25/26-M-S2-T3

2135 Economics of Health and Health Care

Course Synopsis

This course explores the particular economic features of healthcare markets, addressing demand, supply, insurance, equity, and efficiency. Several features require changes in the standard demand - supply model. Students analyze theoretical models and apply them to real-world challenges, such as market failures and health policy evaluation. The course addresses healthcare economics and policy decisions. Knowledge of undergraduate microeconomics is strongly recommended. 

Course aims

Students will become aware of the special features of the healthcare sector. At the end of the course, students will be able to discuss the main policy issues in the healthcare sector and conduct economic analyses to study specific questions.

This is a course about economic relations in the health sector. It will highlight when, and when not, the standard economic models apply (when, and when not, the simple demand and supply approach fail to provide a good analysis of health care markets economic relationships). You will see economic modelling of the health sector (equations describing behavior of agents and equilibrium choices of those agents).

Before enrolling in this course, please, check your knowledge on required micro-economic concepts by answering the following set of questions: verify your prior knowledge.

This is NOT a course on statistics about the health sector (even though some statistics and econometric analysis will be presented).

Any questions related to the course before enrolling are welcome (ppbarros@novasbe.pt)

(Important notice: this course should be seen as a part of a sequence on health economics that includes Economics of Health Systems. Other complementary topics of health economics will be addressed in that course)

Learning objectives

Recognize the unique features of the healthcare sector; understand how economic theory can be applied to specific situations of the healthcare sector; know how to evaluate economic policies in the healthcare sector. Learn how to read, interpret, and discuss economic research and analyses applied to the healthcare sector. Be able to contribute with informed answers to policy questions. 



This course presents macroeconomic modeling at an intermediate level. We will cover three core models that are the basis for many more advanced and complex models used in the field. A strong grasp of the benchmark models is a necessary preliminary step both to go to more advanced topics and maybe more importantly to fully understand the basic economic channels that are almost always present even in more complex models. The course also presents the mathematical methods that are used both to specify and to solve the benchmark models. These methods are interesting by themselves as they can be applied to many other questions and fields.

This course is intended to provide students with an overview of the key aspects of the Private Equity function and help students understand the key building blocks required to successfully develop a career in Private Equity. We will be looking at the Private Equity function from the point of a view of a typical Investment Professional in a standard buyout fund, by assessing the core areas of the portfolio asset lifecycle: origination, acquisition, portfolio management and exit. The course will have a strong practical emphasis and will be heavily based on practical examples. It will end with the simulation of an Investment Committee discussion where students will be presenting investment opportunities to a panel of international Private Equity, Investment Banking and Venture Capital professionals.

This course aims to provide students with an understanding of international marketing strategy, more specifically, how to design, develop and deploy effective and efficient marketing programs on a multi-market or global scale.

This course is designed to give students the fundamentals of Quality Management with emphasis on quality planning, control and management approaches, tools, and implementation. The conceptual and practical knowledge gained will enable students to understand and manage quality both in services and manufacturing industries.

A friendly, practical introduction to statistics—designed to help you analyze real data and draw meaningful inferences

If you are enrolled in T3, use the enrollment key stat3_2526 to access the course. Please note that once you enroll, you won’t be able to cancel your registration on your own. If you change your mind, simply email anaamaro@novasbe.pt to request a cancellation.

This course is structured for steady, week‑by‑week learning. Take your time with each topic, focus on truly understanding the ideas, and avoid relying on memorization alone. Building intuition is the goal.

The Kick‑off session will take place in person on February 6th, in room D‑104, according to your schedule.

Here we learn how to become more resilient in the world of data.

We are going to take a peek at what happens behind the scenes in software development so you can deliver better products.

We're going to learn how to recover from failure and how to make things more resilient.

Unlock the secrets to maximizing hospitality revenues and value with our comprehensive "Hotel Revenue Management" course. This course is designed for students who aim to master the art of optimizing business performance through pricing decisions, strategic analysis and innovative techniques.

Understanding key performance indicators (KPIs) is crucial for evaluating business performance and enhancing asset value. This course covers essential topics that will equip you with the knowledge and tools to excel in revenue management, including:

  • Dynamic Pricing: Learn how to adjust prices in real-time based on demand and market conditions.

  • KPI Analysis: Dive deep into the metrics that matter, such as RevPAR, ADR, and occupancy rates.

  • Price Discrimination: Discover strategies to segment your market and tailor pricing to different customer groups.

  • Forecasting Techniques: Gain insights into predicting future demand and optimizing inventory management.

  • Revenue Management Software (RM) with AI Integration: Explore cutting-edge technologies that leverage artificial intelligence to enhance decision-making processes.

The course includes:

  • Case Studies: Real-world examples to illustrate successful revenue management strategies.

  • Exercises: Hands-on practice to reinforce learning and application.

  • Guest Speakers: Industry experts sharing their insights and experiences.

The Internet is currently the most important advertising medium in terms of global investment. In 2017 it broke TV’s long dominance at the top and, in 2020, it was bigger than all other media combined. Social media, in particular, represents one of the key components of online advertising, second only to search in absolute value. This course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of social media marketing, addressing practical topics such as: how to build a social media presence; how to attract and engage an audience; and how to leverage and monetise an audience through advertising.