University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2022/23 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Health Sciences > Bristol Medical School > Health Economics and Health Policy Analysis (MSc) > Specification
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Programme code | 8BRMS010T |
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Programme type | Postgraduate Taught Degree |
Programme director(s) |
Joanna Coast
|
Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
School/department | Bristol Medical School |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Mode of study | Full or Part Time |
Programme length |
1 years (full time)
2 years (part time) |
This section sets out why studying this programme is important, both in terms of inspiring you as an individual and in considering the challenges we face. It describes how this degree programme contributes to:
This programme aims to develop the student’s interest in and knowledge and understanding of health economics and policy analysis applied to health and care contexts. The programme aims to provide
students with the key theoretical concepts of health economics and policy analysis, as well as a broad
understanding of empirical evidence in the context of health and care settings. It is the intention that students will
leave the course with a strong grasp of relevant methodologies, and an ability to conduct economic evaluation,
policy evaluation, economic modelling and more general quantitative and qualitative analysis within health
economics and policy analysis posts in academia, the health and care services, or industry. Students will also
leave the course with knowledge of complex global health and wellbeing challenges such as climate change and
health, access to medicines, infectious disease, health and social care impacts across the life-course. They will
have developed understanding of the impact of these challenges in high-, middle- and low-income settings, and
how health economics and policy analysis might be brought to bear on these challenges, as well as having a grasp
of the ethical issues involved. The programme will also develop students’ abilities to communicate their knowledge
and understanding through different media and formats and to different audiences, including through experience of
academic writing, policy briefs, poster and oral presentations and plain English writing, as well as a variety of other
transferable skills including creative and critical thinking, working autonomously and as a team member, and the
use of relevant software.
The learning outcome statements shown below for your programme have been developed with reference to relevant national subject benchmarks (where they exist), national qualification descriptors (see the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) and professional body requirements.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies are listed to show how you will be able to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes.
This programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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ILO1: Core concepts will be taught through lectures, exercises and discussions in Concepts; advanced concepts will be similarly taught through UK and Global. Student’s understanding will need to be enhanced through self-study of related materials. ILO2:Learning from all units will contribute to the student’s increasing understanding of the interactions between theory, method and empirical evidence, but this will be particularly pronounced in the UK and Global units; self-study through reading will be important for this ILO ILO3: Learning through lectures and practical sessions in Qualitative, Quantitative and Modelling; also in an introductory way for economic evaluation in Concepts. Further developed through the dissertation. ILO4: In line with the approach of research-led teaching, thinking at the forefront of research and practice will be taught through all means in all units and through the dissertation, with students also directed to self-study with relevant materials. ILO5: The contribution of economic and policy analysis to real word problems will be taught through a case study approach in the UK and Global units. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
ILO1: Formative and summative assessments requiring understanding of core (Concept) and advanced concepts (UK and Global). ILO2: Formative assessments throughout the programme will contribute, but the ability to interpret theory, method and empirical evidence will be tested summatively in UK and Global. ILO3: Formative and summative assessments testing knowledge of methodological techniques in Qualitative, Quantitative and Modelling. Also tested through the dissertation. ILO4: For the summative assessments for all units, students will be expected to bring research and evidence at the forefront of thinking to their assignments; their dissertation will place them in the role of producing this work at the forefront of thinking. ILO5: Students will be asked to address real world complex problems in formative and summative assessments for UK and Global |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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|
ILO1: learning through lectures, exercises, discussions and self-study in relation to core concepts in Concepts and advanced concepts in UK and Global ILO2: Initial approaches to identifying, synthesising and critically evaluating economic and policy related research will be explicitly taught in Concepts. Further skills in critical evaluation will be developed through UK, Global and Modelling through teaching and self-study. ILO3-5: Taught through the three methods units (Qualitative, Quantitative, Modelling) and the dissertation, through lectures, practicals, exercises, discussion and self-study. ILO6: Learning through supervised research via the dissertation. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
ILO1: Ability to interpret, discuss and appraise will be tested in the formative assessments for Concepts (related to core concepts) and UK and Global (for advanced concepts) ILO2: Formative assessment of review methods, and a summative scoping review for Concepts will both require the ability to formally synthesise information. The ability to synthesise and critically evaluate will also be assessed in the UK, Global and Modelling units. ILO3-5: Assessed formatively and summatively through methods units and through the dissertation which will require design and analysis. ILO6: Formative assessment through the outline and poster presentations, summative assessment of the dissertation itself. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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|
ILO1: Different communication methods will be explicitly taught through exercises and feedback in the different units and dissertation and practiced in self-study. ILO2: Students will work towards this throughout the programme, with all forms of teaching and self-study contributing. ILO3: Encouraged through the linking of asynchronous materials to formative exercises within weekly/fortnightly tutorials, for which work will need to be prepared on an ongoing basis, as a means of enhancing good self-study practices. Also learned through self-management within the dissertation. ILO4,6: Exercises and discussions to encourage these outcomes throughout the programme, and the opportunity to use these skills in the dissertation. ILO5: Taught from different perspectives through lectures and discussion in each of the units, and also requiring self-study, including for the dissertation, through relevant reading. ILO7: Relevant software packages taught through the three methods Units, including formal teaching and opportunities to obtain familiarity through self-study and the dissertation. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
ILO1: The specific forms of the summative assessments will contribute to this learning objective, with each focusing on different forms of communication: for example, academic writing in Concepts, Modelling and the dissertation; plain English writing in UK; poster and oral presentation in Global; protocol writing in Qualitative; writing for policy in Quantitative. ILO2-4: Formative and summative assessments throughout including the dissertation. ILO5: Summative assessments in Global and Qualitative, and through the dissertation. ILO6: Summative assessments throughout ILO7: Formative and summative assessments in Qualitative, Quantitative, Global |
This section describes what is expected from you at each level of your programme. This illustrates increasing intellectual standards as you progress through the programme. These levels are mapped against the national level descriptors published by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Level M/7 - Masters |
As the student travels through the MSc programme they will shift from an understanding of core concepts in health economics and policy analysis at the start of the programme to more advanced concepts and application of these concepts to complex global health and care problems by the end of the programme. In methodological terms, the first teaching block will introduce them to qualitative and quantitative research methods and the particular skills required for economic evaluation. Towards the end of the course, the student will build on these existing methodological skills to develop skills in economic modelling. |
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For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the postgraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/postgraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
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Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Concepts in the economics and policy of health and care | BRMSM0046 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1A |
Qualitative and survey design methods for health economics and policy analysis | BRMSM0051 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Quantitative methods for economic evaluation and health policy analysis | BRMSM0047 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1B |
Economics & Policy of Health & Care: the UK in a global setting | BRMSM0048 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2C |
Economics & Policy of Health & Care: global health challenges | BRMSM0050 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2D |
Economic modelling for healthcare decision-making | BRMSM0049 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Dissertation | BRMSM0009 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
180 |
The pass mark set by the University for any level 7(M) unit is 50 out of 100.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to exit from the programme with a postgraduate diploma or certificate.
To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.
To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.
An award with Merit or Distinction is permitted for postgraduate taught masters, diplomas and certificates, where these are specifically named entry-level qualifications. An award with Merit or Distinction is not permitted for exit awards where students are required to exit the programme on academic grounds but is permitted in designated programmes (as set out in the programme specification) where students choose to withdraw from the intended programme but otherwise achieve the necessary credit points for the exit award.
The classification of the award in relation to the final programme mark is as follows:
Award with Distinction*: at least 65 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation. **Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.
Award with Merit*: at least 60 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 60 out of 100 for the dissertation. Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.
* The MA in Law has separate regulations for awarding distinction and merit.
** For the award of Distinction, the Faculty of Engineering requires at least 70 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation.
All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to choose, or be required, to leave at the postgraduate diploma or certificate stage.
To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.
To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.
This programme can be studied on a part-time basis over 2 or 3 years. (3 year route is 60credits per year and the 60credit Dissertation unit in the final year)
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Concepts in the economics and policy of health and care | BRMSM0046 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1A |
Quantitative methods for economic evaluation and health policy analysis | BRMSM0047 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1B |
Economics & Policy of Health & Care: the UK in a global setting | BRMSM0048 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2C |
Economics & Policy of Health & Care: global health challenges | BRMSM0050 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2D |
Economic modelling for healthcare decision-making | BRMSM0049 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
100 |
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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