MSc Health Economics University of Duisburg-Essen

All obligatory courses and by far most of elective courses are held in English. 

Some possible elective courses (mostly from medical science and business) may be held in German and are free to choose.

MSc Health Economics is a full-time, four-semester, English-language Master’s programme at the University of Duisburg-Essen. This research-oriented programme addresses some of the most significant challenges facing modern societies across the globe: the causes of population ageing and its consequences for different sectors of the economy; socioeconomic inequality in health and the interplay between health, education, and labour-market outcomes; the funding of healthcare and how the reimbursement of healthcare providers affects their incentives to provide care on equitable grounds. 

For the winter semester:
German/EU applicants: 1 June to 15 July
Non-EU applicants: 1 May to 31 July

For the summer semester:
German/EU applicants: 1 December to 15 January
Non-EU applicants: 1 November to 31 January

Your study programme will be divided into four types of modules:

1. Compulsory modules
2. Elective courses
3. Seminar 
4. Master's thesis  

While core modules and most elective courses are taught in English, students have the opportunity to attend selected courses held in German.

Compulsory Modules 

• Compulsory courses | 30 ECTS
• These include: Health Economics I, Health Economics II, Microeconometrics, Public Economics I, Public Economics II
• Knowledge in applied econometrics and relevant economics theory

Elective Modules

• Nine elective courses | 54 ECTS 
• Modules from the fields of economics (minimum of four), business administration, medical management
• Specialisations in econometrics, other economics fields (behavioural economics), or business

Seminars 

• One seminar | 6 ECTS
• Topics of health economics and other disciplines such as health & development, econometrics, labour economics
• Exercising work with research papers

Master's thesis

• Compulsory module | 30 ECTS
• Eligibility criteria: min. 60 ECTS, min. 24 ECTS from compulsory courses, min. 6 ECTS from seminar 
• Develop and investigate your own research question
• Choose supervision from relevant chairs

International guest lecturers 

• Each year, international guest lecturers hold specific courses targeted to an international audience.
• Former guest lecturers: Maksym Obrizan (summer 2024), Apostolos Davillas (summer 2022, summer 2025), Geir Godager (winter 2021 to 2022)

Optionally, you are encouraged to study health economics or related subjects at one of the partner universities of the UDE.

Our special Abroad Modules allow for flexible and fair crediting of ECTS for courses from all around the world. 

Students have the option of replacing one module examination in the elective area with a practical work placement (work placement related to the professional field) lasting one month.

No tuition fees

You will be required to pay a semester contribution of close to 300 EUR per semester. The payment is necessary for a successful enrolment. 

You will be provided a universal public transport ticket ("Deutschland-Ticket") and student reductions at the university cafeteria and sports programme of UDE.

Essen, where the programme is located, is not expensive compared to other large German cities.

The Ruhr area, of which Essen is a part, is the largest urban area in Germany, consisting of several cities that are easily reachable with the semester ticket. This gives you a choice between cities like Duisburg, that are more affordable than Essen, or Düsseldorf, which is more expensive.

We estimate that an average budget of 800 to 900 EUR per month is sufficient. This amount can vary depending on lifestyle, financial capacity, etc. This overview can help you understand the associated costs.

Bachelor's degree

• Bachelor of Economics (BSc) or an equivalent or comparable course of study with a minimum grade of 3.0 (grade converter)
• Economics as minor subject: minimum of 48 ECTS in economics or related fields

Coursework

• At least 24 ECTS (combined) in courses related to: micro-economics, statistics, econometrics
• Each subfield must be covered.

Application documents

• All applications must be submitted online.
• You will require the following documents to apply: Bachelor’s degree, Transcript of Records, proof of English language proficiency (where applicable)
• Certifications or copies of the same are not required for the initial application, but you may be asked to produce them on admission.
• All documents must be translated into English or German.

Application process

The application process may differ based on whether you are an EU or non-EU applicant.

Criteria for EU application status:

• Bachelor's or high school diploma from an institution in an EU country

Criteria for non-EU application status:

• Bachelor's and high school diploma from institution(s) in non-EU countries. 

Find more information about the application process here: https://www.healthecon-master.de/admissions-/.

English proficiency

• For students with a German "Abitur": no further proof needed
• For students with Bachelor's degrees with language of instruction in English: no further proof needed
• Regular proof: English language skills corresponding to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
  Examples: TOEFL (Internet-based) 100, TOEFL (computer-based) 250, TOEFL (paper-based) 600, IELTS Band 6.5
• No proof of German language is needed.
• Further details on applications can be found here.

For the winter semester:
German/EU applicants: 1 June to 15 July
Non-EU applicants: 1 May to 31 July

For the summer semester:
German/EU applicants: 1 December to 15 January
Non-EU applicants: 1 November to 31 January

There is a scholarship programme of the University of Duisburg-Essen, which prioritises foreign students and an online scholarship consulting office ("Stipendienberatung"):

• UDE scholarship: https://www.unidue.de/de/marketing/students.php
• Stipendienberatung: https://www.unidue.de/abz/stipendien/abz_stipendienberatung.php

Scholarship eligibility strongly depends on your personal circumstances. Therefore, we cannot give you more information about your eligibility.

You may find further opportunities using the DAAD scholarship database.

International students are allowed to work part-time during their studies in Germany. Working during your studies is a good option to partially finance your education. It also helps in gaining work experience and enhancing employability. 

Some of Germany's largest companies are located in Essen. The structural transformation in the Ruhr area has created an environment where established pharmaceutical and chemical industries coexist with dynamic medium-sized companies and young start-ups in sectors such as IT and biotechnology. 

Additionally, there are various job opportunities at the university for student assistants, which provide valuable research experience.

The University of Duisburg-Essen and its International Office offer a variety of services for international students and applicants: https://www.uni-due.de/international/index_en.shtml.