| Unit name | Health Economics |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ECON30017 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Stephanie von Hinke |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
OR OR |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Economics |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit applies economic principles and methods to the analysis of health and health care-related decision making by individuals, health care providers and governments. This is important, not just because the health sector is responsible for an increasingly large share of government spending, but also because of the public regulation of health services and its ethical significance.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit builds upon the theoretical and empirical foundations you will have developed in the first two years of your programme. On completing the module, students will be able to understand the main economic theories and empirical applications in the area, as well as evaluate existing and new health policies and interventions within a formal economic framework.
Overview of content
This unit aims to provide comprehensive training in using economic analyses to explore different aspects of the economics of health and health care. The unit will cover topics such as the demand for health, the economics of obesity, health insurance, equity in health care finance and delivery, and cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis. In addition, the course will cover and analyse the recent empirical evidence on such topics. Finally, there is a hands-on component, allowing students to use real-world data on a health economics topic for empirical analyses.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
This unit provides a thorough and in-depth treatment of different theories and concepts in the economics of health and health care. Students will be able to use an economic framework to assess existing and new health-related (government) interventions, as well as assess the reliability of existing research findings.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of large and small group classes, supported by online resources
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
We will discuss the weekly exercises in class as a group, providing students with immediate feedback on their understanding of the topic. There will also be various opportunities for oral and/or writen feedback on answers to the exercises that are set for each week
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
When assessment does not go to plan
Normally, there are no opportunities for reassessment in final-year units. Where students are taking this unit as a non final-year unit (such as an MSci), or where there are validated exceptional circumstances:
If students fail the unit such that credit points cannot be awarded at the first attempt, they will be given a reassessment to replace the failed element(s).
These elements will be;
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ECON30017).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
