HP423      Half Unit
Advanced Health Economics

This information is for the 2024/25 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Miqdad Asaria COW.3.07

Availability

This course is compulsory on the MSc in International Health Policy (Health Economics). This course is available on the MSc in Health Data Science, MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing and MSc in International Health Policy. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Pre-requisites

Students must have completed Health Economics (HP420).

Students enrolling on this course will be expected to have taken advanced undergraduate courses in microeconomics and calculus.

Course content

The course will cover: international comparisons of health care expenditure, individual health-seeking behaviour, health care insurance, contract theory applied to the health care sector (including principal-agent theory and incentive payment mechanisms), and equity in health care.

Students may find material from the half unit HP426 Applied Health Econometrics, to be beneficial to studying this course. See the HP426 course guide for further detail. 

Teaching

This course will be delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars totalling a minimum 25 hours during Winter Term. Seminars will take place in small groups with students presenting assigned topics each week.

There will be a departmental reading week in Week 6 of term.

Formative coursework

Students will give a presentation in seminars and receive feedback from seminar leads

Indicative reading

Culyer, A.J., and Newhouse, J.P., (eds.), 2001, Handbook of Health Economics Volumes 1A &1B, (North-Holland, Amsterdam); Zweifel, P. and Breyer, F., 1997, Health Economics, (OUP, Oxford).

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the spring exam period.

Student performance results

(2020/21 - 2022/23 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 13.1
Merit 62.7
Pass 20.3
Fail 3.9

Key facts

Department: Health Policy

Total students 2023/24: 38

Average class size 2023/24: 13

Controlled access 2023/24: Yes

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills