In 2016, we undertook an extensive programme review of our MSc Health Economics and Decision Science with input from past and current students; external stakeholders, including national and international academics and decision-makers.
The revised programme will be delivered starting in the 2017 academic year. A new module, Further Statistical Methods for Health Economic Analysis will replace the existing Operational Research module; it will cover all aspects of survival analysis, including non-parametric and parametric survival analysis, adjustment for treatment for treatment switching, and methods for estimating natural history and relative treatment effects from observational data.
More generally, all existing modules have been revised to allow fuller coverage of best practices, including the DSU Technical Support Document series and ISPOR Good Practice Guidelines. The programme will continue to teach a range of software packages, including Excel, Simul8, Stata, R and WinBUGS. Where possible, statistical solutions will be provided using R and Stata and students will have the choice of which they use.
The revised course reflects the state-of-the-art across a range of topics that are important for graduates to understand as they develop their careers as professional health economic decision modellers, capable of working immediately in health economics and outcomes research consultancies, university-based HTA centres, pharmaceutical and medical companies, healthcare and government organisations, or progressing in an academic career to PhD and further research.
