Infectious Diseases Postgraduate Programmes

Postgraduate studies in Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases are the world's leading cause of premature death. Of about 52 million deaths from all causes in 1995, more than 17 million were due to infectious diseases, including about 9 million deaths in young children. Up to half the world's population of 5.72 billion are at risk of many endemic diseases.

The World Health Organisation

These recently developed programmes address the emergence of new diseases and the reemergence of diseases previously thought to be under control, as well as the effect of global climate change and the changing international security environment under the spectre of bioterrorism.

Masters and Graduate Diploma in Infectious Diseases

The Masters and Graduate Diploma in Infectious Diseases courses have been developed in response to the international need for advanced training in infectious diseases to better prepare medical scientists, medical professionals, the public sector and other groups.

Students have the opportunity to gain practical experience in Western Australia’s public diagnostic pathology laboratory, PathWest, through the integration of placements for research projects and practicums with coursework.

Comprehensive training at Graduate Diploma and Masters levels is provided through foundation units followed by a choice of specialised programmes, which include:

Medical Microbiology

This programme provides students with advanced and comprehensive knowledge of microbial, parasitic, fungal, viral and unconventional agents associated with human disease.

The following topics are covered: the means by which these agents cause disease; the diagnosis of disease and the causative agent involved; the role of the immune response in restricting infection; the role of emerging and re-emerging infectious agents; the epidemiology of infectious diseases and the control of these diseases by antimicrobial agent.

Students complete their studies with an individual research project in an area of their choice, or alternatively may undertake a practicum in the PathWest laboratories.

Tropical Infectious Diseases

This programme introduces students to infectious diseases and emerging infectious diseases in tropical and subtropical parts of the world.

The following topics are covered: infections of special relevance in tropical countries and their diagnosis and control, including cholera, melioidosis, tuberculosis, leprosy, viral hepatitis, dengue, yellow fever and arboviral encephalitis, HIV, malaria, Leishmaniasis, and other parasitic infections; vectors of tropical infectious diseases and their control.

This programme will suit individuals wishing either to work in these areas or to undertake research on tropical infectious diseases, and will also provide advanced training to those who are involved in policy development in government or related agencies.

Public and Environmental Health Microbiology

This programme introduces students to the threats posed by infectious agents, in food, water or the environment, to the health of the community and the measures used to protect the community against such infections will be discussed.

Laboratory classes will illustrate microbiological techniques used in surveillance for infectious agents.

This programme will suit individuals who seek employment in public health microbiology laboratories or those working in public agencies whose focus is on the risks associated with community acquired infection or the use of regulations to reduce these risks.

Combined Masters/PhD in Infectious Diseases

The combined Masters by coursework and PhD by research takes a minimum of 4 years. There are certain conditions which apply, to be eligible for direct enrolment in the PhD component. Applicants need to have prior research experience which is acceptable by the university. Applicants with a UWA BSc Honours year, which is based around a research project over 2 semesters, or an equivalent research experience, are eligible. An overall mark of 70% must be obtained for this prior research.

The Masters course has a research component of 1 semester. This can be extended and incorporated into a PhD preliminary to make the prior research training acceptable to University standards. This extension of the Masters project could be done out of the teaching semester time, so in principle it could be done without extending the 2 year Masters program. The Faculty would need to approve particular cases where applicants had non standard backgrounds.

For more information about Doctor of Philosophy applications, please visit the UWA Graduate Research School website: www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/forms/application_forms.

Discipline of Microbiology & Immunology M502
School of Biomedical, Biomolecular &
Chemical Sciences
The University of Western Australia
35 Stirling Highway
Crawley WA 6009 Australia

Discipline of Microbiology & Immunology
QEII Medical Centre
L Block Monash Avenue
Nedlands WA 6009 Australia

GENERAL ENQUIRIES
Mrs Gillian Walters
Phone:	+61 (08) 9346 2245
Fax:	+61 (08) 9346 2912
Email:	InfectiousDiseases@bcs.uwa.edu.au

CHAIR OF DISCIPLINE
A/Prof Barbara Chang
Phone:	+61 (08) 9346 2288
Fax:	+61 (08) 9346 2912
Email:	barbara.chang@uwa.edu.au

www.infectiousdiseases.biomedchem.uwa.edu.au

Welcome

Postgraduate studies in Infectious Diseases

Masters and Graduate Diploma in Infectious Diseases

Combined Masters/PhD in Infectious Diseases