M.A. and Advanced Certificate: Economics of Health Services (45 credits)
Offered in collaboration with the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, economics of health services gives you an understanding of what influences health-care expenditures; how health-care services are currently rationed and financed; what alternative options exist; and how institutions that provide health-care products, services, and health insurance adapt to market and regulatory constraints. Our program offers a unique opportunity in the Buffalo area to train economic analysts in this relatively new and expanding discipline.
Currently, this is the only program of this type available in the Western New York region. With the rapid changes in the region's health-care system, there is potentially an increased need for people familiar with the economic principles of the health-care sector. The training provided by this specialization would be a strong fit for the anticipated expansion of job opportunities in insurance companies, health maintenance organizations, and pharmaceutical companies in the near future and for the continuing demand from hospitals and government agencies.
Important: For course scheduling, please consult the Assistant Director of the M.A. program.
M.A.: Thirty credit hours including the five core M.A. courses plus it is recommended courses form the "list of required courses" for the specialization but not more than two outside the Department of Economics. Successful completion of the M.A. Macro/Micro Comprehensive Examination. Note: Despite taking various Information & Internet electives, you would only confer the M.A. degree.
M.A. & Advanced Certificate: Forty-Five credit hours including the five core M.A. courses, and all of the required courses. The rest can be Health Services or other electives. Successful completion of the M.A. Macro/Micro Comprehensive Examination.
| Courses Required | |
|---|---|
| SPM 507 | Health Care Services in the U.S. |
| SPM 523 | Introduction to Program Planning Evaluation |
| ECO 569 | Industrial Organization |
| ECO 570 | Economics of Regulation |
| SPM 539 or ECO 511 Introduction to Health Economics | |
| Electives | |
| ECO 545 | Human Resource Economics |
| ECO 564 | Economics of the Public Sector |
| ECO 582 | Applied Econometrics |
| ECO 597 | Internship in Applied Economics (requires: approval of M.A. program director) |
| SPM 502 | Advanced Methodology |
| SPM 517 | Methods of Survey Research |
| SPM 540 | Epidemiology and Health Policy |
| SPM 541 | Medical Sociology |
| SPM 612 | Development of Research Strategies Designs |