Studies & Degrees in International Health Care Management, Economics and Policy
International health care management, economics and policy is an interdisciplinary field that studies how health systems are organised, paid for and governed, and how they differ between countries. It combines management, health economics, health policy and public health. The World Health Organization describes health systems governance as the processes, structures and institutions that oversee and manage a country's healthcare system, and the relationships between government agencies, healthcare providers, patients, civil society and the private sector.
Typical course content includes the organisation and financing of health care, health economics and economic evaluation, health policy analysis, epidemiology and biostatistics, human resources, operations and supply chain management, and the management of hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.
Qualifications and levels
The subject takes its name from a specific master's programme, and it is taught mainly at postgraduate level. Related bachelor's degrees exist under names such as healthcare management or health administration.
- Bachelor's level: SUNY Cortland, in the United States, offers a major in Healthcare Management that covers human resource management, health economics, leadership and ethics in business, the organisation and administration of health programmes, health informatics, operations and supply chain management, and epidemiology and biostatistics. It includes a full-time, semester-long fieldwork experience.
- Specialised master's: the Master of International Healthcare Management, Economics and Policy (MIHMEP) of SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan is a one-year, full-time programme in English worth 70 ECTS credits. It has three terms of core and specialisation courses and a fourth term spent on an internship in a healthcare organisation, public institution or private company in Italy or abroad. Students choose one of three specialisations: Global Health & Development, Healthcare Management, or Pharmaceutical & Medical Technology.
- Two-year master's: research-based master's degrees in global health cover health systems and policy within a wider public health curriculum. The MSc in Global Health at the University of Copenhagen is a two-year programme, and the Master's Programme in Global Health at Uppsala University has 120 credits and leads to the degree of Master of Medical Science.
Admission to a master's requires a completed bachelor's degree. SDA Bocconi accepts a degree in any discipline and also asks for work experience and a detailed CV, proof of English, a GMAT, GRE or SDA test, two references and an interview. Uppsala University requires a bachelor's degree with a main field of study in medicine, health, caring sciences, or a relevant field in social or behavioural sciences. The University of Copenhagen accepts degrees in the social, health and life sciences, with at least 5 ECTS in qualitative and 5 ECTS in quantitative research methods.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists three active schools for this subject: one in Denmark, one in Sweden and one in the United States. None of them uses the exact programme name; they teach the field under related titles.
At the University of Copenhagen, the MSc in Global Health is taught in English and enrols approximately 40 students per year. The first year includes a mandatory course on global partners, policies and health care systems. In the second year, students can direct their electives, internship and thesis towards areas such as policy, financing and health care systems. Applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland apply by 15 January and pay an application deposit and tuition fee.
At Uppsala University, the Master's Programme in Global Health is taught in English in Uppsala. It starts from a focus on women's and children's health and integrates topics such as nutrition, migration, non-communicable diseases and health systems strengthening. The application deadline for the autumn 2027 intake is 15 January 2027. Citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland pay a total tuition fee of SEK 330,000.
SUNY Cortland, a public university in the state of New York, teaches its Healthcare Management major in English.
The programme that gave the subject its name is taught in Milan. SDA Bocconi states a tuition fee of €30,000 for the 2026-2027 edition of the MIHMEP.
Careers
Graduates work on the management and policy side of health care, not in clinical practice. Typical employers are hospitals and other health service providers, ministries and public health authorities, international and non-governmental organisations, consulting firms, health insurers, and pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. Uppsala University points to job opportunities in governmental, non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations, and both Scandinavian programmes also prepare for doctoral studies.
Official employment data exist for the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 640,400 jobs for medical and health services managers in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 24 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. The Bureau notes that these managers typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What does MIHMEP stand for?
MIHMEP is the Master of International Healthcare Management, Economics and Policy, a one-year, full-time master's programme taught in English at SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan.
Do I need a medical or health degree to study this subject?
Not always. SDA Bocconi accepts a degree in any discipline for the MIHMEP. The global health master's degrees at Uppsala University and the University of Copenhagen require a bachelor's degree in health, social or life sciences.
In which language are the programmes taught?
The master's programmes in Milan, Copenhagen and Uppsala described here are taught in English. Applicants must prove their English level.