Module manager: Bryony Dawkins
Email: b.dawkins1@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
The same as the course
This module is not approved as an Elective
The overall aim of this module is to equip students with an understanding of the role of health economics, and skills to apply selected techniques of health economics in the context of developing health systems.
More specifically, on completion of this module, the students should be able to:
1. Discuss the role of health economics within health systems and be familiar with its main theories.
2. Analyse strengths and weaknesses of health financing mechanisms in low- and middle-income countries.
3. Understand basic techniques of resource allocation, costing of health services and health economic appraisal.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1- Investigate and appraise the role of health economics within health systems;
2- Explain, apply and critique key theories and concepts in health economics;
3- Critically appraise selected health economics techniques used in low and middle-income health systems, including costing, economic appraisal, expenditure surveys, and budgeting and resource allocation;
4- Explain and evaluate health financing mechanisms for their strengths and weaknesses
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
Technical skills:
1- Ability to carry out, commission and assess the results of simple costing techniques;
2- Ability to carry out, commission and assess the results of economic appraisal techniques;
3- Ability to critically assess the application of selected health economics techniques used in low-income health systems, including provider payment methods, and budgeting and resource allocation
Work-ready skills:
4- Critical thinking: ability to gather information related to health economics topics and relating to a specific country setting, from a range of sources and analyse and interpret this information to inform a healthcare decision problem
Enterprise skills:
5- Planning and utilising resources for health care
The module will include the following components:
- Introduction to economic concepts and their application to health and healthcare
- Provider payment mechanisms;
- Demand-side financing of health care.
- Resource allocation and budgeting;
- Techniques of costing and economic appraisal;
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 8 | 1.5 | 12 |
| Seminar | 8 | 1.5 | 12 |
| Private study hours | 126 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 24 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
Formative feedback will be provided throughout sessions in response to group work and class exercises. In addition, formative MCQs will be available on Minerva relating to each of the topics covered so that students can assess their learning as the module progresses and additional support needs to develop understanding can be highlighted.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay - 2500 words on topic covered in module with the aim to assess the application of economic theory, mechanisms or techniques | 100 |
| Coursework | Formative MCQs | 0 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
This assignment assesses the students’ understanding of the content covered in the module by assessing their ability to apply the economic theory, mechanisms or techniques to a healthcare system(s) in a country(ies) they are familiar with. Students are given a choice of 6 or 7 essays relating to the various topics covered in the module.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 19/03/2025
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