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Health Policy (POPH90206)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
March
Overview
Availability | March - Dual-Delivery |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The subject explores the policy decisions, usually made by governments, that determine present and future country or regional level objectives relating to health services; programs; and the regulatory, organisational, social, cultural, physical and natural environments that contribute to population health and well-being. The subject explores the nature of health policy, types of policy instruments, and policy making processes including agenda setting and policy influencing frameworks and theories. The role of evidence in policy formation including the significance of the balance between effectiveness, efficiency and equity as objectives of health policy will be debated. In doing so, students will be introduced to the importance and process of policy analysis and explore the relevant legal, political, managerial, sociological, ethical, epidemiological and economic perspectives to instrument selection and policy implementation across a range of health policy contexts. Australian and international country contexts will be used throughout the subject.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of the subject students should be able to:
- Describe and critically appraise policy making from a political science, epidemiological, economic, legal, sociological and managerial perspective.
- Debate the role of different understandings of equity alongside other objectives in informing health policy and policy change.
- Critically analyse the origins and evidence base of health policy and funding decisions both in Australia and developing countries
- Describe and critically analyse policy development processes and the drivers of policy change
- Choose and justify a policy analysis methodology for a particular policy issue
Generic skills
Upon completion of this subject, students will have developed skills in:
- Critical thinking and analysis,
- Initiative, autonomy and organization,
- Oral communication,
- Written communication,
- Persuasion and argumentation,
- Working with others and in teams.
Last updated: 19 March 2025