Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Economics School
The course will introduce students to economic evaluation of health care interventions. In particular students will learn the advantages and disadvantages associated with cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and cost-benefit analysis. The course will be taught using a combination of lecture presentations, interactive tutorials and journal article discussions.
In the healthcare sector, where provision of services often takes place in a non-market setting, economic evaluation plays an important role of pointing budget allocation decisions towards desired social objectives. ECON7810 Economic Evaluation and Health is an introductory course designed to familiarise students with the concepts and principles of economic evaluation. The course participants will learn about the cost-benefit analysis (CBA), cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), cost-utility analysis (CUA) and cost-minimisation analysis (CMA), along with their building elements, the handling of uncertainty, and implications for decision-making. The course activities include interactive lectures and discussion seminars that balance theoretical underpinnings and practical knowledge. Upon course completion students will possess a good understanding of evaluation techniques that can be applied in analytical work for the industry, the regulator, and in various fields of research.ﾠ
Course contact
School enquiries
Student Enquiries, School of Economics
All enquiries regarding student and academic administration (i.e. non-course content information, e.g., class allocation, timetables, extension to assessment due date, etc.) should be directed to enquiries@economics.uq.edu.au.
Enquiries relating specifically to course content should be directed to the Course Coordinator/Lecturer.
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Tutorials commence in week 2.
The timetable is published through the UQ Public Timetable found in the APPs section of myUQ.ﾠStudents should refer to the timetable prior to the commencement of classes to ensure that they have the most up to date information, as from time to time late room changes may occur.ﾠThe timetable can be downloaded here:ﾠPublic Timetable.
Public Holidays: Wed 14 August (Royal Queensland Show), Mon 7 October (King's Birthday).
In-Semester Break: 23 - 29 September. Semester 2 classes recommence Mon 30 September.
Aims and outcomes
The course aims are to provide guidance on identifying appropriate methods for economic evaluation, measuring and valuing costs and outcomes in a health program, and discussing the relevance and limitations of health technology assessment used for the purposes of health policy and planning.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Explain the role of economic evaluation as a tool for resource allocation and priority setting.
LO2.
Identify, measure and explain costs of resource use relevant for economic evaluation.
LO3.
Identify the different outcomes employed in economic evaluation and the methods used to measure and value those outcomes.
LO4.
Discuss approaches to design, conduct and present economic evaluations.
LO5.
Explain the institutional context and policy implications of health technology assessment, in Australia and overseas.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique |
Work-integrated Learning Project
|
40% |
25/10/2024 4:00 pm
Industry presentation will be planned between weeks 12-13 |
| Presentation |
Discussion of research articles
|
10% |
Throughout the semester during tutorials. A timetable will be communicated by the tutor. |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
Assessment details
Work-integrated Learning Project
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
25/10/2024 4:00 pm
Industry presentation will be planned between weeks 12-13
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
In this assessment, students will engage with one of UQ industry partners and will work in groups to develop an economic evaluation plan of a health intervention or program of interest to the industry partner. This assessment could be broken into two:
Part A - Industry Presentation
Part B - Written Industry Report (2500 word)
The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of Generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Students are required to submit their reports using turnitin via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions are limited to 7 calendar days to ensure timely feedback to other students.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Discussion of research articles
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
Throughout the semester during tutorials. A timetable will be communicated by the tutor.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04
Task description
Throughout the semester we will be meeting in 12 seminars to discuss problems of economic evaluation. Students will present and critique seminal or influential papers selected for each topic from international peer-reviewed literature. Each discussant can choose their preferred seminar format, either a round-table discussion or powerpoint presentation. Discussants will be asked to share their presentations or 2-page summaries with the rest of the group, by emailing them to the lecturer who will then make the materials available on Blackboard.
All students are encouraged to participate in the discussion by contributing to the papers' critique and explaining their meaning in a broader context of resource allocation decisions. Insightful and valuable contributions will be rewarded with additional points that may improve the student's standing within this assessment item.
The total weight of this assessment item is 10%
Time allocated for discussions and the number of times each student will be presenting may be modified depending on the numbers enrolled. Topics will be allocated during lecture time.
The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of Generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 21 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Final Exam
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
- Students will sit the final exam on campus (paper-based).
- The final exam will consist of multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and problem solving questions.
- The final exam will be centrally timetabled. It will be scheduled during the examination period at a date and time to be confirmed.
- Further information about the final exam may be announced on Blackboard closer to the examination period.
The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of Generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 180 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0% - 29% |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30% - 46% |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47% - 49% |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50% - 64% |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65% - 74% |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75% - 84% |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85% - 100% |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
A student’s final overall end of semester percentage mark will be rounded to determine their final grade. For example, 64.5% rounds to 65%, while 64.4% rounds to 64%.
ﾠ
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Plagiarism
The School of Economics is committed to reducing the incidence of plagiarism. Further information on plagiarism and how to avoid an allegation of plagiarism is available in this course profile under Policies & Guidelines. Please refer to the Academic Integrity Module (AIM). It is strongly recommended that you complete the AIM if you have not already done so.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
For a more comprehensive list of resources and reading list, see Blackboard.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Making Decisions in Health Care (Lecture) Learning outcomes: L01, L04, L05 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Principles of Economic Evaluation Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Selected Methods of Economic Evaluation Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Types of Economic Evaluation Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Measuring and Valuing Outcomes Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Measuring Costs and Discounting Future Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Economic Evaluation Alongside Clinical Studies Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Designing a Modeled Evaluation Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-Semester Break & Public Holiday No lecture or tutorial this week. |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Handling Uncertainty Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
Critical Appraisal of Health Technology Assessment Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Monday - King's Birthday public holiday Students who would normally attend tutorial on this day are advised to attend another session of the week, for this week only. |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
The Use of Economic Evaluation in Decision Making Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
Advanced topics in economic evaluation Learning outcomes: L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.