Course description: ECON 4615 – Health Economics

This is a course description according to ”Utfyllende regler til §§ 2.2, 3.3, (herunder § 3.3.4) and 3.7 in ”Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved Universitetet i Oslo”. The course description is referring to §3.7.
Documents that are referred to in this description are given in Norwegian only, and are to be found at: http://www.sv.uio.no/studier/forskrifter_regler.html

1.0. Course structure
1.1. Objective
The students should know the central types of institutions of the health system. In general, the students are supposed to acquire knowledge of the basic theories and models in the field of health economics. These models are important tools for the understanding and discussion of central parts of health policy. Hence, the course aims at giving the students knowledge that enables them to contribute to the discussion of health policy issues.
 
1.2. Structure and content:
The course is given 10 ECTS credits

Content:
This course is about the application of economics to problems related to demand, supply and production of health and health services. Important components are the individual demand for health, properties of various kinds of health insurance and payment schemes for health care providers. 

2.0. Teaching structure:
2.1. Forms of teaching: 
There will mainly be lectures and seminars with required essays. Lectures: 2 hours per week throughout the semester. Seminars: 2 hours per week through parts of the semester. There will also be practical inputs in terms of lectures by health care managers. There will be one compulsory term paper.

2.2. Academic prerequisites: 
Bachelor's Degree in Economics or equivalent

2.3. Semester course is taught: 
Spring 2005.

2.4. Time period in which the course is taught:
The course is taught throughout the semester. There might occur weeks exempt from teaching (where students are expected to do compulsory term paper).

2.5. Language of instruction: 
English if requested, otherwise Norwegian

2.6. Administrative unit: 
University of Oslo

2.7. Admission requirements: 
According to ”Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved Universitetet i Oslo § 5.4” a student who has completed the  compulsory activity in a course, does not have the right to repeat the activity again.  A student who is given access to, but has not handed, or not passed,  compulsory activity,  has right to retake course again, but only when there is a capacity. 

Form of examination:
3.1. Form of assessment: 
A 3-hour written exam at the end of the semester.

Grades given are A-F, with F as a fail.  See “Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved Universitetet i Oslo, §8.1” about the grading system.  See  http://www.oekonomi.uio.no/studieinfo/studiereformen/Ny%20karakterskala.pdf
for the  specific criteria in economics.
Guidelines for to ask for explanations and to make a formal complaint, see http://www.lovdata.no/all/nl-19950512-022.html

3.2. Academic requirements: 
Students are not allowed to present themselves to the written exam if the compulsory term paper is not passed.

3.3. Semester in which the final assessment takes place:
The exam is only given the same semester in which the course is taught.

Students who might wish to retake the exam later, are not guaranteed that the course is ever repeated with a similar reading list, nor that the exam arrangement will be the same.

3.4. When during the semester the final assessment takes place:
The written exam is given by the end of the semester.

3.5. Special arrangements/final assessment: 
In cases of chronic or acute illness, students may apply for specially arranged exams. Deadline for such applications are 1. February in the spring term and 1. September in the autumn term. See also "Informasjon om tilrettelegging ved eksamen ved Det samfunnsvitenskapelige fakultet."

3.6. Permitted materials for examinations with supervision:
None.

3.7. Permitted materials for examinations without supervision:
None.

3.8. Language of examination: 
The problem set will be given in English only.  Answers can be given in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or in English. See § 6.4 i Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved Universitetet i Oslo.

3.9. Conditions for non-admitted students to take the examination:
It is possible to study at the Faculty of Social Sciences without being formally admitted to a program of study. For further information, please contact the Department of Economics. 

3.10. Policy on deferred examinations: 
Deferred examinations are arranged for students who, for valid reasons (force majeure) cannot sit on  the regular date. A doctor's certificate is required.  Students wishing to resit the exam for other reasons must wait for the next regular exam. (See 3.3 above). See also   
§ 7.3 Gyldig forfall til eksamen i Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved UiO. 

3.11. Determination of grades:
The exam is graded by the scale A-F. For further information, see “Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved Universitetet i Oslo, §8.1” about the grading system. See http://www.oekonomi.uio.no/studieinfo/studiereformen/Ny%20karakterskala.pdf
for the  specific criteria in economics.

3.12. Overlap with other courses, reduction in number of credits: 
SØK/ECON545 – Health Economics.