MSc International Health Policy MSc International Health Policy (Health Economics)

About the MSc programmes

These programmes are based in the Department of Social Policy and offer the following benefits:

• International faculty in some courses, enhancing the programmes' international perspective.
• Potential for internships with major international and governmental organisations, companies or academic institutions as part of the overall student assessment.
• Contact with research staff in LSE Health and Social Care, including specialists in health economics, public health, social care and European health care reform.

These two MSc degrees offer complementary skills. For Health Policy you need a first degree in a relevant academic subject (science, medicine, economics, other social sciences) whereas for Health Economics you need a first degree in economics, mathematics, statistics or any other quantitative subject. For both, the first degree should be at a standard equivalent to a British university upper second class honours. Relevant professional experience would also be advantageous. Please note that upon admission transfer from one degree to the other is not permitted. 

In the MSc International Health Policy, you analyse current and emerging health care problems and the range of health policies being developed to meet them internationally. The programme gives you the opportunity to examine important health policy issues through the application of basic health policy and economic principles. The MSc in Health Economics allows you to concentrate on options geared to health economics analysis. The wide range of options offered means that for both degrees a mix of policy and quantitative skills can be gained.

For both the programmes, you take taught courses to the value of four units consisting of compulsory and optional courses. Many courses are offered as half units thus enabling a wide range of subjects to be covered. In addition, both programmes require you to undertake a compulsory 10,000 word dissertation on a relevant topic which may be written in conjunction with a summer placement with a government department or agency, or international, or private organisations, private companies or academic research institutions. The dissertation makes up the fifth unit of the MSc. 

You study with a highly international and diverse group of students. Professional destinations after completing the degree include consultancies, pharmaceutical companies, national health services, international organisations and government departments and agencies as well as employment in research or further study for a PhD.

MSc International Health Policy

Students must take taught courses to the value of four full units as shown below and undertake a 10,000 word dissertation| which counts as the fifth unit.

Compulsory courses

(* half unit)

• Financing Health Care*
• Measuring Health System Performance*
• Dissertation

Two of the following courses:

• Foundations of Health Policy*
• Health Economics*
• Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy*

Options

Choose to the value of two full units from the following:

• Cost-effectiveness Analysis in Health Care*
• Health and Population in Contemporary Developed Societies*
• Health and Population in Developing and Transitional Societies*
• Valuing Health* 
• Health Systems and Policies in Developing Countries*
• US Health Policies*
• Healthcare Information Systems*  
• Key Issues in Biomedicine, Bioscience and Society
• Behavioural Public Policy*
• Public Economics I
• Advanced Health Economics* 
• Introduction to Quantitative Analysis*
• Applied Regression Analysis*
• European Social Policy
• Statistical Methods in Health Care Economic Evaluation*
• Happiness and Public Policy* 
• Any other LSE course subject to approval of the course tutor
• Selected courses from the Faculty of Public Health and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine subject to academic approval

 

MSc International Health Policy (Health Economics)

 

Students must take courses to the value of four full units as shown below, and undertake a full unit MSc dissertation.

Compulsory courses

(* half unit)

• Financing Health Care*
• Health Economics*
• Dissertation

Two of the following courses:

• Cost-Effectiveness Analysis*
• Valuing Health*
• Advanced Health Economics*

Options

Choose courses to the value of two full units from the following:

• Public Economics
• Introduction to Quantitative Analysis*
• Applied Regression Analysis*
• Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy*  
• Statistical Methods in Health Care Economic Evaluation*
• Health and Population in Contemporary Developed Societies* 
• Measuring Health System Performance* 
• Health Systems and Policies in Developing Countries*
• US Health Policies*
• Pharmaceutical Economics and Politics in Developing Countries*
• Key Issues in Biomedicine, Bioscience and Society 
• Financing Health Care in Developing Countries*
• Happiness and Public Policy* 
• Any other LSE course subject to approval of the course tutor
• Selected courses from the Faculty of Public Health and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine subject to academic approval