Health Policy and Economics
The Master of Science in Health Policy and Economics (HPE) is a one-year program that puts a modern take on the traditional public health degree. We emphasize a broader policy perspective to include payment policy, health insurance coverage, and structural issues related to the healthcare delivery system. Our close ties to other departments within Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University, Cornell Tech, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital provide a variety of opportunities to learn the effects of such policies first-hand, at large and small scales.
Because our goal is to prepare professionals to work effectively in health-related policy positions, our coursework is more practice-based than theoretical. We also keep our class size small so that students can build close relationships with faculty mentors who are nationally and internationally recognized experts. Students in our program gain a strong understanding of healthcare organization and delivery within the context of the current policy environment, with specialized training in health economics, health policy, and analytic methods. Each student is paired with a faculty member for hands-on research that culminates with a capstone/portfolio project. This valuable real-world experience gives students opportunities to identify the most effective ways of delivering high-quality healthcare at lower cost.
During the MS in Health Policy and Economics program, students will:
- Develop a deep understanding of current policy initiatives.
- Gain experience in data analysis using statistical software such as SAS, Stata, and R.
- Address real-world healthcare problems through a capstone project.
- Understand factors that influence the quality and cost of healthcare.
- Build connections under the mentorship of experts while collaborating with local, state, and national organizations that will shape their careers.
Graduates of our program are prepared for policy-driven careers in academia, research, government, consulting, health technology, insurance, and pharmaceutical companies, and further doctoral training.