Overview
The M.S. program in Health Economics provides graduate-level training in economics, specifically in the economics of the health care industry. Our M.S. program emphasizes extensive training in mathematical and quantitative analysis, including substantial exposure to applied econometrics, working with large and diverse data sets, and a wide range of statistical software.
- All our econ programs are classified as STEM fields.
- The M.S. in Health Economics program can be completed in a few as three semesters.
- We have many working students in our M.S. program. All of our M.S. courses are offered at 5:00pm or later on either Mon/Wed or on Tues/Thurs.
- The M.S. in Helath Economics is an in-person program. Students cannot complete the degree remotely.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the M.S. degree in Health Economics, students will be able to:
- Understand the economic approach to studying the healthcare sector, health behaviors, and health outcomes.
- Understand how different markets function in the health care sector, such as the market for health care, health insurance, health labor (such as physicians and nursing), and pharmaceuticals.
- Understand the challenges in identifying causal relationships using health data.
- Use and develop statistical and econometric models, based on economic theory, to analyze various economic issues and make policy recommendations.
A Multidisciplinary Program
The M.S. in Health Economics builds off the strengths of the Economics Department, which is housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Health Systems, Management and Policy (HSMP), which is housed in the Colorado School of Public Health, allowing students to take courses on both the downtown Denver and Anschutz Medical campuses. The curriculum equips students with an applied interdisciplinary skill set that integrates creative knowledge with the technical expertise that is in demand in the health care industry, enhancing their career and professional development, and provides those pursuing advanced degrees an edge in gaining admission to top-flight Ph.D. programs.
A Bridge to a Ph.D. in Health Economics
The first-year courses in the M.S. program are the same as those in the Ph.D. in Health Economics program. Students admitted to the M.S. program may apply to the Ph.D. program in their second year. If admitted to the Ph.D. program in Health Economics, students can apply courses taken as an M.S. student towards their Ph.D., earning both degrees in as few as four years.
Note: The University of Colorado Denver is a member of Western Regional Graduate Program. Qualified students admitted to this program who are residents of one of the 15 WICHE states may be eligible for in-state tuition.