Introduction to Health Economics

Undergraduate | 2026

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Area/Catalogue
PUBH 3018
Course ID icon
Course ID
208015
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
3
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

The aim of the course is to introduce basic economic concepts such as opportunity costs, supply and demand, markets and the price mechanism in a healthcare context. Students will be exposed to practical issues faced by decision makers in a healthcare context such as funding allocation for provision of healthcare services. This course will prepare students with the foundational economic knowledge needed to help inform decisions for maximising health benefits in a population.

Course learning outcomes

  • Apply basic classical market theory to predict how external factors will affect the price of healthcare and quantity of healthcare traded, in a private market
  • Understand the economic rationale for public financing and/or provision of healthcare and associated economic stewardship responsibilities
  • Conceptualise a health economic evaluation using the decision analytic framework
  • Interpret the results of a health economic evaluation
  • Understand the role and limitations of health economic evaluation to inform public funding decisions

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A