In today's globalised world we are increasingly facing new public health challenges and the need for health economic competence within public health practice and policy has become apparent. This programme reflects this need.
"After eight years of medical school, I still needed to learn more if I wanted to make a positive impact on as many lives as possible"
We have an exciting study environment where people with different educational and cultural background meet. Our teachers are from all over the world and we have a shared vision of equitable health for all, and a shared mission of transformative education.
By nature, Public Health is multidisciplinary, drawing on social sciences and medicine, using quantitative and qualitative methods to identify and assess specific health risks before designing and implementing effective population-based strategies.
This programme consist of the second year of our two-year programme in public health with a specialization in health economics. The programme requires that the student has completed studies consisting of 60 credits in the field of public health of which at least 5 credits must include basic health economics expertise and 30 credits at advanced level.
Are you interested in:
Then this programme is for you.
There are a number of scholarships available for non-European students. See link at the bottom of this page.
The programme consists of courses in advanced research methods and health economics, equity, sustainability and evaluation in public health.
The programme provides public health practitioners and researchers with the skills required to improve public health through health economic analysis and promote public health in the population. This is an international programme with students coming from many countries and all teaching is in English.
Our Pedagogical Vision of the Educational Environment is based on core principles and didactic strategies including active, collaborative, and reflective learning. Studying on the programme means an active search for knowledge, problem solving, and critical analyses based on a scientific approach.
The working methods vary between individual study work, group work, seminars, lectures and practical sessions. Students have expressed great satisfaction with the cooperation between students from different educational and cultural background.
Pedagogical vision of the educational environment
Sergio Flores, from Honduras, Umeå University's Global Swede 2021. He talks about what it is like to study at the program and at Umeå University.
The master’s thesis work is an important part of the studies in this programme and gives you a possibility to apply the knowledge that you have gained to develop a deeper understanding and specialization within a chosen area. Our teachers are also researchers which means that you will have a supervisor who has experience in public health research and health economy.
The thesis comprises 15 or 30 higher education credits, depending on what has been included in previous studies.
At least 15 credits should be in the field of health economics.
Read more about the thesis work second year
Evidence based public health, Equity and Health, Health economic theory, Advanced biostatistics and epidemiology, Advanced topics in health economic evaluation methods, Health, environment and sustainability, Leading change and development in welfare organizations, Evaluation in public health, Master thesis, second year.
This programme gives knowledge that can be used in NGO’s, public organisations and private companies. Many graduates will work in the public sector in local and state institutions, from e.g. hospitals to the Ministry of Health. They may work with public health policies, health advocacy, legislation, management, evaluation of interventions or to analyse the effect of decisions on different levels.
Graduates can find jobs in non-profit organizations such as Red Cross, Save the Children, Medecins Sans Frontièrs or Clinton Health Access initiative. Other graduates will go to the private sector working e.g., for pharmaceutical companies or for health insurance companies. Others will work for the health minister or at WHO.
A future university career in research is another path since the programme is designed for those already working as, or planning to become, public health practitioners. Further studies can lead to a PhD degree.
Degree of Master of Science (120 Credits) Main Field of Study: Public Health, Specialisation: Health Economics.