VACCÄ°NOLOGY MASTER DEGREE PROGRAMME
Second Cycle Programmes
(Master's Degree)

D.1. General Information about Program

The vaccination programs has historically been focused to childhood immunizations. For adults, non-infectious diseases have been the primary focus of preventive and medical health care, though there has been increase in vaccine preventable diseases and other infectious diseases. Protecting adults through vaccination has been considered as a preventive strategy. However many adults remain unvaccinated not in only developing countries, but also low in developed countries. Immunization also contributes to economic benefits and increased cognitive abilities. Vaccines reduce the cost of healthcare, decrease lost work force productivity and contributing to social and economic development. Vaccinologists should consider public concerns regarding vaccine safety, quality or efficacy. In addition, the spread of public misinformation via internet and other media has the potential to impair immunization programs. Elements to improve public confidence in vaccines include evidence-based decision-making procedures and recommendations, controlled processes for licensing and monitoring vaccine safety, effectiveness, disease surveillance, and high quality education programs.Currently, vaccines and vaccines policies are developed by vaccinologists. Vaccinology is a multidisciplinary discipline that includes vaccine development, education, utilization, policy, and safety. Thus, it combines knowledge from basic sciences, medical sciences, public health and social sciences. Vaccinologists typically have particular mastership in several of these areas. Vaccinologists makes them by using those knowledge of how all these components contribute to the development, pre-licensure evaluation, operation of process and public policy, and post-licensure measurement of the impact of vaccines.

In training of vaccinologists, there are two critical characteristics: first one is in-depth exposure of trainees to the multi-disciplinary aspects of vaccinology; secondly is academic preparation in basic and clinical sciences.

In the aging population and communities, an adequate workforce of vaccinologists is an important public health need. The increasing number of vaccine targets and the need to decrease health care expenditures while increasing quality and health care outcomes; requires developing a well-trained and technologically sophisticated staff of vaccinologists.

In some developed countries such as the United States, Italy, Switzerland, France, South Korea, etc. postgraduate academic program in vaccine sciences exists.

This Master Program aims to educate about vaccine preventable diseases, impact of immunization, safety, vaccine development and the roles of various stakeholders such as academia and governing authorities in vaccine policy setting and immunization programs, focusing in needs of country.

D.2 Qualification Awarded

Master's Degree

D.3. Level of Qualification

QF-EHEA: 2
EQF-LLL: 7

D.4. Provisions for Registration

The Program accepts graduates of medical or health related faculties as well as the graduates of the health related departments of science, engineering or social sciences faculties to have minimum ALES (Academic Personnel and Postgraduate Education Entrance Exam) score (numeric/ equiponderant) defined by Hacettepe University SBE Graduate School of Health Sciences approved by the Senato of Hacettepe University. Meeting the application criteria of the Regulations of Hacettepe University Postgraduate Instruction and Assessment, and Graduate School of Health Sciences and being successful in the exam held by the commission which consists of the representatives of the department.

Having the ALES and Foreign Language base score determined by the Health Sciences Institute Board and approved by the Hacettepe University Senate http://www.saglikbilimleri.hacettepe.edu.tr/en/menu/ales_foreign_language_scores-252

D.5. Qualification Requirements and Regulations

Master Program in vaccinology is a 2-academic year (4-semester) program. Program requires completion of the courses not less than 21 credits and 120 ECTS, the course of special subjects and a thesis. During the course period, the students need to successfully complete courses (including the seminar course without any national credits) to earn at least 21 national credits and 60 ECTS. At the end of the second semester, the students, who fulfill these criteria with an average academic score of at least 2.75 (B3), are allowed to submit their thesis proposal. After completion of the thesis work, the candidate defends his/her thesis before a jury and complete the MSc Program if he/she is successful in knowledge, interpretation, and synthesis parts of the thesis defense. In the thesis period (two semesters), the student earns 60 ECTS

D.6. Specific Arrangements for Recognition of Prior Learning

The students who completed successfully at least one semester at an equivalent program in a national institution or abroad can have the opportunity of the lateral transfer or the approval of the equivalent courses completed in a different institution. The applications are accepted in case of having appropriate quota, the student's meeting of the requirements, and having at least B3 for every course.

The lateral transfer of a student or the approval of the courses are evaluated in the academic council of the department and the board of the institute and according to the Bylaw of Hacettepe University on Post-Graduate Studies and Examinations.

D.7. Goals and Objectives

The aim of the program is to have a capacity building in vaccinology and vaccine development. Objectives to achieve are in below:

• To get familiar with the global epidemiological perspective of vaccine preventable diseases
• To get a general overview on immunization and public health in the world and to understand the overall principles of pharmaceutical development processes from research to the market.
• To understand the basic concepts of immunology and immune response to vaccines
• To get an understanding of concepts, methods and challenges of technical operations and quality of vaccine manufacturing
• To understand main rational, best practice and present overview on Pharmacovigilance systems.
• To understand the requirements and to ensure quality in clinical trials execution and the operational requirements for planning and executing vaccines clinical trials.
• To understand the national and international regulatory environment and requirements related to obtaining approval for vaccines and the maintenance of these licenses.
• Produces creative solutions to problems using with advanced quantitative and qualitative techniques in health economics and pharmacoeconomics.

D.12. Occupational Profiles of Graduates with Examples

D.13. Access to Further Studies

QF-EHEA: 3
EQF-LLL: 8

D.14. Profile of the Programme

The courses in the program are semester-based. The first year of the program is predominantly lecture-based, and the last year includes practical activities covering the thesis. In order to graduate from the program, at least 21 credits and 120 ECTS must be collected. 1 ECTS corresponds to 30 hours of student workload. Since graduates of all four-year departments can be included in the program, there is a need for a scientific preparation program that will standardize the basic knowledge of new students after a jury evaluation. The students who will be admitted to the scientific preparation program are determined by the jury. It is possible for these students to start the master's program with thesis after getting at least B3 in the scientific preparation program and being successful. According to Hacettepe University Graduate Education and Examination Regulation article 24 - (1) published in the Official Gazette numbered 29900 on 26 November 2016, the scientific preparation program is not included in the period required to complete the Master's Program with Thesis. The first year of graduate education is organized to complete theoretical courses that will be the basis for future studies on vaccines. Lessons are strengthened with laboratory applications. The classes prepare students to plan their thesis one year from now. In the first two semesters, 60% of the courses must be selected. Elective courses take place in both semesters to meet students' interests. Students can choose courses from other programs of the university or from other universities after the approval of the advisor.

D.15. Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

Measurement and evaluation methods for each course are explained by the responsible advisor in the relevant sections. Exams, grading system and pass / fail issues are explained by the relevant regulations.

D.16. Graduation Requirements

Students who successfully complete the courses and credits specified in the curriculum (minimum 120 ECTS in total) in the first year must prepare their second year master's thesis. The master's thesis is presented and defended before the master's thesis jury at the end of the second year. Students who successfully complete this defense can graduate with a master's degree.

D.17. Education Type

1. Full Time Education

D.18. Programme Director

Prof.Dr. Songül YALÇIN 

E-posta: siyalcın@hacettepe.edu.tr 

Tel: +90 312 305 11 33