A nine-month accelerated master’s program focused on health systems strengthening and global health policy
The Heller School’s Global Health Policy and Management program emphasizes a holistic understanding of health system design and function, with an eye toward structuring systems to improve health outcomes for people around the world. We believe that effective policy is the key to expanding access to high-quality health care for all who need it — which is why we place health policy at the center of our curriculum through a focus on system design and financing, data analytics and management.
Students gain skills and insights that align closely with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO mandate for Universal Health Coverage — which means they learn how to make structural improvements to health care systems that benefit entire populations.
As a GHPM student, you’ll gain expertise that includes:
- Understanding health economics
- Analyzing and interpreting data to impact policy
- Understanding health system financing and organization
- Using cost-effectiveness analysis
- Conducting health system assessment and analysis
- Producing professional-quality written policy briefs
Core Curriculum
The core MS curriculum is divided into three main components. First, students learn the financing and payment systems involved in health systems strengthening. Next, they develop the analytical skills that form the heart of any health system, and use them to develop policy briefs. And last, they learn how to implement those policies in real-life situations.
This is a STEM-certified program in which students will learn about tracking, monitoring, and analyzing data across various health systems indicators, preparing them with the data and analytical skills to work in fields such as pharmacoeconomics, health insurance planning, and impact evaluations. Due to the analytical nature of this program, it is recommended that you have a strong background in statistics, data analytics, and analysis.
Upon graduation, international students will be eligible for 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa status as well as the 2-year STEM OPT extension. STEM OPT is dependent on certain characteristics of your future employer. You can learn more about the requirements for eligibility to extend OPT through the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).
WHO Universal Health Coverage and UN Sustainable Development Goals
Heller is an ideal academic environment for students to establish the skills and expertise needed to build strong global health systems due to its interdisciplinary environment. Here, we recognize that global health and international development are integrally linked and rapidly evolving fields. In pursuit of improving global health, we believe it is critical for all MS students to gain an in-depth understanding of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO mandate for Universal Health Coverage.