Start fresh with new skills. Get 10% off course fees with the code FRESH2026 until April 21, 2026 and set yourself up for exponential growth this year.

THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
HEALTH ECONOMICS AND POLICY

ONLINE CERTIFICATE COURSE

Develop a deeper understanding of healthcare economics and investigate policy solutions to emergent challenges.

VIEW COURSE PROSPECTUS
Duration

6 weeks, excluding
orientation

Effort

6–9 hours per week,
entirely online

Learning Format

Weekly modules,
flexible learning

Get 10% off until April 21, 2026.

Start fresh with new skills.

It’s time for a new season of personal growth. Take 10% off this online course with the code FRESH2026.

*Offer applies to any start date for participating courses where registration is currently open as long as you register and pay by April 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.). To redeem the offer for executive education courses, register on getsmarter.com, using code FRESH2026 at checkout. The discount cannot be combined with any other offers for executive education courses.

ON COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE, YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH:

  1. An in-depth understanding of key economic principles as they relate to the healthcare sector, such as supply and demand, and efficiency and equity.

  2. A nuanced perspective on healthcare financing systems and how they can be utilised to realise true universal health coverage.

  3. Insight into the complexities of the healthcare labour market, including workforce planning and forecasting, workforce shortages, and external shocks.

  4. A balanced view of health and social justice, developed by assessing health inequalities and deconstructing the social determinants of health.

Accreditation Logo

This Health Economics and Policy online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 50 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

    COURSE CURRICULUM

    Over the duration of this online certificate course, you'll work through the following modules:

    Module 1 Economic principles applied to healthcare

    Explore key economic principles and how these are applied in the healthcare sector.

    Module 2 Health financing systems

    Assess the efficiency of health financing systems in the achievement of universal health coverage.

    Module 3 The healthcare labour market

    Learn about the complexities of the healthcare labour market, including workforce planning and forecasting, workforce shortages, and external shocks.

    Module 4 Paying healthcare providers

    Navigate the different reimbursement systems in healthcare in terms of their efficiency and incentives.

    Module 5 The market for pharmaceuticals

    Understand the key steps in the life cycle of a pharmaceutical product and the economic theory underpinning these steps.

    Module 6 Health and social justice

    Discover the relationship between health inequalities and the social value judgements made by societies.

    Please note that module titles and their contents are subject to change during course development.

    THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU IF:

    • You're working in healthcare globally, as a social scientist, public health specialist, or medical and allied staff, and want a comprehensive understanding of the economic factors at work in the sector
    • You're a professional working in health agencies, governments, or NGOs, and are interested in exploring the policy solutions that might address inequality in the system
    • You're a healthcare professional who wants to understand contemporary healthcare challenges through the lens of economics
    • You're involved with policy analysis, advocacy, or formulation, and want a contemporary understanding of healthcare economics, and its impact on topics including health funding and workforce dynamics
    • You're a finance or economics professional looking for new perspectives on the economics of health insurance financing systems and the healthcare workforce, and how these can impact outcomes across contexts

    COURSE CONVENORS

    Professor Alistair McGuire

    Chair in Health Economics, Professor of Health Economics, Department of Health Policy

    Alistair is the chair of health economics at the Department of Health Policy at LSE. Prior to this, he was a professor of economics at City, University of London after being a tutor in economics at the University of Oxford. Alistair has also been a visiting professor at Harvard University, the University of Sydney, the University of York, and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.

    Alistair has acted as an advisor to a number of governments and governmental bodies within and outside the UK. He has also worked with international bodies including the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as well as pharmaceutical and healthcare insurance companies.

    Alistair has pursued an interest in the economics of healthcare for over 30 years, with his research covering a vast range of topics. He has extensive teaching experience and has written numerous books, articles, and reports, and has also been involved in numerous major clinical trials as the lead health economist.

    Dr Miqdad Asaria

    Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy

    Miqdad is a health economist with extensive experience in both academic and policymaking settings. His research interests include health inequalities, health financing, healthcare prioritisation, and healthcare management with a particular focus on the health systems in India and the UK. He currently holds a fellowship from The Health Foundation to investigate the role management plays in hospital performance. In addition to his position at LSE, Miqdad also holds an adjunct position as assistant professor at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, India, and a visiting position at the University of York, UK.

    AN ONLINE EDUCATION THAT SETS YOU APART

    This LSE online certificate course is delivered in collaboration with online education provider GetSmarter. Join a growing community of global professionals and benefit from the opportunity to:
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    Gain verifiable and relevant competencies and earn invaluable recognition from a world-leading social science university, entirely online and in your own time.

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    Enjoy a personalised, people-mediated online learning experience created to make you feel supported at every step.

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    Experience a flexible but structured approach to online education as you plan your learning around your life to meet weekly milestones.