Health Economics and Policy

MSc

  • Entry year 2026 or 2025
  • Duration Part time 2 years
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Overview

Deepen your understanding of health economics theory, research and practice in this flexible, part-time master’s programme which is taught predominantly online.

Why Lancaster?

  • Study part-time, primarily online and enhance your career prospects alongside existing work and other commitments.
  • Learn from a team of renowned academics with a broad range of expertise across the fields of health economics and health care policy-making.
  • Gain in-depth knowledge of the main theories and principles that underpin health economics globally.
  • Integrate theory and practice, gaining research and evaluation skills that you can apply in your professional life.
  • Apply your knowledge to critical issues for health care management and policy.
  • Develop the specialist skills and credentials needed to progress into senior roles within health economics consultancies, the public sector, pharmaceutical companies or international organisations.

Why study Health Economics and Policy?

The field of health economics and policy is critical to addressing global healthcare challenges.

Using economic principles, experts can provide research, evidence, strategies and tools to support effective healthcare management – from finance to supply chain management, and from efficiency gains to combatting inequalities.

This programme enables you to extend your knowledge across the interrelated disciplines of health, economics and policy.

You will gain the insight, knowledge and skills that will allow you to make a real impact in a senior health economics or health policy role.

What will I study?

You will learn the principal theories and practices behind health economics and how these can be applied to current global challenges. You will also build skills in key areas such as qualitative and quantitative data analysis, research via literature review and evidence synthesis.

The final part of the programme is an opportunity for you to showcase your knowledge and skills in a dissertation, where you will investigate and report on a topic that is of particular interest to you. You will be supported throughout your dissertation by a member of our academic team who has expertise in the chosen field.

How will I study?

This flexible, part-time programme is delivered primarily online, with two academies held at our Lancaster campus. This makes it highly suitable to be taken alongside your current professional role.

The three-day Induction Academy in Year 1 and Autumn Academy in Year 2 are invaluable opportunities to get to know your course peers and begin to build your international network of contacts in the field of health economics and policy. We have many years of experience in providing high-quality online and blended learning programmes, using Lancaster University’s virtual learning platform.

  • Year 1 starts with a three-day in-person Induction Academy taking place at Lancaster’s attractive modern campus. Here you will meet your tutors and fellow students. This is a core element of the programme.
  • Year 1 continues with two specialist modules covering the theory and practice of health economics and policy, as well as a module on research methods used in health economics research (data analysis).
  • Year 2 starts with an optional three-day Autumn Academy at our Lancaster Campus, again with the option to join online.
  • Year 2 continues with an online module on methods of evidence synthesis and their uses in different contexts, and a dissertation.

While you are encouraged to join us on campus in Lancaster for both the Induction and Autumn Academies, it is possible to join online if travelling to Lancaster is not feasible for you.

Studying online

The MSc in Health Economics and Policy is mostly delivered online, allowing you flexibility in when and where you study.

You will use our virtual learning environment to learn alongside your existing commitments via discussion forums, collaborative digital spaces and video conferencing.

All students have access to a hub space that facilitates interaction with their cohort and with students on related programmes, creating a virtual information space that’s also sociable. An academic tutor will support you during the taught phase and a supervisor will support you in the research phase.

Who will I learn from?

You will be taught by a dedicated team of academics in Lancaster University’s Division of Health Research, whose expertise span health economics, health policy and economic evaluation. Joining the teaching team for this programme are experts from the Economics Department at Lancaster University Management School.

The breadth and depth of knowledge provided by this expert interdisciplinary team ensures that this programme has a sound academic underpinning and is informed by the latest developments and good practice in the field.

Health Economics at Lancaster (HEAL) is a research group based in the Faculty of Health and Medicine with strong collaborative links with our Department of Economics. Our research produces evidence to support health policy making to improve population health and wellbeing.

Is this course suitable for me?

This master’s degree in health economics and policy has been carefully designed to be accessible to professionals from a wide range of backgrounds.

We welcome applications from students including:

  • Mid-career professionals in fields including pharmacy, healthcare, policy, and economics.
  • Recent graduates from undergraduate courses

If you’re unsure whether the course is right for you, we welcome informal enquiries – please contact us to discuss your background and career goals.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

2:2 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in ecomomics, or other relevant discipline with a significant quantitative content such as statistics, pharmacy, medicine and management.

Additional requirements

  • The department plans to interview all eligible applicants.
  • The application deadline for this programme is the 31st July. Applicants should ensure that all required supporting documents are submitted by this date.

English language requirements

We require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test.

We also consider other English language qualifications.

Help from our Admissions team

If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the team will get back to you.

We also have more details on our website about:

Pre-master's programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master's pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master's degrees. Visit INTO Lancaster University for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

We continually review and enhance our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the best possible learning experience, and to make sure that the subject knowledge and transferable skills you develop will prepare you for your future. The University will make every reasonable effort to offer programmes and modules as advertised. In some cases, changes may be necessary and may result in new modules or some modules and combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

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Fees and funding

We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2026/27 entry fees have not yet been set.

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Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to the stated entry year and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. Find out more about our  Charter and student policies.