being and the environment.
• CON_04: Cite strategies, regulations and measures for action, prevention and promotion of global health and its development.
• CON_05: Recognise the relevance of sustainable development for global health.
• CON_06: Identify, understand and assess the effect of global change on health.
• CON-07: List the basic tools for the study of global health (human/public, animal and environmental).

SKILLS:

• HAB_01: Work on health, well-being and the environment from a multidisciplinary perspective.
• HAB_02: Identify, classify and evaluate the environmental and social determinants of health and well-being.
• HAB_03: Design studies, projects and models for applied research for global health.
• HAB_04: Apply tools and models for monitoring, surveillance and research in health, well-being and environment.
• HAB_05: Make appropriate use of relevant information resources related to global health.
• HAB_06: Apply the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired to solve problems or specific cases in the field of global health.
• HAB_07: Integrate visions, knowledge and experiences and work both autonomously and collectively in uni- and multi-disciplinary teams.

COMPETENCIES:

These competences correspond to the project called Sello 1+5 Unizar.

• CP_01: Democratic values and sustainability. To develop a commitment to the society in which we live so that it prospers through the dimensions of democratic values and sustainability, materialised in the global framework that defines it at all times.
• CP_02: Teamwork. Actively collaborate with a group of people to achieve a common goal by combining different talents.
• CP_03: Critical thinking. Reflective reasoning on a subject, being able to deliberate on its validity by submitting one's own and external convictions to debate.
• CP_04: Emotional intelligence. Understanding and regulating one's own emotions and those of others in order to interact and participate effectively and constructively in social and professional life.
• CP_05: Innovation and Creativity.Design and carry out a new task or project in a different way using creativity and curiosity to contribute value with an entrepreneurial attitude.
• CP_06: Permanent self-learning. Use learning in a continuous way and develop autonomous and flexible learning strategies throughout life in order to be part of an active, motivated and integrated citizenship, favouring the improvement of employment or personal development.

The master's degree is structured into a compulsory module, two optional modules corresponding to each of the specialities, the practicum and the interdisciplinary module.

The compulsory module or ‘general module’ includes a theoretical subject in which the principles of health, wellbeing and health promotion are taught. This subject will begin at the start of the academic year, and during the course, students will work in teams on a tutored project, the results of which they will present at the end, applying the knowledge they have acquired. In addition, the module includes a practical subject where students will be taught the statistical tools necessary for the study and research in health, including experimental design. In addition, the general module includes the TFM of 15 ECTS.

The optional module corresponding to the Public Health specialisation consists of three subjects of 9 ECTS each: 1) Advances in Food Safety, 2) Disease Emergencies, and 3) Environment, Health and Welfare.

In turn, the optional module of Translational Research is made up of four subjects of 6 to 9 ECTS each. Three of the subjects are related to molecular tools, prevention tools and research models for the study of diseases. The fourth subject, Animal Handling and Experimentation, in addition to complementing the training, enables students to obtain the course diplomas recognised by the Autonomous Community of Aragon (Annex I) for functions a, b, c and d related to the handling of animals for experimental and other scientific purposes, including teaching, according to Order ECC/566/2015 of 20 March, for the following groups of species: 1. 2. Lagomorphs. 3. Carnivores. 4. Equidae, ruminants and porcine.

In order to obtain one of the two specialisations, students must take at least 18 ECTS of those offered in the module corresponding to each specialisation. It is also possible for students to design their training process without obtaining a speciality, as well as to enrol in more than the 60 ECTS required to obtain the degree.

Each student may choose to participate in an interdisciplinary learning process that allows them to choose between a certain number of subjects from other university master's degrees offered because of their affinity with the degree they are taking. This approach is described in detail in the document ‘Interdisciplinary learning at the University of Zaragoza’.

Table with information about the modules, subjects and subjects of the Master's Degree in Global Health

The option of part-time enrolment is available, in accordance with the criteria established by the UZ in the regulations: https://academico.unizar.es/sites/academico/files/archivos/gradoymaster/permanencia/folleto_master_2024.v1.pdf

SUBJECT TYPE                     ECTS

Compulsory                           21 ECTS

Elective                                  24 ECTS (60 ECTS offered)

External internships             --------

Final Project                         15 ECTS

TOTAL ECTS                        60 ECTS

The Public Health Directorate of the Government of Aragon and an R&D manager of a company in the field of health participated in the working groups for the Master's proposal and the modification of its report, contributing their experience and visions for the design of student training.

In addition, meetings have been held with the heads of public administrations, professional associations and the R&D area of companies linked to human, environmental and animal health, with the aim of presenting the Master's Degree and gathering training proposals.

On the other hand, since the 2023-24 academic year, graduate-employer sessions have been organised within the framework of the degree's teaching innovation projects, with the aim of strengthening the connection between academic training and professional needs on an ongoing basis. This is complemented by external internships and master's degree final projects in collaboration with external entities and the participation of associate lecturers and external guest lecturers, who provide an applied and up-to-date vision.

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.

The Commission has also had the support and researchers from the Agrifood Technology Research Centre of the Government of Aragon, the Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon and the Health Research Institute of Aragon. Most of the professors and researchers belong to research groups recognised by the Government of Aragon with extensive research and teaching experience in various facets of human, animal and environmental health.

Given the need to adapt to RD 822/2021 and following the guidelines of the Spanish Network of University Quality Agencies (REACU), the University Quality and Prospective Agency of Aragon (ACPUA) and the University of Zaragoza (UZ), the Master's Degree in One Health has been reoriented. This update responds to previous experience, quality reports and survey results, resulting in a new academic structure.

The working group in charge of the modification of the master's degree's verification report, approved by the Quality Assurance Committee of the Master's Degrees of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in October 2023, was composed of the coordinator and former coordinator of the master's degree, subject coordinators, students and graduates from different specialities, technical management staff, as well as representatives from the business sector and experts in quality and assessment.

The proposal for the modification of the memory was approved by the Master's Degree Quality Assurance Committee on 16 January 2024 and, subsequently, by the Veterinary Faculty Board on 8 February 2024, being sent to the UZ Curriculum Office. The modification was reviewed by the Postgraduate Studies Commission and approved on 26 June 2024 by the Governing Council of the UZ. Subsequently, it obtained the favourable report of the ACPUA in November 2024 and the approval of the University Council in December 2024. Following the resolution of the University of Zaragoza, the modification was published in the Official Gazette of Aragon and in the Official State Gazette in January 2025.

In parallel, the new training plan was approved by the Quality Assurance Commission and the Veterinary Faculty Board in January 2025. Subsequently, it was submitted to the Vice-Rectorate for Academic Policy, received the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee (CEP) and was reviewed by the UZ Curriculum Office in February 2025, for implementation in the academic year 2025-2026.

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.

o   Favourable report of the ACPUA (University Quality and Prospective Agency of Aragon) issued on 18 November 2024 on the evaluation of the request for modification of the Master's Degree in Global Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health, in accordance with the provisions of Article 26 of Royal Decree 822/2021, of 28 September.

o   Resolution of 12 December 2024, of the Council of Universities, approving the modification of the syllabus of the Master's Degree in Global Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health by the University of Zaragoza, in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 822/2021, of 28 September.

o   Resolution of 7 January 2025, of the University of Zaragoza, publishing the modification of the syllabus of the Master's Degree in Global Health: Integration of Environmental, Human and Animal Health at the University of Zaragoza, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon no. 9, of 15 January 2025 (page 1614), and in the Official State Gazette no. 17, of 20 January 2025 (Section III, page 8314).

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.

More than 70% of the teaching staff are tenured lecturers, contract lecturers, professors and assistant professors of the UZ, all of them full-time and accredited by ANECA, which demonstrates adequate teaching and research experience. There are also 17 associate lecturers, representing 8% of the percentage of ECTS offered. The teaching staff is complemented by researchers and emeritus lecturers from the same university, as well as external experts from companies and public administrations, thus providing training for both professional and research profiles and enriching it with different perspectives on health.

To broaden the professional profile, optional external academic internships are offered, as well as the possibility of carrying out the TFM in external entities linked to the university through a tutor/director. Around 50 lecturers have expressed interest in directing the MUSG's TFM, covering the needs of 30 potential students per academic year. In addition, the proposals cover a wide range of topics: Animal Health, Environmental Health, Public Health and Translational Research.

On the other hand, the research quality of the teaching staff is reflected in the number of recognised research periods or publications and membership of research groups recognised by the Government of Aragon, which adequately cover the degree's fundamental areas of knowledge: human, animal and environmental health.

In general, the teaching staff available is adequate to ensure the results to be acquired by the students foreseen in the syllabus, whose profile can be consulted at this link: offer of official university studies.