Course Information
Graduate Certificate in Health Economics
Graduate Diploma of Health Economics
Master of Health Economics
Special Notice
No new students are being accepted to these courses.
What is this venture?
These courses in Health Economics represent an exciting new venture - the first of its kind in the world. They are an international (largely on-line) distance learning program in health economics for (primarily non-economist) health care professionals and researchers. The courses do not require any time in Australia; they can be done wholly at a distance. They were previously run out of the University of Sydney but with the move of the Director Professor Gavin Mooney to Curtin the courses have now been moved there with him and it is no longer possible to do this course through the University of Sydney.
Why health economics?
With ever increasing demands on health care resources, there has in recent years been a growing awareness of the role of health economics in informing policy in the health care sector.
Throughout the world, health authorities, hospitals, government departments and other bodies, charged with the responsibility of the financing, provision and evaluation of health services, have increasingly turned to health economics to assist in their decision making.
What is the purpose of the course?
The courses provide health professionals and health researchers (normally from a non-economics background) with a broad and sound conceptual, methodological and empirical foundation in health economics. Clearly the further students progress through the Graduate Certificate to the Graduate Diploma to the Master the broader and especially the deeper is the understanding.
Graduates will gain an understanding of the ideas and tools of health economics and be able to apply economic techniques to address various health and health service issues regarding resource allocation. Students will require access to a computer and the Internet in order to undertake this course.
Who is responsible for the academic content of the courses?
The Director of the Courses is Professor Gavin Mooney who has recently moved from the University of Sydney to Curtin University (which is why the courses have moved here). Gavin has prepared all the specialised materials for the courses.
Gavin has been working in health economics for 30 years and, with over 200 publications and 15 books to his name, he has an international reputation as a health economist. He is also a highly respected educator and has previously directed distance learning courses in health economics in the Nordic countries and the UK (both for non-economists) and an international course based in Tromso in Norway for economists.
As Professor Cam Donaldson of the University of Calgary has remarked: "In my view Professor Gavin Mooney is amongst the best health economist educators in the world. Any such course run by him is highly likely to be a great success."
What are the entry criteria?
A bachelor's degree from a recognised institution or its equivalent (with the approval of the Director) is required. Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Health Economics (with an average mark of 65%) is essential to move on to the Graduate Diploma of Health Economics. To move to the Master of Health Economics requires an average mark of 70% for the Graduate Diploma of Health Economics.
What are the objectives?
On completion of the Graduate Certificate of Health Economics, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ideas and thinking of economics
- Compare the role of markets with public health care systems
- Apply and critique economic evaluations in health care
- Justify the use of economic analysis in health care.
On completion of the Graduate Diploma of Health Economics, graduates will be able to deal with the issues above in greater depth and additionally:
- Evaluate different approaches to priority setting in health care
- Appraise the role of health insurance and different health financing systems.
On completion of the Master of Health Economics, graduates will be able to deal with the issues above in greater depth and additionally:
- Incorporate health economic analysis into their day to day work
- Defend the theoretical and conceptual basis of health economics.
How long do the courses take? What is the availability?
The Graduate Certificate normally takes one semester full time (or two part time); the Graduate Diploma two semesters (four part time); and the Masters three semesters full time (six part time). Full time students are expected to study approximately 20 hours per week. Students can expect to spend 2 hours of that on-line. The courses are open to all full-fee paying students, international and Australian. Scholarships may be offered to some students from developing countries
When do applications close?
12th January each year for the next set of courses starting 1st March.
Further information
Contact
Social and Public Health Economics Research Group (SPHERe)
Division of Health Sciences
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U1987
Perth WA 6845
Australia
Email g.mooney@curtin.edu.au
Tel +61 8 9266 4304
Fax +61 8 9266 2608
Information relating to this course may be subject to change.
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