Heath Economics & Policy

The MS in Health Economics and Policy, offered through the Department of Health Policy & Managment, provides the analytical and policy training needed to tackle today’s most pressing health challenges. Blending health economics, policy analysis, and data science, this distinctive program develops the quantitative and conceptual tools students need to shape evidence-based solutions at the local, national, and global levels.

In a rapidly changing healthcare landscape, this program prepares graduates to lead with insight, rigor, and impact.

Who Should Apply

This program is designed for professionals and recent graduates with backgrounds in:

• Economics
• Public Policy
• Public Health
• Political Science
• Data Science
• Statistics

A strong foundation in quantitative methods is recommended.

Faculty Feature 

"A distinctive feature of the program is the opportunity for close engagement with faculty. Students participate in research apprenticeships, working directly on faculty-led projects, and receive individualized guidance throughout the thesis process. This combination of coursework and one-on-one mentorship ensures that graduates are prepared not only with technical expertise but also with the ability to apply their knowledge to complex policy and economic challenges in health."

      - Matthew Neidell, PhD, Program Director

Why Choose This Program

• Learn at the intersection of public health, policy, and economics
• Work closely with leading faculty mentors in health economics and policy
• Participate in hands-on research across Columbia University Medical Center
• Connect with New York City’s dynamic health policy and healthcare landscape
• Receive individualized career guidance for roles in government, industry, consulting, and academia
• Build a rigorous academic foundation for pursuing PhD studies in health economics, policy, or related disciplines

Hear from HPM Students

"Analysis of Large-Scale Data began as a required course but quickly became foundational to my graduate developmentand training. This class equipped me with practical tools to approach data analysis through a healthcare lens, from merging basic datasets to navigating the complexities of standardizing EHR and claims data. I especially appreciated the course format, which encouraged collaboration through in-person Stata labs during the second half of each class. The critical thinking and technical skills I developed will continue to support me in my graduate studies and in my future work at the intersection of healthcare analytics and real-world evidence."

  -  Sophia Harrison

"The Health Economics course was extremely engaging because it challenged me to think about public health from a new angle. In class, I built a more applied understanding by connecting economic models to current trends in healthcare through real-world examples. I found myself applying these concepts in both my APEx experience and in how I think about healthcare in everyday life, especially noticing how they impact the broader population. The course gave me a stronger foundation for understanding how economics shapes health decisions and how to approach public health from a more analytical perspective."   

- Zubaer Mohiuddin

Healthcare Economics provides a rigorous framework for understanding how incentives, market structures, and policy interventions shape health outcomes.

As a Teaching Assistant for over two semesters, I’ve been able to engage with students on both quantitative and qualitative structural drivers which define efficiency and equity in healthcare systems.

  - Julia Lisboa