Online Master in Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics

Overview
Curriculum
Faculty
Methodology
Professional Future
Admission and enrolment
Scholarships and funding

With the Online Master in Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics, positioned in the Top 50 in Health Economics and Public Health by the EdUniversal ranking, you will specialize in economic concepts, techniques, and instruments applied to health economics, pharmacoeconomics, health management, and pharmaceutical management.

Health Economics
Pharmacoeconomics
Market access

Next edition

Start program: 15 February, 2024 (To be confirmed)

End program: 17 December, 2025 (To be confirmed)

Modality

Online

Language

English

ECTS credits

Price

9250 €

The Online Master in Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics offers specialist training in health economics, economic evaluation, and management of health services and technologies. You will get a global vision of one of the fastest-growing and most important sectors in the world in the health area.

You will learn to apply the basic and fundamental aspects of the techniques and instruments for the economic evaluation of drugs and medical technologies through cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and cost-benefit analysis. To do this, you will focus on the use of statistical and econometric techniques in economic analysis in areas as diverse as the relationship between spending and income, the behaviour of drug prescribers, the preparation of pharmacy budgets or the study of determinants of the effectiveness of a treatment.

With the help of experts in this area, both academics and professionals in the sector, you will analyse the justification and effectiveness of the main regulation and financing policies for medicines in a health system. You will also learn to apply the instruments of rational use of medicines, in order to guarantee the best possible use both from the point of view of effectiveness and the efficiency of pharmacological interventions.

Through didactic materials designed by the teaching team, you will carry out analyses on the economic operation of the health sector and the economic behaviour of the agents that are involved with it, with special reference to the application of economic concepts and instruments for the management of health services.

At the end of the main subjects of the master, a practical module is presented in which you will work on modeling techniques within the framework of economic evaluation studies of drugs and medical technologies. With this module you will understand the basic concepts and principles that characterize economic analysis and use economic language with ease.

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Why choose this program

Gain a prestigious international degree

We offer a prestigious degree, backed by the international recognition of UPF, the number 1 university in Spain, which will allow you to differentiate yourself and meet new professional challenges. The qualification does not mention the online study methodology of the postgraduate course.

Gain access to an internationally recognized master's degree

It is recognized by the EdUniversal Ranking 2021 as 1st in Spain and occupies position 45 worldwide in the area of Health Economics and Public Health. Among the 100% online programs, the program ranks 5th internationally.

Academic excellence at your fingertips

We will connect you with professors of the highest academic level and recognized international trajectory, led by Jaume Puig-Junoy and Natàlia Pascual, academics and professionals with extensive experience and recognition in the field of health economics. They will support you and inspire you to achieve your professional goals.

We adapt to you

We offer you flexible and dynamic online training of the highest quality, fully compatible with your work and family responsibilities. Also, you will learn, connecting with international students, at your own pace and from anywhere in the world.

Get current relevant content for the sector

After more than 20 editions and a 92% satisfaction rate, this program is part of the training agenda of important multinational companies in the health sector, thanks to a global and rigorous approach with content adapted to the current workplace reality.

Who is it for?

The program is aimed at both professionals with management responsibilities, as well as graduates who want to acquire the necessary skills for the management of hospitals, clinical laboratories, public and private health centres, public administrations in charge of the management or financing of medicines and health services, private insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, training centres in drug management and health services, among others.

Admission and enrolment

Accreditations

UPF Barcelona School of Management is the management school of Pompeu Fabra University, the 1st Ibero-American university and the 16th placed university in the world, among those under 50 years of age, according to the Times Higher Education ranking.

UPF Barcelona School of Management has EQUIS accreditation, the most prestigious institutional recognition for business schools globally, and places itself among the top business schools in the world.

The Master in Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics is an official master's degree and has the academic recognition of the Ministry of Education of the Government of Spain. The Quality Agency of the University System of Catalonia (AQU) has also institutionally accredited UPF-BSM. This accreditation certifies all the official master's degrees that we teach and recognizes the quality of our educational model in accordance with the criteria of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

Besides, this master's degree is recognized by the EdUniversal 2021 Ranking as the best master's degree in Spain and occupies position 45 worldwide in the area of Health Economics and Public Health. Among the 100% online programs, the program ranks 5th internationally.

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Methodology

At UPF-BSM we are committed to a flexible and dynamic online model, which aims to place the participant at the centre of the process so that they are the owner of their learning process.

To facilitate day-to-day management and the achievement of your academic goals, the program is structured into subjects, with which you will acquire knowledge and instrumental and aptitude skills.

All this, while having 24/7 access to the virtual environment so that you can organize your study without schedules and at your own pace. In this way, you can combine it with your work and personal life, making the most of the time you have for it.

01.

Didactic and interactive teaching materials

You will have access to materials in various formats to make your experience more motivating and dynamic: content maps, interactive and downloadable teaching materials, study cases, video tutorials, and additional readings. These materials are designed and periodically updated by professionals and experts in the field for you to have at your disposal the latest knowledge, skills, and tools at your fingertips to take your career to the next level.

02.

Active and collaborative learning

Participation and discussion with your classmates and teachers are essential and enriching for the collaborative learning process. We will provide you with various tools such as the Discussion Forum, where you can propose new topics for debate, comment on and answer questions presented by the teacher or give feedback to interesting comments.

03.

Personalized support

To make your experience more tangible and immediate, you will have the support of fundamental people such as the teacher or expert tutor, who will guide you through the subjects of the program. The program manager will help you in the monitoring and general operation of the program, as well as in the management of procedures or access to other services of the university. And the professional career advisor will guide you in improving your personal brand and in the search for professional opportunities.

04.

Term Paper Tutor

Throughout the program, you will develop your final project and, for this, you will be assigned an expert tutor on the subject, who will be in charge of advising you and supervising its development until its submission and final defense.

Evaluation

The evaluation of each subject will be carried out as follows:

75% of the qualification will correspond to the average of the scores obtained in the final exercises of each of the four teaching units. To pass each module, the participant must have a score equal to or greater than 5 in three of the four final exercises of each didactic unit. The final exercise is considered passed if the participant obtains a minimum of 5 answers out of 10 (or equivalent figure if the number of questions is other than 10). In the event that at least the final exercises of three didactic units have not been passed, the module is automatically pending.
25% of the grade will correspond to the grade obtained in the individual or group activity established for each module.
In the case of not passing the module, a period of time will be established during the academic year during which the student will have the possibility of doing, for the second and last time, another final exercise for the teaching units not passed. The individual or group activity carried out for each module will not have a recovery period.

Tools

The learning process is characterized by its flexibility, since, in the virtual learning environment, the structure of the school calendar and the diversity of multimedia resources which are made available to the student allows them to acquire knowledge in a self-regulated manner.

The support of the teaching staff and interaction with classmates is carried out by making use of a wide variety of communication channels that facilitate proximity and didactic dialogue.

Professional Future

The Master in Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics provides specialized training in the economics and management of health services and medicine (pharmacoeconomics).

Management in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector is understood in the broadest sense and includes the management of healthcare services of administrations and other public bodies, centres and services of healthcare institutions at any of the healthcare levels, providers of healthcare pharmaceutical services, drug and medical technology evaluation agencies, as well as pharmaceutical industry, and distributors, insurance entities, and consultancies in this sector.

Student profile

The Online Master's Degree in Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics brings together professionals of more than 20 nationalities from the health and pharmaceutical sectors, as well as professionals from the economics and business areas. The online course is tailored to the needs and requirements of experienced professionals and recent graduates who wish to expand their knowledge in these areas, so it does not require previous knowledge of economics from the participants.

Due to the high international participation in the master's degree, it offers great opportunities for mutual enrichment and networking with other professionals in the sector, promoting links and work synergies with different experts and fellow students.

Average age

Average years of professional experience

37%

African Students

33%

European Students

26%

Asian Students

Career opportunities

Thanks to the school's Professional Careers Service, you will be able to participate in the Talent UP professional development program, a training complement designed to increase the value and positioning of our students in the professional market. This program provides students with tools and resources, individual career advice, training activities, company events, and various career opportunities.

The program is designed to complement the training of professionals with management responsibilities and graduates interested in acquiring the necessary skills to take on such responsibilities in:

Hospitals, clinical laboratories, and public and private health centres
Public bodies responsible for managing and/or funding pharmaceuticals and health services
Private insurance companies
Pharmaceutical companies and companies related to the distribution of pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical and health service management training centres
Consultancy and advisory firms related to the health sector, etc.

Admission and enrolment

Our admission process consists of a rigorous evaluation of each application to preserve the quality of the group as well as the training, experience, and work capacity of all students.

Who can apply?

Academic and professional background:

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's Degree in health, pharmaceutical, health sciences, or economics.
Graduates from other fields will also be taken into consideration.
A minimum experience of two years in these fields will be positively valued, both nationally and internationally.

Proficiency in English:
Proof of English level is required in order to be admitted:

TOEFL IBT: > 72
CAE: B2
IELTS: > 5.0
Duolingo: > 115
Employer letter: HR department letter stating English as the official language of the company, or that the candidate uses English on a daily basis.

*Applicants whose mother tongue is English do not need to present the aforementioned certificate.
*Applicants who have completed their full Bachelor's Degree or any other higher education studies at an English-speaking university must submit written evidence that English was the language of instruction.
*Depending on the undergraduate degree of the participants, additional training will be required. Students will be required to take additional courses that should be done during the first weeks of the Master and do not involve an additional cost. The courses will be in the areas of Global Health, Statistics, and Economics.

How to apply?

To apply for admission to this program, students must read and accept the Terms and Conditions of Contract once they start the application for admission through its form.

Application for admission

Complete your application within the next admission rounds:

Round	Application deadline	Admission resolution
11	14/06/2023	29/06/2023
12	22/06/2023	07/07/2023
13	29/06/2023	13/07/2023

Applications for admission will be evaluated when you complete the following steps:

Complete the online admission form.
Pay the €120 admission fee. This amount will be returned if you are not admitted.
Send the following documents through the online platform e-registrar:
- Presentation letter
- Video motivation (3 min)
- CV
- Scanned copy of university degree (if you are in the last year of your degree, you can provide your academic records)
- Scanned copy of Transcript of Records. Make sure that it includes your GPA (Grade Point Average)
- Scanned copy of ID Card or Passport
- Passport-size photo (jpg format)

Additional documents may be requested in certain cases.
Applications are subject to the number of places available on the program.

Admission

The Admissions Committee will select the candidates on the basis of a personal or CV-based interview.
You will be notified of the admission decision in writing.

Enrolment

Resgistration must be paid within a 15 days after the admission.
Once the letter of acceptance to the program has been received, you will need to submit the following original documents before the course begins:
- Stamped and/or authenticated photocopy of your university degree.
- Stamped and/or authenticated photocopy of your transcript of records.
If you have a foreign degree, we will indicate you in the admission letter the specific instructions of the documents required
Paying the reservation fee (25% of the program's tuition fees) is essential in order to reserve your place
If you pay the tuition fees by bank transfer you will be required to introduce the program code. The program code for this course is 1553.
The remaining tuition fees must be paid 2 weeks before the start of the course.