Education

The MSc in Health Economics degree at the University of Galway is a specialised programme providing critical insight into the complex economic issues that exist in health systems and into the economic impact of decisions within this domain. In particular, the programme is designed to:

• Develop a thorough knowledge and applied competence in the fundamentals of health economics including health technology assessment;
• Develop an ability to critically appraise alternative systems of health care finance and delivery in terms of equity, efficiency and sustainability;
• Expose the student to policy debates regarding access to care including new and expensive technologies.
• Develop the theoretical and practical tools to evaluate health technologies and interventions in terms of their clinical and cost effectiveness.

In addition to studying the core theoretical and practical modules of the programme students have the opportunity to spend three months working with an appropriate health-related agency in the public, private or voluntary sector. The internship allows the student to gain direct experience of the practical application of health economic techniques in various settings. Students complete a minor dissertation during this internship. The research topic is usually linked to the research interests of a departmental supervisor and the work of the placement organisation.

The programme is available on a one year full time or a two year part time basis.

To learn more:

• Studying Postgraduate Economics at the University of Galway

The Discipline of Economics at the University of Galway offers a structured PhD programme and Health Economics is formally identified as a key research priority area within this programme. The PhD research degree provides an opportunity to undertake sustained supervised research leading to a doctoral thesis. A growing number of PhDs in Health Economics are being undertaken by students under the supervision of members of the Health Economics and Policy Analysis Centre and it is the aim of the group to expand these numbers into the future.

To learn more:

• PhD Programme in Economics at the University of Galway

The Health Economics and Policy Analysis Centre (HEPAC) provide executive education programmes for a variety of academic and commercial audiences. These programmes are designed as 1 or 3 day specialist courses, are delivered in a flexible manner, and cover a range of subjects including Economic Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment. The short courses are designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to all key issues in the conduct of these techniques. These courses may be designed for those with little or no prior knowledge of the field or for those requiring a foundation for more advanced study and application of the techniques. Our courses are typically delivered with our partners at the HRB Trials Methodology Research Network (TMRN) and Evidence Synthesis Ireland (ESI). 

For further information, please contact: economics@universityofgalway.ie