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 and efficiency;

• Expose the student to policy debates regarding access to care including new and expensive technologies.

Health economists are in demand all over the world. Their skills are sought by government organisations, national and international health agencies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and development organisations such as the World Health Organisation. With expenditure on health rising rapidly everywhere, employers across the world are looking for graduates with an understanding of the supply and demand for health and health care, the ability to undertake the economic evaluation of health-care technologies and the analytical skills required to inform decisions that lead to efficient use of scarce resources.

The master programme in Health Economics can also be a stepping stone to a PhD. Some graduates are likely to enrol on a PhD programme at the Department of Economics, NUI, Galway, while others will be well positioned to secure a place on PhD programmes at any university worldwide.

The knowledge and skills that you acquire on this masters programme are increasingly useful for a career in both public and private sectors or in further academic study, in a wide range of areas. In addition to gaining a knowledge and understanding of economic issues, you also develop analytic and quantitative skills and the ability to critically evaluate and appraise alternatives. In ever-changing employment markets, developing transferable skills is now essential, skills that will significantly broaden your life-long career prospects.

You also complete a three-month internship and minor dissertation.

Check out the Current Students section of the web site for details on these courses.

You complete a minor dissertation during your internship and submit it before a date in the summer on a topic approved by the Programme Board. The research topic is usually linked to the research interests of your supervisor and the work of the placement organisation.

With global population ageing and exciting developments both in technology and in the pharmaceutical industry, various health treatments and technologies are competing for limited public and private resources. Thus the demand for graduates who can analyse the options, evaluate the costs and determine the impact on efficiency and equity of alternative uses of resources continues to grow.

The intership is a great opportunity to open doors to future employment.

Professor Ciaran O'Neill,
School of Business and Economics,
NUI Galway.

Apply for the M.Sc. in Health Economics programmes online via the Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC) web site, using the PAC code GYC26 by the last Friday in April. See PAC website or NUI Galway Postgraduate Admissions Office for further details.

The Programme Board evaluates each applicant’s academic record to date at the time of application and assesses the applicant’s level of motivation as per the Statement of Intent submitted with the online application. Applicants may also be invited to attend for interview.

Offers to successful applicants are issued in July. To secure a
place on the programme, successful applicants must accept their
offer online (via PAC) by the date stipulated, and pay a non-refundable deposit to NUI Galway. This amount is allowable against the course fee.

Students on the programme will have the opportunity to give tutorials to undergraduate students in economics for which they will be paid a standard rate.

Students from developing countries can apply for funding from the Irish Government Aid Fellowship Programme administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, 76-78 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Please note: fees are correct at the time of online publication but are subject to change (E&OE); non-EU fees must be paid in full prior to registration.

The programme begins in the first week in September each year.

Examinations are held at the end of each semester, in December and May. Students submit the minor thesis, no more than 10,000 words, before a date in the Summer determined by the Programme Board.

Prof. Ciaran O'Neill
t: 353 91 492409
e: ciaran.oneill@nuigalway.ie