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Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health MA

London, Bloomsbury

Explore the ethical, economic and political problems facing health policy in the UK and globally by embarking on the only degree of its kind in the world. The Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health MA equips you with the skills needed to understand equity, health and social justice – essential for working in the public or private health sectors. Taught at UCL, you’ll learn from renowned scholars and gain interdisciplinary expertise.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£16,000
£8,000
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard; however, relevant employment/volunteering will be taken into consideration.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 5

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health MA covers relevant areas of moral and political theory, comparative policy analysis, and health economics. It allows 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 in this field. The compulsory modules provide necessary core skills, while the wide range of options enables students to further their own particular interests.

Who this course is for

The programme is particularly suitable for graduates with a background in medicine, social science or philosophy who wish to specialise in this area. It will also be of interest to those already working in the health service, whether in a managerial, policy or medical role.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL is at the forefront of interdisciplinary research and teaching in philosophy, health humanities and global health. The programme draws on highly regarded researchers in a range of UCL departments, and students benefit from instruction by leaders in their fields from the School of European Languages, Culture & Society (SELCS) and the Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry (CMII). With 83% of SELCS-CMII research activity being graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’ in the REF 2021.

The degree is based in the UCL Health Humanities Centre, which draws together world-leading researchers from different disciplines including medicine and health in history, philosophy, law, sociology, anthropology, and cultural and film studies. UCL's Health Humanities Centre forms part of the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies, which showcases and fosters multidisciplinary research in the humanities and the social sciences, with an active programme of events and visiting international scholars. Students on this programme benefit from this environment and range of expertise.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The programme aims to provide suitable preparation for those looking to progress on to funded research in bioethics and in health policy, and work in varied roles across the public, private and charitable sectors. 

Recent graduates from this programme have gone on to work in organisations such as the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Transport for All and the Department of Health and Social Care.*

*Graduate Outcomes Survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017 - 2022 cohorts.

Employability

The programme equips students with an ability to think precisely and rigorously about complex problems in health systems and beyond; to work with others to explore solutions; and to write cogently and concisely. Public and private sector health employers and NGOs particularly prize these skills in graduates. 

The skills that the programme teaches also provide an ideal springboard to further academic study. Our graduates are highly valued by employers for their interdisciplinary skills and cultural knowledge. 

Networking

You will have the opportunity to meet with researchers working on health-related topics in the humanities and social sciences as well as in health-related fields.

Our location offers students access to special collections at UCL and other world-class libraries nearby such as Senate House and the British Library. 

These resources, besides their collections of books, articles, videos, sound recordings and non-public online resources, offer a wide range of seminars, lecture series and other opportunities to exchange ideas. Other libraries and research centres within walking distance of campus include the British Museum, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies and the Institute of Historical Research.

Teaching and learning

The course will enable students to:

1. Gain knowledge and understanding of the fields of the Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health
2. Communicate complex ideas effectively, orally and in writing
3. Develop analytical skills to use subject-specific theories and approaches,
evaluate their validity and reach coherent and original conclusions
4. Develop theoretical skills relating to critical thinking, integrating new concepts and ideas into existing knowledge
5. Understand how to approach a literary, theoretical or qualitative research project in the Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health

The programme is taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials.

Student performance is assessed through examinations, presentations and coursework (depending on the options chosen), and the dissertation.

For a full-time postgraduate course, we recommend around 20-25 hours of independent study per week. Contact hours may vary depending on module choices, but full-time students will have approximately 8-10 contact hours each week during term time, spent in lectures and seminars.

For a part-time postgraduate course, contact hours would usually be 4-6 hours per week across 2-3 days and we recommend around 10-12 hours of independent study per week.

Those undertaking language modules may have additional contact hours. There is minimal teaching during the Third Term, as students focus on the dissertation and assessments.

A Postgraduate Diploma of 120 credits is available, consisting of three core modules (45 credits), and 75 credits of elective modules.

Modules

During the academic year, you will take compulsory modules which are designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation and provide you with the specific skills and knowledge to research and write essays. Core modules include Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health; Health Policy and Reform; and Key Principles of Health Economics. You will also choose optional modules from the suggested list (see Optional modules). These modules set the foundation for the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation.

During the Second Term, in addition to your taught modules, you will start formulating your dissertation proposal. All students undertake this independent research project, which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000-12,000 words (or 18,000 words if you are on the research track) You will develop your dissertation outline and structure with support from your supervisor. You will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation to help cement your argument and subject area to cover. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of the MA. You will then spend the summer researching and writing your dissertation on a topic to be determined in discussion with your academic supervisor.

In the First Year, you will take compulsory modules, designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation module and to provide you with the specific skills to research and write essays and the dissertation. These modules set the foundation for the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation.

In the Second Year, you will take optional modules to develop your broader understanding of health economics from historical and contemporary perspectives and to develop key concepts learnt in the First Year. You will also formulate and develop your dissertation outline and structure with support from your supervisor. You will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation proposal to help cement your argument and subject areas to cover. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of your MA. You will then spend the summer of the Second Year researching and writing your 12,000 word dissertation (or 18,000 words if you are on the research track) on a topic to be determined in discussion with your supervisor.

In the First and Second Years, you will take compulsory modules, designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation module and to provide you with the specific skills to research and write essays and the dissertation. These modules set the foundation for the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation.

From the First Year onwards, you will take optional modules to develop your broader understanding of health economics from historical and contemporary perspectives and to develop key concepts learnt in the First and Second Years. You will also formulate and develop your dissertation outline and structure with support from your supervisor. You will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation proposal to help cement your argument and subject areas to cover. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of your MA. You will then spend the summer of the Second Year researching and writing your 12,000 word dissertation (or 18,000 words if you are on the research track) on a topic to be determined in discussion with your supervisor.

Compulsory modules








Optional modules


















Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £16,000 £8,000
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.

There is no fee deposit required for PG Dip and PG Cert applicants.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, or conference registration fees and associated travel costs.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health at graduate level
  • why you want to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and/or professional background meets the demands of a challenging academic environment
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme offers.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry
Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry

selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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