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Unit of study_

HPOL5000: Health Policy and Health Economics

2025 unit information

This unit aims to develop a critical and comparative understanding of the history, theory and practice of health policy as well as provide students with an understanding of the main concepts and analytical methods of health economics and political economy. It gives an overview of the political choices and frameworks that shape decision making in health. By the end of this unit students will be able to: Define the boundaries and key features of health policy; Identify policy instruments and how they function; Understand the main frameworks used for analysing health policy, and different approaches and perspectives regarding setting priorities in health policy; Apply methods and principles of health economics e.g. resource scarcity, opportunity cost, efficiency and equity to practical real-life examples; Critically analyse the role of economic evidence in informing policy decisions in health decision-making in Australia.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Medicine and Health

Study level Postgraduate
Academic unit Public Health
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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PUBH5032
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. define the boundaries and key features of health policy
  • LO2. identify policy instruments and how they function
  • LO3. understand the main frameworks used for analysing health policy, and different approaches and perspectives regarding setting priorities in health policy
  • LO4. apply methods and principles of health economics e.g. resource scarcity, incentives, opportunity cost, efficiency, and equity to practical real-life examples
  • LO5. (critically) review the role of economic evidence in informing policy decisions in healthcare in Australia.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2024
Online Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Semester 1 2025
Online Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2020
Online Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Block mode Remote
Semester 1 2021
Online Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Block mode Remote
Semester 1 2022
Online Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Block mode Remote
Semester 1 2023
Online Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.