Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Course

This course is designed to provide students who already possess a basic degree in economics with the skills necessary to pursue a future career as academic or policy-oriented economists, as administrators in the health sector or as health-care evaluators. It introduces economists to the basic concepts of epidemiology and bioethics and trains participants in research methods by having them undertake a project during their placement at an approved institution.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Economics and Evaluation aims to produce graduates who will:

(a.) be critical and creative scholars who:

• produce innovative solutions to health economics problems
• apply research skills to health system challenges
• communicate effectively and perceptively

(b.) be responsible and effective global citizens who:

• engage in an internationalised world
• exhibit cross cultural competence
• demonstrate ethical values

(c.) have a comprehensive understanding of their disciplines of economics and health economics and be able to provide discipline based solutions relevant to the business, professional and public policy communities we serve

(d.) have advanced knowledge to postgraduate diploma level in health economics and be able to:

• demonstrate analytical skills in economics in an examination of the role of incentives in the achievement of health care objectives
• apply technical skills in economic evaluation to the performance of a sophisticated economic evaluation of a health intervention.

A three-month industry-based learning component must be conducted at an institution acceptable to the course coordinator. During the industry-based learning component the student is expected to complete an applied project under the direction of a supervisor.

The course structure has two main components:

• a set of core units in health economics
• a three-month placement unit (normally undertaken during the summer semester).

Students must complete:

(a.) four units (24 points):

• ECC4870 Health economics
• ECC4990 Economic evaluation of health services
• ECX5465 Microeconomics
• MPH1040 Introductory epidemiology

(b.) three units (18 points) from the following list:

• ECC4720 Law and economics
• ECC4810 Public economics
• ECC4830 Welfare economics
• ECX4000 Reading unit in applied health economics
• ECX5466 Macroeconomics
• ECX5470 Competition, regulation and policy
• ECX5479 Project evaluation
• ECX5484 Industrial organisation
• ETC4410 Applied econometrics
• ETC5420 Microeconometrics
• ETX5443 Quantitative economic policy

(c.) one industry-based learning unit (6 points):

• ECC5710 Health industry-based learning

Postgraduate Diploma in Health Economics and Evaluation