Health Economics and Economic Evaluation (244CW_INFSPC_2)

Overview

Students taking subjects from this specialisation will be trained to apply economic theory and analytic tools to address public health problems. The specialisation equips students with essential knowledge and skills in microeconomics to allow them to analyse and discuss key policy issues in public health from an “economic” perspective. Within this specialisation students will learn how to interpret and apply economic evidence, they will also have the opportunity to develop the skills to conduct their own health economics research. They may focus on developing skills and knowledge necessary to evaluate whether new interventions or services offer value for money (through Economic Evaluation 1 and 2) and/or to scrutinize public health policies and health care systems (through Health Economics 1 and 2).

The skills and knowledge developed in this stream will help students understand and lead in areas of resource allocation including public health management and policy making. These skills can be applied in an Australian and international setting. Possible roles in the field of health economics include health analysist, health economist, health economics project officer, policy advisor, pharmacoeconomic or market access analyst, clinical audit, health economics research assistant, research fellow and PhD student. Future roles which either directly or indirectly involve health care resource allocation and budgeting will benefit from the analytical skills and expertise developed within both health economics and economic evaluation.

Organisations that employ people with skills in health economics are diverse and include national, regional, state/provincial governments (e.g. health departments, Productivity Commission), non-profit/non-government organisations (e.g. Red Cross, World Bank, World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)), large health care services providers (including hospitals, managed care organisations and private health insurance companies); consultancy sector, pharmaceutical industry and health technology industries, private consultancy companies, research institutions (including charities and think tanks), and academic institutions.

Last updated: 13 February 2025

Structure

Standard 200 Point Program (no Advanced Standing):

SIX core subjects and NINE elective subjects and the Capstone Selective POPH90227 Public Health in Practice OR
SIX core subjects, EIGHT elective subjects and either a Research Project or Professional Practice unit

175 Point Pathway:

SIX core subjects and SEVEN elective subjects and the Capstone Selective POPH90227 Public Health in Practice OR
SIX core subjects, SIX elective subjects and either a Research Project or Professional Practice unit

150 Point Pathway:

SIX core subjects and FIVE elective subjects and the Capstone Selective POPH90227 Public Health in Practice OR
SIX core subjects and FOUR elective subjects and either a Research Project or Professional Practice unit

Subject Options

Core Subjects

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
		February (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
POPH90217	Foundations of Public Health	February (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90013	Biostatistics	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90014	Epidemiology 1	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90218	Public Health Leadership and Management	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90231	Qualitative Research in Public Health	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90274	Prioritising & Planning in Public Health	July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Highly Recommended Electives for Health Economics & Economic Evaluation**

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
POPH90094	Health Economics 1	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
POPH90095	Economic Evaluation in Practice	March (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90229	Health Economics 2	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90093	Introduction to Economic Evaluation	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Recommended Electives for Health Economics & Economic Evaluation

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
POPH90206	Health Policy	March (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
POPH90058	Health Program Evaluation 1	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90209	Comparative Health Systems	August (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90144	Regression Methods in Health Research	July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
POPH90242	Epidemiology 2	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
POPH90302	Introduction to Health Services Research	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Capstone

There are three Capstone options to choose from - please refer to the

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
Course Entry		No longer available

for detailed information on each of these:

Research Project
Professional Practice Unit
Capstone selective subject & and additional elective

** Please Note: Students are encouraged to combine Health Economics 1 with related subjects (i.e. Economic Evaluation, Comparative Health Systems and Health Policy). Students going on to take Health Economics 2 are also encouraged to take POPH90144 Regression Methods in Health Research. Students are encouraged to combine Economic Evaluation 1 and 2 with subjects in Biostatistics, Epidemiology 2 (which provide the evidence-base for economic appraisal), and Health Program Evaluation (introducing complementary forms of appraisal).