Skip to site navigation

MA course: The Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health

Hardly a week goes by in the UK without some new controversy regarding the distribution of health resources. Phrases like ‘postcode lottery’, and the notion of a QALY, or quality adjusted life year, are part of everyday discussion of health resource allocation. Questions about the pros and cons of privatising elements of service provision are hugely controversial and raise strong passions. There are all questions and issues in the Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health.

The programme aims to equip students to play an informed role in debates concerning distributive justice and health. It will explore the central ethical, economic and political problems facing health policy in the UK and abroad, especially in relation to social justice. Hence the course will cover relevant areas of moral and political theory, economics, and political and historical analysis, to allow students to come to a wide understanding of background issues, history and constraints, in order to be able to make a positive contribution to current debates.

The course will be of interest to those wishing to specialise in this area, with a background in medicine, in social science or philosophy. It will also be of interest to those already working in the health service, whether in a managerial, policy or medical role. The course is available in full-time, part-time and flexible study.

For comments from students on the course click here.

Programme Structure

The programme is composed of courses to a value of 180 units. All students must take:

  • Dissertation (60 credits)
  • Core Module: Philosophy Politics and Economics of Health (15 credits)
  • Health Policy and Reform (15 credits)
  • Cost-benefit Analysis and Health (15 credits)

Plus courses to a further value of 75 credits, from a range of approved options in Philosophy, Political Science, Economics, Epidemiology, Science and Technology Studies and Medicine. Examples of approved courses include:

  • Global Justice and Health (15 credits)
  • Translational Clinical Science (15 credits)
  • Contemporary Political Philosophy 1 and 2 (15 credits each)
  • Applied Ethics (15 Credits)
  • Global Health and Development (15 Credits)
  • Comparative Human Rights Law (15 Credits)
  • Public Ethics (15 credits)
  • Introduction to Philosophy of Science (30 credits)
  • Ideas of Health and Sickness in Industrial Society (30 credits)
  • Science, Governance and the Public (30 credits)

Teachers on the course include:


For further details please contact Prof Jonathan Wolff at j.wolff@ucl.ac.uk