Master of Science in Global One Health

A Degree in Global One Health at NC State

One Health is a guiding framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of the health of humans, other animals, and the environment and works to holistically improve health across these systems. One Health perspectives are essential for addressing complex challenges, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases shared between people and animals, sustainable agricultural systems for global food security, clean and safe water, threats posed by climate change, and biodiversity conservation for healthy and functioning ecosystems.

Welcoming our first cohort in fall 2026, the Master of Science (MS) in Global One Health is at the leading edge of programs globally, joining only a handful of existing graduate programs in this rapidly emerging area. The MS in Global One Health integrates NC State’s diverse disciplinary strengths — including agriculture and life sciences, veterinary medicine, natural resources, engineering, social sciences, applied mathematics, design, and management — to train students in applied problem-solving for current and future health challenges in North Carolina, the United States, and the world.

This two-year, in-person program requires 36 credit hours for completion. The degree includes a thesis option for students intending to continue in a research-related field and a non-thesis option for students intending to apply their skills beyond the research sector, including in government, nonprofits, or industry. Students pursuing the thesis option will lead independent One Health research projects in their area of interest under the advisement of faculty from different colleges and disciplines at NC State. Students pursuing the non-thesis option will participate in experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships) within the One Health realm and will complete a capstone project, guided by their faculty advisor and committee. All students will learn from their peers in the program through a cohort-based structure.

Curriculum | Prerequisites and Admissions | Advisor and Graduate Degree Planning | International Students | Contact Us

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Curriculum

The MS in Global One Health will focus on six core competencies:

• Articulate important determinants of human, animal, plant, and environmental health and their interconnectedness, including ecological and systems-based perspectives.
• Apply One Health theories, frameworks, and methods in interdisciplinary, systems-centered science.
• Use skills for team science, including stakeholder assessment, team formation, interdisciplinary communication, collaboration, and values-based and reflective leadership.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data, including synthesizing data and knowledge from diverse sources and methods, to model solutions to approach One Health problems.
• Understand ethical practices in One Health, including basic research ethics, environmental justice, and costs, benefits, and challenges to implementing One Health research.
• Translate research findings into applied outcomes, including through the development of written and oral products that communicate One Health approaches to problem solving to key stakeholders.

Core instruction includes four sequential courses that provide foundational training in the One Health framework and its applications, address the complexities of data collection and interpretation for One Health questions, discuss research ethics and ethical considerations specific to One Health, and impart skills for team science. Students will complete additional coursework from across campus relevant to their specific field of interest to ensure disciplinary knowledge that can be applied through the One Health approach when addressing complex global challenges. Drawing from a diverse list of elective courses, all students will also fulfill requirements in analytical methods and leadership, entrepreneurship, and policy. Full degree requirement details can be found in the University Catalog.

Prerequisites and Admissions

The MS in Global One Health follows the standard Graduate School admissions requirements. To be considered for admission in full graduate standing, applicants must have:

• a four-year bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited college or university. Exceptions to standard accreditation may be granted for applicants with international degrees, including applicants with three-year degrees from institutions in Europe participating in the Bologna Process.
• a GPA of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in their undergraduate degrees.

Submission of GRE General Test scores is optional. Applicants can review the Graduate School’s admissions webpage for more information.

Applications for fall 2026 admissions will open for both domestic and international applicants on October 15, 2025. For full consideration, applications should be submitted by the priority deadline of February 28, 2026. Rolling applications will continue to be accepted after the priority deadline if space allows. Fill out the interest form here to be notified when the application portal is open.

Advisor and Graduate Degree Planning

Advisor
All students in the MS in Global One Health will have an academic advisor to guide their research (thesis students) or experiential learning and capstone (non-thesis students) and assist with course selection, policies and procedures of the Graduate School, and timely progress through the program. It is not expected that students have their advisor identified prior to their admission. The graduate program director will work with students to identify appropriate advisors based on their scholarly interests and intended career paths in the first semester of the program.

Examinations
After enrollment, each student will use the Graduate Planner tool to outline the courses they will take to fulfill their degree requirements. Students will work with their advisor and the director of the graduate program to determine appropriate research or experiential learning activities. There are no comprehensive examinations required for non-thesis students (beyond regular tests, exams or projects required in each course applied towards the degree), but a capstone project is required. Thesis students must complete a research thesis and a final oral examination (i.e., thesis defense).

Continuous Enrollment, Academic Standing and Time Limits
While pursuing a graduate degree at NC State, all students must be registered every fall and spring semester until completion of the degree. Otherwise, a student must request an official leave of absence from the Graduate School. To graduate, a student must have at least a 3.00 GPA. Per university policy, all master’s degree students at NC State must complete their degree requirements within six calendar years of starting their graduate program. However, because of the cohort-based nature of the MS in Global One Health, it is expected that students will in most cases complete their degree requirements in two years.

International Students

NC State is home to more than 6,000 international students from 129 different countries. As part of our Global Pack, understanding the cost of living in the United States and the city in which your university is located is fundamental to thriving both as a student and a member of the broader community. Please visit our Cost of Living in the U.S. webpage that offers a list of expenses and other financial considerations.

Contact

If you have additional questions or would like to learn more about the MS in Global One Health program, please fill out our interest form or email our team at ms-global-one-health@ncsu.edu.

For specific questions related to NC State graduate education, please email: graduate-school@ncsu.edu.