The National Institute of Health Research says that there is an acknowledged shortage of health economists. It also recognized that research is core to any study of health economics, which is reflected in many courses around the world. It defined building research capacity in health economics as one of its goals (http://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/masters-studentships-in-economics-of-health.htm).

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which offers a Masters of Health Science in Health Economics, defines the field thus; “Health Economics is an applied field of study that allows for the systematic and rigorous examination of the problems faced in promoting health for all. By applying economic theories of consumer, producer and social choice, health economics aims to understand the behavior of individuals, health care providers, public and private organizations, and governments in decision-making” (http://www.jhsph.edu/departments/international-health/global-health-masters-degrees/master-of-health-science-in-health-economics/what-is-health-economics.html).

Those who want to know more about the field of health economics and related areas should visit The International Health Economics Association’s site www.healtheconomics.org. Oxford University has published a short document titled ‘What is Health Economics?’ (as a part of their ‘What is’ series). The document is available at http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/painres/download/whatis/what_is_health_econ.pdf.

Since it is about economics as it interfaces with healthcare, some universities link it also to phamarcoeconomics, while others link it to healthcare management. Some bring in a quantitative dimension by linking it to mathematical modelling. Some link it directly to outcomes.

The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics, offers, jointly with the School of Health and Related Research, MSc Economics and Health Economics (https://www.shef.ac.uk/economics/masters/courses/msc_economics_health). It also offers an MSc Health Economics and Decision Modelling, focused on applying mathematical modelling to healthcare (http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/prospective_students/masters/hedm). The University of York, Department of Economics and Related Studies, offers an MSc in Health Economics

(http://www.york.ac.uk/economics/postgrad/taught-masters/msc-health-econ/).

There is the European Master in Health Economics and Health Management (https://www.mci.edu/en/study-program/master/european-master-in-health-economics-health-management). Germany offers a Master of Science in International Pharmacoeconomics and Health Economics. Students may find out more from https://www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-programs/en/?p=d&s=kr&id=1776. The University of Heidelberg offers a Master of Science in Health Economics (http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/studium/interesse/faecher/health_economics.html). The University of Oslo offers an MPhil in Health Economics, Policy and Management (http://www.studyinnorway.no/Masters-and-Bachelor-course-search/Programme/M.Phil-in-Health-Economics-Policy-and-Management). The University of Denmark offers an MSc in Economics – Healthcare Management and Economics (http://www.sdu.dk/en/uddannelse/kandidat/candoeconhealth).

Stanford University offers a Master of Science in Health Services Research (http://med.stanford.edu/mshsr/). The School of Public Health at Boston University has a Masters Health Economics programme (http://www.bu.edu/sph/academics/departments/health-policy-management/research/health-economics-program/). It also offers an MS in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (http://www.mcphs.edu/Academics/programs/Pharmaceutical%20Economics%20and%20Policy%20MS). Thomas Jefferson University has a very specifically defined Masters in Applied Health Economics & Outcomes Research (http://www.jefferson.edu/university/population-health/degrees-programs/applied-health-economics.html).

The Robert Stempel College of public Health & Social Work offers a Joint MPH/PhD in Health Economics (http://stempel.fiu.edu/academics/health-policy-and-management/areas-of-study/mph-phd-health-economics/index.html). The Rutgers School of Public Health has a Master of Science in Health Outcomes, Policy and Economics (http://sph.rutgers.edu/departments/epidemiology/degrees/ms_hope.html).

Students interested in the UK can gather more information from www.heacademcy.ac.uk. Students can find out more through http://www.postgraduatesearch.com/postgraduate/health-economics/uk/study/postgraduate-browse.htm.