Graduate Curriculum Committee Course Proposal Form
for Courses Numbered 6000 and Higher
Note: Before completing this form, please carefully read the accompanying instructions.
Submission guidelines are posted to the GCC Web site: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/gcc/index.cfm
1. Course prefix and number:
ECON 8660
2. Date:
09/14/2011
3. Requested action:
X New Course
Revision of Active Course
Revision & Unbanking of a Banked Course
Renumbering of an Existing Course from
from
to
#
Required
X
#
Elective
4. Method(s) of delivery (check all boxes that apply for both current/proposed and expected
future delivery methods within the next three years):
Current or
Proposed Delivery
Method(s):
X
On-campus (face to face)
Expected
Future Delivery
Method(s):
X
Distance Course (face to face off campus)
Online (delivery of 50% or more of the instruction is offered online)
5. Justification (must cite accreditation and/or assessment by the graduate faculty) for new course
or course revision or course renumbering:
The graduate faculty of the Department of Economics identified a need in government,
the private sector, and in academia for PhD graduates with advanced analytic and
technical skills necessary for analysis, mitigation, management and regulation of risk—
in environmental, financial and public health settings. This requires an understanding of
the underlying individual decision maker and firm behavior and their interaction within
market and nonmarket settings. Theoretical modeling and empirical analysis complete
the picture and allow for the identification of effective public policy and regulation. This
doctoral program is unique within the state of North Carolina because it emphasizes risk
modeling and analysis over a broad scope of applications that range from financial
markets to natural hazards. Students with training from this program will be well
equipped to qualify for high level positions within Federal and State Agencies that deal
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with natural hazards and regulation of risk, as well as businesses for management and
mitigation of risk.
The assessment process of the Economics Graduate Faculty has determined that a course
that develops and examines public health issues within an economic framework would
enhance the proposed doctoral program and support integration with the proposed School
of Public Health.
6. Course description exactly as it should appear in the next catalog:
8660. Public Health Economics I (3) P: ECON 8112, 8350, 8411. Economic analysis of models
of health production and the delivery of health care within a public health context.
7. If this is a course revision, briefly describe the requested change:
NA
8. Course credit:
Lecture Hours
3
3
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Lab
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Studio
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Practicum
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Internship
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Other (e.g., independent study) Please explain.
s.h.
3
Total Credit Hours
s.h.
8
9. Anticipated annual student enrollment:
10. Changes in degree hours of your programs:
Degree(s)/Program(s)
Changes in Degree Hours
PhD/Economics
NA
11. Affected degrees or academic programs, other than your programs:
Degree(s)/Program(s)
Changes in Degree Hours
NA
12. Overlapping or duplication with affected units or programs:
Not applicable
Documentation of notification to the affected academic degree programs is
x attached.
13. Council for Teacher Education (CTE) approval (for courses affecting teacher education):
x Not applicable
Applicable and CTE has given their approval.
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14. University Service-Learning Committee (USLC) approval:
x Not applicable
Applicable and USLC has given their approval.
15. Statements of support:
a. Staff
Current staff is adequate
Additional staff is needed (describe needs in the box below):
x
A health economics specialist is needed
b. Facilities
x Current facilities are adequate
Additional facilities are needed (describe needs in the box below):
c. Library
x
Initial library resources are adequate
Initial resources are needed (in the box below, give a brief explanation and an
estimate for the cost of acquisition of required initial resources):
d. Unit computer resources
x
Unit computer resources are adequate
Additional unit computer resources are needed (in the box below, give a brief
explanation and an estimate for the cost of acquisition):
e. ITCS resources
x
ITCS resources are not needed
The following ITCS resources are needed (put a check beside each need):
Mainframe computer system
Statistical services
Network connections
Computer lab for students
Software
Approval from the Director of ITCS attached
16. Course information (see: Graduate Curriculum and Program Development Manual for
instructions):
a. Textbook(s) and/or readings: author(s), name, publication date, publisher, and
city/state/country. Include ISBN (when applicable).
Texts-Required:
Santerre, R & Neun, S. (2009) Health Economics: Theories, Insights and Industry
Studies (5th ed.) Mason,OH: Thomson South-Western Publishing. ISBN: 9780324789072
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Drummond, M., Sculpher, M., O’Brien, B. & Stoddard, G. (2005) Methods for
Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford
University Press. ISBN: 978-0198529453.
Selected Readings from:
Culver, A. & Newhouse, J. eds. (2000) Handbook of Health Economics, Vol. 1 Part A
& B. New York, NY: North Holland. ISBN 978-044422901.
Pauly, M., McGuire, T. & Barros, P. eds. (2012 exp) Handbook of Health Economics,
Vol. 2. New York, NY: North Holland. ISBN 978-044453592-4.
And selected recent journal articles
b. Course objectives for the course (student – centered, behavioral focus)
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
 Model and analyze the health decision from the patient’s perspective.
 Model public health policy decisions and their effect on population health



and
well-being.
Compare and apply expected utility theory and behavioral models of risky
decision making within the context of public health.
Utilize cost effectiveness analysis and cost benefit analysis to evaluate health
interventions and public health policy
Design research projects to address important public health issues.
c. Course topic outline
Overview
International Comparisons of health expenditure
Alternative Theories of Health Economics
Normative Economics of the health care sector
The Patient
Consumer Choice
Health Production Model
Human Capital Model
Theoretical Foundation of Demand for Health Services
Effect of Moral Hazard on Demand for Health Services
Models of decision making under risk and uncertainty in a health context
Demand for medical insurance
The Provider
Medical Care Production, Provision and Costs
Economic Cost Theory and Production of Medical Services
Decision and Outcomes Analysis
Cost Identification
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Cost Effectiveness Analysis
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Value of statistical life saved
Cost-Utility Analysis
Quality Adjusted Life-years
Public Health
Infectious Diseases
Specific Populations
Vulnerable populations
Mental Health
Long Term Care
Disability and Disability Policy
Economics of Smoking
Economics of alcohol use
Equity in health care financing and Delivery
Public Health and natural disasters
Insurance
Brief History
Flow of Funds
Government as Health Insurer
Private Insurance Industry
Structure/Conduct/Performance
Health Care Providers
Physician Services Industry
Structural changes
Contracting for services and risk-transfer
Liability and medical malpractice
Hospital Services Industry
Managed Care and System Integration
Long Term Care
Regulation of prices and investment in hospitals
Antitrust and competition in health care markets
Pharmaceutical Industry
Patents and Structure
Pharmacoeconomics
d. List of course assignments, weighting of each assignment, and grading/evaluation system
for determining a grade
Individual Written Assignment
Group Assignment
Research Proposal
Weight
15%
15%
15%
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Participation and Course Involvement
Midterm
Final
Evaluation System
A
90% to 100%
B
89% to 80%
C
79% to 70%
F
Below 70%
5%
25%
25%
Outstanding Performance
Acceptable Performance
Inadequate Performance
Failure
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