Why do a masters in health policy?

University courses Politics
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Masters such as health policy, health politics, international health policy, etcetera, are interesting multidisciplinary masters which bring together policy and health sciences. While students pursuing medicine, biomedical sciences or similar may be interested in pursuing more of a policy role, such masters are also good opportunities for social science students interested in public health and medicine. Here are a few reasons why to potentially go down this path:

  • If you have a particular interest in biology and medicine - if you are currently doing social sciences, but still have an interest and curiosity for public health, going down such a path allows you to bring together both your skills and your interests, therefore you’re not limited in your career by being forced to choose one or the other

  • You are able to co-ordinate between healthcare professionals and civil servants - by being passionate about both public health and policy, it may be more natural for you to bridge the gap between the two fields

  • You would understand both the social implications of policy, while at the same time also ensuring that policy is data driven - by understanding and being able to apply both qualitative and quantitative methods, you would be able to assist in developing and implement comprehensively and accurately designed policy

  • You would have access to a broad range of positions - the civil service, international organisations such as the UN, research groups and pharmaceutical companies would all need your skills

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A master’s degree in health policy sounds very interesting, especially because you can co-ordinate between healthcare professionals and civil servants. Would you consider going down that path or does it not interest you?

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I think health policy is such an interesting topic and is especially important as the pressure on healthcare systems grows around the world due to the growing population. I had no idea someone could specialise so deeply into one topic.

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This is such an intriguing perspective on multidisciplinary masters! It seems like a fantastic opportunity to bridge the gap between social sciences and public health, especially for those with a keen interest in both biology and medicine.

Have you considered pursuing a master’s in health policy or a related field yourself? And for anyone considering this path, do you have any advice on how to navigate the transition between social sciences and health sciences effectively?

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I wasn’t very good at biology, so something like this wouldn’t be suited for me personally, but for people interested in both policy and healthcare, this would be a very good career path for them

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Personally, I wasn’t very good at biology, so health policy wouldn’t be suited for me. As for navigating the transition, I’m not sure how necessary that is as health policy seems to be more social sciences than health sciences. Based on modules of different health policy masters, public policy, international relations and economics seem to be more prevalent than knowledge in biology.

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It’s cool to see how masters programs like these can blend policy and health sciences together. Plus, having the flexibility to work in various sectors afterward is a huge plus! What aspect of the masters programs mentioned interests you the most?

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Honestly the health economics aspect seems really interesting and curious, it’s not something I’d really expect to see together, but it must be pretty important

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