Mental Health Economics

Entry requirements

A 2:1 or above at undergraduate level in Economics, Psychology or a health-related discipline.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This is a degree that will be delivered joint MSc between the School of Economics and Finance and Centre for Psychiatry at the Wolfson Institute

This unique MSc programme will offer students a combined training in the central principles of the economic analysis of mental health data, together with the key evidence bases for current mental health treatments and their clinical applications across contexts and cultures.

Students will have a choice between a generic training in health economics or, for those with an existing background in this area, specialist modules relating to advanced quantitative analysis of health data. For their MSc dissertation, students will have access to specialist datasets from health services research containing data suitable for further analysis

Understand what defines mental health economics as an active and distinct subfield of health economics and the main principles and best practices for mental health policy appraisals.

Gain a critical understanding of the core issues in mental health and health economics and of the key policy approaches available to tackle mental health problems.

Understand and discuss the core features of mental health service delivery with a specific emphasis on psychological medicine for the treatment of mental disorders.

Apply economic theoretical concepts to mental health and analyze and evaluate alternative economic policies to tackle mental health issues.

Apply the learned practices in projects, briefings, policy proposals, experiments or interventions of their own (e.g., in their dissertation or future employment).

Be able to link theory and practice in the development of professional and reflective skills relevant to mental health

Understand different approaches to health economic analysis, evaluating and critiquing the advantages, disadvantages and challenges of different evaluation designs.

School of Economics and Finance (SEF):

• Around 1,000 master’s students from all over the world
• Close proximity to London’s financial districts (City of London and Canary Wharf)
• Self-contained campus with on-site accommodation
• State-of-the-art building
• Teaching by research-active academics as well as visiting city professionals
• Wide range of elective modules
• Wide range of optional short modules(on programming languages, trading platforms such as Bloomberg, etc.)
• QUMMIF investment fund invests real money (currently £40,000) based on analysis from students
• Part of the CFA Institute's Research Challenge

Structure

The programmes will be offered on a full-time and part-time basis. The module structure is as follows.

Full Time Route

Semester 1

Mental Health in Context

Economics of Mental Health

Semester 2

Psychological Therapies: Applications and Effectivenes OR Cultural Psychology and Psychiatry: Clinical Applications

Mental Health Policy Evaluation

IPHS Health Economic Analyses OR Risk and Decision-Making for Data Science

Semester 3

Dissertation

Part Time Route (Year 1)

Semester 1 - Mental Health in Context

Semester 2 - As above (exc. Mental Health Policy Evaluation taken in year 2)

Part Time Route (Year 2)

Economics of Mental Health

Mental Health Policy Evaluation

The Dissertation will be taken in Year 2.

Assessment

• 67% Modules
• 33% Dissertation
• The research project will be a 15,0000 word dissertation that counts for two modules (for a total of 60 credits) and is written during the summer. It is assessed, on the basis of the individual literature review, main report and presentation, initially by the supervisor, before its final stage by the team of all supervisors.

Teaching

• Taught by research-active academics as well as visiting city professionals
• Teaching of each module typically consists of a two-hour lecture and one-hour seminar (for solving homework) each week
• Lectures and seminars may be scheduled during the day or in the evening for both full-time and part-time pathways

Career Paths

• Wide range of careers in financial sector, especially in risk management and regulation in commercial banks, investment banks, and supervisory financial institutions (e.g. central banks)
• Our dedicated careers team offers students one-on-one appointments, support with job applications, practice interviews, information about internship opportunities, and employability events.

Information for international students

Find more information by visiting our dedicated web pages for international students www.qmul.ac.uk/international-students/

Fees and funding

There are a number of ways you can fund your postgraduate degree.

• Scholarships and bursaries
• Postgraduate loans (UK students)
• Country-specific scholarships for international students

Our Advice and Counselling service offers specialist support on financial issues, which you can access as soon as you apply for a place at Queen Mary. Before you apply, you can access our funding guides and advice on managing your money:

• Advice for UK and EU students
• Advice for international students

Assessment